Nietzschean. Glorious. Melancholic. Inordinately funny. All phrases which have been used to describe Pixar's latest animated masterpiece (and I don't think we're being melodramatic using that term are we?), The Incredibles.
As you might expect, the superhero cartoon (oh, but it's so much more than that don't you know!) has swept the board in the broadsheets today, with a minimum of four stars and a five star review from Peter Bradshaw in the Guardian (which is kind of like making Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street piss himself laughing).
"The animation is, as ever, gasp-inducing with dazzling effects of light and detail," gushes Bradshaw, sounding for all the world like a cartoon geek, before declaring a bit melodramatically, "for those of you looking for the classic holiday movie, call off the search."
Ahh bless him. Bradshaw found a film he actually really really likes.
We don't really need to tell you how much the Independent and the Times love the film, but we will do anyway (because the rest of this week's releases are pretty dismal).
Anthony Quinn writes in the Independent that the film has a "surprising philosophical outlook" and that it's the "blitheness of its comic ingenuity" as well as its "elusive element of timelessness" that makes the film stand out.
It's the same story with James Christopher in the Times who dares to write that there "are action sequences to die for". Not a cinematic compliment you hear every day.
As we mentioned before the rest of the stuff out this week isn't great, mainly because no one wants to go up against the mighty Pixar.
This month's remake is The Manchurian Candidate, directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Denzel Washington.
Anthony Quinn gives it just two stars, blaming the lack of satire for making the film "dour and strangely unexciting".
It's another two stars from James Christopher in the Times who goes a bit further, calling the film "potty" and "preposterous".
And in the Guardian Bradshaw completes the two star hat trick calling the film "a cop out".
Oh how we love heist films here at Londonist. Really we'll watch anything if it's got a heist in it...well, almost anything...maybe not After the Sunset. Not after reading Pete Bradshaw's review anyway.
"'... of Woody Harrelson's Career' would appear to be the words missed off the end of the title." says Pete, before writing this strangely detailed observation of Salma Hayek's performance: "Salma is always flashing her bikini-clad breasts and magnificent buttocks at the camera, pouting, purring and wriggling as if her life's ambition is to climb into the jacuzzi with Hugh Hefner."
So one star from Pete. What about the other two?
Quinn gives it two stars but echoes Bradshaw's erm...observations: "Pierce and Woody engage in some as-if homoerotic horseplay, at one point ending up in bed together, though it doesn't match Salma Hayek generously disporting herself in bikinis".
And the theme continues with James Christopher over at the Times: "The bizarre pleasure of Brett Ratner’s caper movie After the Sunset is the amount of cleavage exposed by Salma Hayek. Every second shot is a close up of her breasts".
Two stars then...in more ways than one.
Just a couple of bits of film news to finish of with this week:
If you're at all interested in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie then you need to visit this site. They have all the concept art and casting rumours you need.
Of course the shock news of the week is that Disney are to make Toy Story 3 without Pixar. The general concensus is that this means the film will suck badly, and we tend to agree.
Going a bit more upmarket from all these cartoons and sci-fi films, some 'exciting news' about the Baywatch film over at Ain't It Cool.
And finally, more Watchman rumours: apparently Paul Greengrass, director of The Bourne Supremacy is now set to direct the adaptation of Alan Moore's masterpiece.
