CD Giveaway - 33Miles, "One Life"
Ends Aug 4, 2010
The country-pop sound established in their eponymous debut is a mainstay for this album as well, and even adds a little more southern flavor.
CD Giveaway - Phil Wickham, "Cannons"
Ends Aug 3, 2010
With an opening shot that hits the sonic pinnacle, this collection of spiritual Brit pop/rock is heavily influenced by Keane, Travis, Coldplay, and U2.
The Parr family of superheroes enjoy a familial moment in "The Incredibles."
A magnificent achievement in computer generated animation, Disney/Pixar's "The Incredibles" roars across the screen with a "Leave it to Beaver" heart nestled inside a James Bond soul, and it possesses considerable charm despite being filled with many stereotypical characters. Those stereotypes include the brooding teenage daughter (voice of Sarah Vowell as Violet Parr), the hyperactive younger son (the aptly named Dash Parr, voice of Spencer Fox), the inept father (Bob Parr, aka Mr. Incredible, voice of Craig T. Nelson), and the harried mother of three (voice of Holly Hunter as Mrs. Helen Parr, aka Elastigirl). There is also a goofy infant Parr son (Jack Jack, voice of Eli Fucile) who has yet to be potty trained. All of these characters make up the Parr family and they all possess super powers (except, evidently, the baby).
Helen and Bob are in forced retirement, put there by a government who decided that having superheroes around was a detriment to society. In "The Incredibles" universe, all superheroes are banned from public displays of their abilities, and have been entered into the superhero relocation program, where they all live as unknown regular folks and have to endure mundane jobs and all the problems and issues that normal people are faced with. Bob Parr is an insurance adjuster whose urge to help people is assuaged only by his allowing policy holders to know inside information that helps them to file successful claims, much to the chagrin of his boss (voice of Wallace Shawn as Gilbert Huph). Bob also spends one night a week with his superhero friend, Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson as the voice of Frozone and alter ego Lucius Best), monitoring police bands on his car radio, where both hope to get a chance to save someone.
So, the world moves along without superhero intervention and all is well, sort of. When Bob opens a mysterious package containing an invitation to Mr. Incredible, he can't resist it and is soon off to a tropical island where he meets a mysterious benefactor who hires him to recover a military droid that has run amuck. Eventually he learns that this "benefactor" is in fact a villain (Syndrome, voice of Jason Lee) who is determined to rid the world of all of the former superheroes.
"The Incredibles" is directed and written by Brad Bird, who also wrote and directed "The Iron Giant," and it does reflect some of the same sensibilities present in that earlier film. Bird has an obvious love of children and family, and the theme of "The Incredibles" is certainly one that says family values are of paramount importance in this chaotic world in which we all live. The only fault I can find with "The Incredibles" is that the plot and story are not all that original, borrowing mostly from the James Bond series of films (as well as the "Spy Kids" series), and from TV sitcoms both new and old.
It is the lack of originality in the plot that detracts, somewhat, from the impact of "The Incredibles, although children probably won't even notice that. "The Incredibles" will make a lot of money, and it should, but I hope that Pixar's next effort takes a few more chances.
