When I first saw Brad Bird's The Incredibles, it instantly became my favorite Pixar movie. And seeing it again after 5 years, it remains my favorite Pixar movie. It has everything you could want and more, from humor to tension, from mature themes to childish fun. What struck me the first time I saw this movie was its remarkable breadth of material and motifs. Not since The Rules of the Game had I seen so many topics explored so fully in such a short period of time. The Incredibles brings up the ideas of juggling family life and career life, of being true to yourself when you're not allowed to, of our rampant litigation and torts system, and of doing a needed public service, whether or not it is requested. Being in medical school, it is the last of these many subjects that struck an intimate chord with me this time. What do you do when you take an oath to do good and you find yourself in an opportunity to utilize all the faculties you've harnessed in your training only to have them reject your help?But what really took my breath away when I saw the movie yesterday was simply how entertaining, engaging, and engrossing it was. On this second viewing, I found myself laughing at different times. I found myself breathlessly waiting for the action sequences' resolutions. I knew everything that was going to happen and it still held me completely in its grasp, as only the best films can do. This movie is far, far more than a movie. It is a brilliant work of art and a foray into human nature, social expectations, and family dysfunction. And it is something that invades your body and warms the cockles of your heart, instantly and tenderly, with levity and empathy. This is not just my favorite Pixar movie, or my favorite cartoon; it is one of my favorite movies of all time.
IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705/