They Really Are Incredible!!

 

I am so sorry I have not paid better attention to you!  I started school again, and suffered a momentary lapse!! I promise not to do it frequently.  So I was sitting down doing some homework (yes I can do that)  and guess what I found? My favorite Animated movie of all time, The Incredibles. I had only 1 child in life, and one of my best joys was having a wonderful second childhood. Never a time has there been so much great entertainment for kids.  Watching The Incredibles was like a trip to the 1960's.

The first thing I love about the movie,  is the jazzy theme music by Michael Giacchino. It was like watching Mission Impossible, I Spy or any of the spy type shows of the 60's.  The movie is about Superheros that are ban from performing good deeds, and protecting the innocent. What does happen to a superhero that can't capture villains?  According to this movie, he marries another superhero (Elastigirl), moves to the suburbs and becomes an insurance adjuster.  Whoa, an adjuster that suffers from a slight case of melancholy.  Who can blame him?

So it starts with Mr. Incredible talking about his secret identity. He is followed by the fetching Elastigirl, and Frozone who talk about their lives and frustrations being super. "Leave the saving to the men? I don't think so, I don't think so." a direct quote from Elastigirl,  Because of the collateral damage from being super, all heros are banned from using their powers, and put into a "Witness Protection" type program called a "Supers Relocation Program".

Fast forward about 15-16 years later, Mr. Incredible is now Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson), married to Helen Parr (the former Elastigirl Holly Hunter). The two are married, he an insurance adjuster, and she is a housewife.  They have 3 children, Violet (Sara Vowell) about 15, Dash (Spencer Fox) about 10, and baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile and Maeve Andrews). Bob accidentally shows his powers one day, and is fired from being an adjuster. He does not tell his wife, but he retreats to his office. His children meanwhile display super powers, to which Bob and Helen warn them against. Dash is as his name suggests super fast, faster than the eye can see.  Violet can disappear. Helen tells Dash they need to blend into the rest of society.

 

Now Bob is contacted by an anonymous woman named Mirage (Elizabeth Pena), she has a job for Bob in which he can again use his super powers. Thus his and his families' journey begin to being Super again.  Bob being several pounds heavier than his super hero days trains to get in shape. Enter my favorite character ever, Edna Mode (Brad Bird).  She styles the superheros, and reminds me of the Hollywood costume designer Edith Head. They even gave her the bob and glasses. She is a blast. She designs a new costume for Mr. Incredible.  Now another of my favorite parts this is movie is the 1960's suburb setting of the Parrs. In fact the whole film is styled in this fashion. It reminds me of a pseudo Jetsons type animation. Who did not love George Jetson, Jane his wife?

Now Helen finds out Bob is no longer in insurance when she calls his office .  Insecure, Helen sets off to find out what he is up to.  The once pudgy office worker has recently gotten into shape and is much more affectionate. Seems suspicious to me. She finds Edna, who has designed an entire wardrobe for the Parr family. Then with a little information sets off to find Bob.  Violet and Dash  have stowed away in their borrowed jet so they are off with Helen on an adventure. Syndrome (Jason Lee) is a stalker/fan who wanted to be Mr Incredible's sidekick (but was turned down and turned evil villain).  He has lured Mr. Incredible to his island. It seems Syndrome has become ultra wealthy, and invented a secret weapon the Omnidroid. He has planned to destroy Mr. Incredible for humiliating him years ago.  Of course in the end Syndrome is defeated, as evil always is in the cartoons.

Now an interesting side note is  about  Baby Jack-Jack. He discovers his own powers while The Incredibles are away, and sends his normal babysitter into a frenzy. Jack-Jack shapeshifts, teleports, has laser vision and can fly. So as the Parr family settles back into their lives, the suburbs are quiet again. However, when a new villian arrives, they put on their uniforms and again become The Incredibles fighting crime and saving the world from destruction.