Incredibles 2

When the original Incredibles movie was released way back in 2004, I could never take to it with that palpable sense of giddy excitement I had for the great Pixar films of the nineties, such as the first two Toy Story’s and my favourite, 1998’s A Bug’s Life – which is odd considering I love the spy and superhero genres so ardently in all their forms. Perhaps it was because we were encapsulated within the innocence of the pre-smartphone, pre-superhero Cinematic Universe eras, where Marvel and DC’s many sequels and reboots were definitely out there, but hadn’t quite yet become the ever-present, blockbusting leviathans they are today.  If anything, rather than counting in this follow-up’s favour as it should, I felt it worked against it. I know I’m in a small minority here – Incredibles 2 has beaten Frozen to become the highest-grossing animation of all-time in the U.S. domestically, and will win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2019. Live-action superheroes, particularly under the directorial potency of Nolan, Wheedon and Raimi, have raised the crime-fighting bar so extremely high, that this just seems slightly dated. But that’s certainly not to say it doesn’t prove exhilarating - even more elaborate than the first.The animation does look absolutely stunning, even more so in 3D – glossy, textual and tactile. Particular highlights include Holly Hunter’s Elastagirl averting a speeding monorail from catastrophe, a timely feminist sub-plot which sees her take the reigns while Mr. Incredible has to take care of the three children, and the return of the diminutive, bespectacled designer Edna Mode, based on legendary costume designer Edith Head. The design itself is brilliant: retro-cityscapes and vehicles that have a sophisticated elegance. As before, I thought it was most reminiscent of Spy Kids, or a project Robert Zemeckis could’ve directed. The visuals are better than the plot: the villainy could’ve been pushed a lot further – and was so intriguing: the public being consumed by technology, under the spell of the Screenslaver – does anybody really use the phrase screen-saver anymore?Katherine Keener’s character is an absolute dopple-ganger for Tina Fey’s Roxanne Ritchie in the film that was very much the DreamWorks’ equivalent; 2010’s Megamind.I just wish it’d played with the form far more. The humour relies predominantly on slapstick, lacking much of the self-referenciality so charming in those earlier Pixar films.  Composer of the moment Michael Giacchino infuses his trademark hyper-frenetic jollity with the secrecy of espionage with John Barry flair.Really enjoyable, but Megamind definitely has the edge for me. 

 Rating: * * * 

Oceans 8

When Steven Soderbergh made the heist-caper Ocean’s trilogy, they had an A-List starry cast, (George Clooney, Brad Pitt etc), a tongue-in-cheek tone which never took itself too seriously, and a slick cinematographic aesthetic.   Now, there’s an all-female reboot – with inevitable comparisons to these originals, as well as timely sensibilities with the advent of the Me Too/Time’s Up movements. These conversations are hugely important. Occasionally though, the publicity surrounding a film, is so politically charged around this current age of topical controversy, that the issues overshadow the entertainment value and artistry of the film itself. Again, it’s such an impressive ensemble cast in its own right - surely we can move past the fact they’re all women? These changes: gender equality, inclusion, diversity - should’ve always been the case, should happen already, subconsciously – and shouldn’t be such a surprise.  Sandra Bullock plays Debbie Ocean, sister of Clooney’s apparently deceased Danny, though the details are unexplained. (There’s a photograph of him, but it would’ve been a clever twist to have him briefly appear).  Recently released from prison, she’s another con-artist who’s soon absconding from perfume counters and luxury suites, to pull-off her greatest trick yet: Manhattan’s annual Met Ball’s multi-million-dollar diamonds…
 The majority of performances are great, particularly Anne Hathaway playing spoilt, mimicking, hysterical materialism to the hilt as Daphne Kluger, a Hollywood star and socialite who’ll be wearing the diamonds in question. Helena Bonham-Carter suits her role as a down-on-her-luck designer – all incredulous eccentricity and elaborate hats. Cate Blanchett’s an absolutely magnetic, utterly unique presence on-screen, but here she’s the wise stoic, not given a lot to do beyond sport a blonde bob and no-nonsense attitude, while Rhianna’s stuck behind a laptop. The fantastic Sarah Paulson’s equally underserved. Bullock chooses an understated delivery: it’s a far subtler performance, compared to her broader roles.   It’s glossy, glamourous fun, but the trailer markets it as far more of a comedy. It could’ve been much funnier – I wish the screenplay shared the same sparkle as the dresses. 
The Met Ball sequence itself – a farcical mixture of split-screens, jazzy Daniel Pemberton score, food poisoning and flurry of celebrity cameos, is the apex of a venture with plenty of style, but lacking laughs, structure and pathos.

Rating: * * *