Movies 2004.12.26 - Ocean's 12 / The Incredibles

It's Boxing Day, and I heard most of the big department stores are closed. That explains why I'm at the cinema having a movie marathon. Movie buff that I am, I don't go to the cinemas that much, unless there's a really good movie showing.

Ocean's 12 is not that great, but it's a fun movie to watch. It's obvious that the all-star cast are having a ball doing the movie. Bruce Willis even does a cameo as a close friend of Julia Roberts - the real Julia Roberts. Matt Damon is billed as the Mastermind in Training, so he goes to Brad Pitt asking for tips, and if he can join him and George Clooney on this make-or-break meeting. The guys start talking in riddles. When it's his turn to talk, Matt recites a poem. That was funny. George Clooney and Brad Pitt dragged him out of the bar, and explained to him what the poem actually means. That was even funnier.

Later in the movie, with half of the gang was arrested and put behind bars by Zeta-Jones, Matt Damon stepped up as the leader and called Tess in to help out. Tess has some uncanny resemblance to Julia Roberts the actress, so the plan is for Tess to visit the museum as a pregnant Julia Roberts. The other guys will follow as her entourage. They will then take a swipe at the bejeweled Coronation Egg and walk out, leaving behind a hologram of the egg. Bruce Willis spots them in the hotel lobby and proceeds to chat with Tess, thinking she's Julia. Now, either Julia Roberts is really a darn good actress, or she was really surprised to see Bruce on the set. (Julia Roberts without her make-up is not a pretty sight, though.)

Yeah, the script has a lot of holes. A lot of the things they did are quite impossible to achieve in that short span of time. Many of the scenes/jokes have no relevance to the movie, but like I said, it's supposed to be a fun movie, so check your brain at the door.

Next up is Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles. One of the best animation films I've seen. Think Toy Story. Think A Bug's Life. Think ah, uhm, Spirited Away. The colors, the lighting, the animation, everything's just great. Most important of all is the character-driven plot. Sure, they're superheroes, but somehow we can relate to their frustrations, problems, and aspirations.

You have this above-average family trying to fit in an ordinary society. Mr. Incredible is now a card-punching insurance clerk who fights office boredom instead of bad guys. Elastigirl is now a happy housewife (a goodlooking one, too) taking care of the three kids. Violet is feeling insecure about herself, so she hides herself behind her long hair, and turns on her invisibility whenever her crush is around. Dash is this hyperactive kid, but his parents always tell him to slow down in order to appear normal. Fifteen years later, a spurned fan turns into super-villain Syndrome. Now it's up to the Incredibles to come out of retirement and come together to fight this menace. Even baby Jack Jack gets to "play" with Syndrome.

Come to think of it, Syndrome speaks and acts awfully similar to Jim Carrey. And Mr. Incredible's boss at the insurance firm? John Howard is the first person who comes to mind.