Am I allowed to gloat? I got to see the final installment of Lucas’ Star Wars prequel trilogy at Pixar today. And it’s not even out on theatrical release yet! Mmm, digital projection and unbelievable sound… Don’t worry no spoilers here. I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out, given the results of the previous two films. My only gripe is some rather sappy dialogue, wooden acting, and a few continuity slip-ups. The effects, of course, are stunning. Not a perfect film by any means, but great fun to watch. And may I say that I’m so happy the Wookies make screentime? Chewie was always my favorite!

An interview with storyteller extraordinaire, Brad Bird….

Finally had a chance to see The Incredibles a couple nights ago, and have to say, was thoroughly impressed with the final product. Have to give props to a couple hard-working and very talented people I know at Pixar — Katherine Sarafian, the production manager and Paul Topolos, the one-man matte department. I’m happy to see Pixar experimenting with storylines that contain darker elements. They made a gamble with this particular film in that it doesn’t neatly fall into the same glossy package as Monsters Inc or Finding Nemo. (Both spectacular, by the way.) I always felt that animation shouldn’t be locked into the saccharine stereotype that so often is the case. (Thank you Michael Eisner…) Rather it’s just another medium to tell a story, and so far, Pixar has made stunning use of this fact. In the end, it’s all about the story…