This week, we watched Bao, Incredibles 2, and the short film Auntie Edna.
Bao might just be my favorite Pixar short of all time. It is a beautiful story about parenting and how the relationship between parents and children changes as kids grow up. It is told through the lens of Chinese culture and homemade dumplings and is touching, surprising, and so honest. Of all the Pixar shorts, this one has touched me personally more than any other.
Incredibles 2 was the most anticipated Pixar movie for me since watching the original as a kid. Growing up, The Incredibles was my favorite Pixar film and one that I watched more than any other, often on Friday nights with my grandparents. My grandpa also loved it and it always reminds me of him. Even as a kid, I remember thinking that the humor in The Incredibles was so clever and unique, more so than other kids films. Director Brad Bird did a great job of making the film relatable, hilarious and perfectly tailored to adults and kids alike, which is not an easy task.
The end of the movie also perfectly opened itself up to a sequel. I remember wanting to know what happens next and getting excited about The Underminer being the next big villain. Though we got sequels and spin-offs to several other properties first including Finding Nemo, Monster’s Inc, and Cars, as far as I was concerned, The Incredibles was the only one that actually needed a sequel. However, the waiting paid off and 14 years later, we finally got it.
Incredibles 2 picks up right where the first leaves off, which I think is a great move. All the characters from the Parr family are back alongside other favorites such as Frozone and Edna Mode. There are some new characters as well, including successful businessman Winston Deavor and his sister Evelyn. We also got some new (and strange) superheroes. First the good: Incredibles 2 feels like a natural continuation of the first film. It retains the distinctive humor of the original and the characters and world are all like we remember them. There are many great moments with the Parr family including some that even mirror the original, such as the dinner scene. However, my main problem with the film is the new characters; they are fairly underdeveloped and ultimately, we don’t really care about them, particularly the new superheroes. And on top of this, we don’t get an interesting villain, which is a real bummer to me. I would have much rather had the Underminer as the villain of the film instead of what we got. However, it is still the world of the Incredibles and I had a fun time with it, despite my quibbles. In the end, the film was definitely worth the wait and it is great to see this world on screen again.
The short film that accompanied the home video release is called Auntie Edna, which I consider essential viewing alongside Incredibles 2. It is really less of a short film and more of a deleted scene because Auntie Edna is bookended with scenes from the film and takes place during the time of the movie. In this, we see what happened during the time Jack-Jack spent with Edna Mode, much like Jack-Jack Attack which showed the time Jack-Jack spent with the babysitter Kari.
Next week is our final week and we will be watching the brand new film, Toy Story 4, which opens on June 21. I am so excited to finally see this film and I want to thank all who have gone on this Pixar journey with me!
Happy watching!
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