I don’t know how I missed seeing The Incredibles earlier, but it is now my all-time favorite Pixar film. Overall, it is a clever, imaginative, and fun take on the super-hero genre. On top of that, it really shines when it comes to the female characters.

First of all, let me introduce one of my new favorite movie characters: Edna Mode.

Have you ever wondered where super-heroes get those fabulous costumes? Well, wonder no more! ...Read More

Up was a heckuva lot of fun.

It did get a little toothgrinding, though, that Ellie, Carl’s wife, ended up dying before she could have HER adventure, and it was a little too pat that, once he actually looked through her adventure book, he discovered all the pictures she of the two of them together with a message to him “I’ve had my adventure [being with you], now go on and have some of your own!”. As if THAT hadn’t been an ...Read More

Night at the Museum 2–Second attempt at writing this review.

I thought it was funny, but I didn’t like it much.

The main change in this sequel is there’s a female costar. Amy Adams plays an effervescent Amelia Earhart. I won’t quibble too much with the immense difference between this adventurous, bubbly character who doesn’t appear to have much of anything in common with her namesake other than the name, accomplishments and drive. Adams steals the show from Ben Stiller’s Larry Daley, ...Read More

Coraline is 140 minutes of brilliance.

SPOILERS a-hoy! Do not read further if you do not want to be spoiled! You have been WARNED!

Assuming you haven’t read the book, know that the movie is faithful to the feel, spirit and mood of Neil Gaiman’s novella.

Aside from the masterful animation and color palate and use of space within the movie, the characters are true to themselves. Coraline is a sassy, sarcastic, been-there-done-that tween with parents who concentrate more on their lives on ...Read More

I saw City of Ember tonight and really enjoyed it. It’s not the most fantastic film I’ve seen recently, but it’s got a good, solid adventure story, some really engaging characters and gorgeous visual design. It also has a few excellent things I’m not used to seeing in sci-fantasy films generally, or in films targeted at children:

1. Equal hero time shared between a male and a female lead. Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet are co-protagonists, and they ...Read More

Oh, Wall-E. Oh, Wall-E. Pixar’s latest release is a return to the level of environmentally conscious awesome I haven’t seen in animated films since Ferngully or the Pirates of Dark Water.* Basically, the film describes a world where trash has overwhelmed the Earth. Humanity (or at least those who can afford it) flee a planet where the corporation Buy-n-Large has become synomous with the government. BnL leaves a series of little trash compacting bots behind, so that ...Read More