We're on the heels of Thanksgiving, which means the season for holiday movies has begun. Big budget, big names, big Oscar hopefuls. There are always some winners, and, of course, some stinkers as well. With the first big movies of the season upon us, we have one of each.
THE INCREDIBLES and THE POLAR EXPRESS
The two biggies out in theaters right now are both animated, both geared to kids and adults, and could not be farther apart in terms of entertainment value. Pixar's The Incredibles is immensely satisfying entertainment.Superheroes are a thing of the past, and must keep their identities secret, but when the city is threatened by a villain, the superheroes are back, and need to learn or relearn their special skills. Craig T. Nelson is surprisingly effective as Mr. Incredible, and Holly Hunter is terrifically tough and tender as his wife, Elastigirl. The movie is funny, and the action sequences are exciting. You will love the 50s suburbia house The Incredibles live in, as well as a superhero costume designer, a mix of Edith Head and Mr. Magoo.
Polar Express is everything The Incredibles is not. Like dull, saccharine, ugly, and unending. I know, you've heard the hype about how revolutionary it is, and I wanted to believe it too. I'm sure the makers of this movie learned a lot, but I don't go to the movies to watch a science fair project.
The kids are blank faced, with giant craters for holes in their ears. Really, I guarantee your eyes will be drawn to these black holes. A few bad musical numbers (exactly what The Incredibles has moved away from) and no humor round out the picture.
Aside from a train conductor character voiced by the late Michael Jeter, the movie doesn't even try to be funny. It's just flat. After an unending train ride, our multicultural kids arrive at the North Pole, pictured as a rather stark Soviet like compound. Here, things pick up a bit, if only because of the oddly realized environment. After a visit from an expressionless Santa, a completely out of place swing band, and a few lessons learned, it's back on the train for more lessons.
The trumpeted lifelike human characters are hollow and amazingly lack the fluidity of traditional animation. Yes, there is the occasional uncertain biting of a lip or shuffle from foot to foot human characteristics that animators might otherwise not think to put into their characters but the motion capture used here is a big letdown.
The Incredibles looks incredible, and The Polar Express looks clumsy and dated, even as it's on the forefront of technology. Don't believe the hype.
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