I is for The Incredibles

Leading highlight of our recent trips to the cinema has to be 'Incredibles 2', the sequel to the original Pixar movie that has been a long 14 years in the making (the length of time between films one and two. I'm eagerly awaiting the third film some time in the future).

Apart from showing us all what a full-length animated version of Marvel's Fantastic Four could look like as a blockbuster movie (sigh) - it also shows how each ability in the Parr family reflects their individual roles within the family - and more... According to creator Brad Bird, “Men are always expected to be strong, so I had Bob have super strength. Mothers are always pulled in a million different directions, so I had [Helen] be elastic. Teenagers are insecure and defensive, so I had Violet have force-fields and invisibility. Ten-year-old's are energy balls that can’t be stopped. And babies are unknown — maybe they have no powers, maybe they have all powers, we don’t know.”

That's awesome. So, Jack-Jack's varied abilities are a metaphor for how young children have infinite possibilities ahead of them in life. Very true.

Something Amazing, I Guess

Yesterday morning, my family and I were up and watching "The Incredibles". 

However, there was this one scene in the movie that truly resonated with me....

It was the scene where Bob Parr comes home from his dull, suburban day job as an insurance clerk. Bob is capable of so much more, and he knows it, but he has had to keep his secret identity as Mr Incredible secret. But the little kid from down the road was onto him...

One day Bob catches the kid watching... 

"What are you waiting for?" 

The kid replies - 

"Something amazing, I guess." 

Bob sighs, and agrees - 

"Me too, kid."

There's something good, just around the corner.  Don't know exactly what, or exactly when. An opportunity to go out and really do something amazing. There's even a fear that that day may not ever come. Bob knows it. He has something special, but he thinks nobody wants it. He's just waiting for that opportunity to go out and make a difference. 

And on that day, we can all shout, like that little kid down the road. 

"Oh man. That was totally wicked!"

I'm waiting, too. 

I is for The Incredibles

A 2004 computer-animated film produced by Pixar, 'The Incredibles' centred on the story of a family of superheroes. In a world where "supers" are commonplace, what would happen if a man rescued from a suicide bid and several victims of a subsequent train wreck decide to sue the superhero community? After all, that's what people do today... Anyway, back to the story. As part of the government's settlement, all superheroes are placed into a government-sponsored protection program similar to witness protection, and forbidden to use their powers. How would you feel if you had the means to help someone but couldn't?