Have you noticed that you never see Syndrome and Heat Miser together? Coincidence? I think not.

Old-school super-heroes meet the brave new world of computer animation in The Incredibles, the latest and – for my money – greatest movie from Pixar.

The movie opens with Mr. Incredible, the greatest super-hero of them all, saving the day several times over on the way to his wedding with Elastigirl. But in today’s world no good deed goes unpunished and he’s soon facing a lawsuit over a foiled suicide attempt. (Damned trial lawyers.) This starts a landslide of legal troubles and public relations nightmares for the world’s super-heroes, and soon they’re all forced underground into a sort of witness-protection program for the super-powered.

Fast forward a few years and our super-couple are living the suburban life, with Mr. Incredible pushing paper at an insurance company and Elastigirl as stay-at-home mom. Their kids are cautioned to hide their own gifts, which include invisibility and force-field generation for shy, teenaged Violet and super-speed for the aptly named Dash. Mr. Incredible longs for the good old days, and when an opportunity presents itself to get back in action he can’t resist. But saving the world turns out to be a family affair, and soon the wife and kids are suiting up to rescue Dad.

They are going to dominate the games at the next neighborhood picnic.

The Incredibles is incredi . . . er, remarkable. It manages to be both one of the funniest movies of the year and one of the best super-hero movies I’ve ever seen. Its story is clever without getting in the way of the rapid-fire gags. The characters, both major and minor, are sharply written and impeccably voiced. Its action scenes are imaginative and exciting, like Mr. Incredible going mano-a-mano with a giant robot.

Writer/director Brad Bird, who made the under-rated Iron Giant, keeps things moving so briskly and with so much fun that it was a surprise to reach the end and realize I’d just watched a nearly two hour long movie. The length may try the patience of the average five-year-old, but The Incredibles is so packed with sly, savvy humor that it’s more successful for adults – at least this adult – than previous Pixar efforts like Finding Nemo or even Toy Story. As much as I liked those movies, I was a bit bored at times, something that was never a problem during The Incredibles.

The movie also benefits from incredi . . . uh, fantastic voice work. Holly Hunter is funny and feisty as Elastigirl, and Craig T. Nelson finds the heart and humor in the super-hero forced to live as his secret identity. I also liked Sarah Vowell as the tentative, shrinking Violet, Samuel L. Jackson as world-weary hero Frozone and Jason Lee as the villain Syndrome. But my favorite was director Bird himself, voicing Edna Mode, brisk, temperamental genius of super-suit design.

The Incredibles could have been a tired, one-joke affair, but its smart, snarky script, clever twists and genuine affection for its characters make it — bold statement alert — the best animated movie I’ve ever seen. The Incredibles is a family film that’s every bit as fun for grown-ups as for children. Go, whether you’ve got a kid to take or not.

Gorilla Pants rating: 4 out of 4 bananas