Incredibles 2 Review: Pixar's Super Family Returns in Style

Superheroes: a theme that is all too familiar in this day and age. The idea of heroes saving the day has been a concept that has been told time and again on the silver screen and continues to be depicted as the superhero genre expands. However before the Avengers assembled, before the Justice League united, another team defined the meaning of being super. In 2004 the movie world was introduced to the Parrs in the hit film from Pixar Studios, The Incredibles, which told the story of a superhero family trying to adjust to a normal life. To this day The Incredibles is among my favorite Pixar films, as well as one of my favorite animated movies, as its sense of style and charm made it into an instant classic. For a long time now the idea of an Incredibles sequel had been talked about, but nothing really came from it. That was until 2014 when Disney made it official and after fourteen long years Incredibles 2 made its way to the big screen. Once again directed by Brad Bird Incredibles 2 picks up where the first film left and feature the Parr family in another superpowered adventure. Despite the action, the humor and more Jack-Jack my enthusiasm for this sequel was minimal as I found the content in the trailers to be questionable. However after watching the movie my skepticism was put to rest as Incredibles 2 ended being a sequel worth the wait...well for the most part anyways.

The story of Incredibles 2 centers on the Parr family dealing with another conflict as Helen/Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) is selected to bring Supers back from retirement while Bob/Mr.Incredible (Craig T.Nelson) has to stay home and watch the kids. While I was hesitant at first, the story of Incredibles 2 ended up being better than expected. The plot handled its concepts well as both Helen’s case and the family being stuck at home were executed decently, and both sides of the story meshed well with the movie’s overall tone. Yet this super tale was not without its weaknesses as the story had a tendency to drag on and certain plot points were too predictable for my taste. However things still worked out for the story as its stylish delivery made the plot one that was both entertaining and fitting for the Pixar series.

Coco Review: A Festive and Delightful Animated Feature

At this festive time of the year the world of cinema is filled with films commemorating the holiday season. Many a year have the likes of Christmas played a role on the big screen and it tends to go well with moviegoers. Yet of all the holidays to be depicted this year it is surprise to see the likes of Dia de los Muertos, aka Day of the Dead, to make a cinematic appearance. The Mexican holiday where families pay respect to past relatives can lead to some interesting ideas for(especially when implementing the supernatural aspect of the day) and this is evident in the latest film from Pixar: Coco. Helmed by directors Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, Coco centers on the ideas behind the Dia De Los Muertos in a fashion that is accustomed to Pixar. The end result to this new animated feature was an experience that was rich with festivity as well as creativity.

The story of Coco centers on Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) a young boy who is eager to become a musician. One Dia de los Muertos Miguel's life is turned upside down when he transported to the Land of the Dead. There Miguel meets his relatives, searches for his great-great-grandfather and befriends Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal): a sly spirit who is desperate to visit the Living World. The plot to Coco was one that relied on simplicity and adventure. This direction was to be expected as it is something that Pixar movies are known for. When it comes to its narrative Coco held few surprises, but it is in the plot's moments and twist is where this movie finds its voice. The turns that the story takes were remarkable as it gave this adventurous tale dimensions in its narrative and themes. To top things off Coco's story created a world rich with imagination and while this is nothing new to the likes of Pixar the film manages to use this plot element to the best of its ability.

Inside Out Review: Creative, Complex and a True Pixar Film

Pixar has been an animated studio rich with creativity. Whether they were showing us the life of toys in Toy Story, exploring the depth of the sea in Finding Nemo or taking moviegoers to new heights in Up, Pixar has proven that their films are must see movies. However, in the past few years, the studio has seen a bit of decline. While their recent have not been bad, it feels Pixar has been lacking in their spark of creativity. Fortunately, their newest film has a chance of getting Pixar out of this slope as the newest addition to the studio shows moviegoers the voices in someone's head. This film is Inside Out and it shows us a new meaning the idea of emotions and they affect a personality. Directed by Peter Docter, Inside Out looked like a movie that had Pixar was going back to basics; but could the creativity of Inside Out become a new hit for the animation studio?

The plot of Inside Out takes place inside the head of Riley Anderson (Kaitlyn Dias) as Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling) shape the young girl's personality. However things get turned upside down when Joy and Sadness are sucked outside of headquarters after Riley develops changes in her memories. With the three other personalities trying to maintain stability, Joy and Sadness must race back to hq before Riley does something drastic.