Like any animation studio, the movies Pixar was pumping out prior to 2004, while still fantastic, were geared for children. Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monster's INC., Finding Nemo -- touching films, but with the sugary dose of Disney present.
Then comes The Incredibles, equal parts '60s-era action movie and familial relationship drama. Not exactly what you'd expect. Early on in the film Elastigirl and Mr. Incredible have a flirtatious spat while putting the kibosh on a burglar. The scene's romantic, witty, human characters were more alive then anything most people had ever seen animated before. Light shading and water ripples are cool and all, but that was the technological breakthrough of the film (and they didn't even need to use motion capture!).
