Cars (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Cars' have never been cooler than in Pixar's latest creation, directed by John Lasseter & Joe Ranft. Upon traveling to California for a dispute of the final race of the Piston Cup against 'Chick Hicks' & 'The King', the famous Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) accidentally damages the road of a small town named Radiator Springs. His sentence? To repair it, of course. Thanks to the locals, hard work, and some humbling, McQueen finds friendship, love & responsibility. The eye-popping visuals are amazing. The characters (cars) & story are engaging. It's a tad long for younger viewers, but this is the best movie of the year, thus far.
Although he's a successful NASCAR-like race car, McQueen is forced to prove his stature by re-competing in a race in LA. On his way to the tie-breaking race, some hot punk cars get him lost off of Route 66 in a small Carburetor town. Scared, McQueen tears up Radiator Springs' turf, damages property, & gets in big trouble. To make up for it, he's sentenced by Doc Hudson (a sage Paul Newman) to perform community service. First, McQueen comes across as a cocky race car, because he is. Initially, all he wants to do is escape this town's clutches. But the town tries to assure him that trophies, records, sponsorships, and fame is 'not all that'. Through time & experience, he learns to bond with the 'cars' that live there.
One of his many new friends includes a funny, loveable, redneck of a tow truck named Mater (Larry the Cable Guy). And a 'love interest', so to speak, is the gorgeous motel owner, a Porsche named Sally (Bonnie Hunt). Things are going well, but McQueen still can't figure out why Doc Hudson still holds such a grudge against him. Turns out, there's a painful secret from Hudson's past that prevents him from letting his guard down. What's his secret? Can Lightning McQueen finish the road in time to make it to the Piston Cup race? After a week with his new 'family', will he even 'want' to race?
'Cars' works because it has heart. It's the fresh kind of film that will cater to both knowing children & their eager parents. 'Cars' offers an impressive blend of comedy, fun characters, stellar script, intelligence, & technical wonderment. There's a moral message, of course (learning humility & help those less fortunate than you). The only thing hampering this film is its running time. It's one of the longer Disney films I've seen & it didn't need to be. It's also more admirable to watch, than it is to revel in. Finding Nemo it's not; The Incredibles ... not quite. But I sat in awe of the unbelievably beautiful animation on the screen. There's a segment where Sally takes McQueen on a long scenic drive in the outback. I could sit & watch that scene forever.
Although he's a successful NASCAR-like race car, McQueen is forced to prove his stature by re-competing in a race in LA. On his way to the tie-breaking race, some hot punk cars get him lost off of Route 66 in a small Carburetor town. Scared, McQueen tears up Radiator Springs' turf, damages property, & gets in big trouble. To make up for it, he's sentenced by Doc Hudson (a sage Paul Newman) to perform community service. First, McQueen comes across as a cocky race car, because he is. Initially, all he wants to do is escape this town's clutches. But the town tries to assure him that trophies, records, sponsorships, and fame is 'not all that'. Through time & experience, he learns to bond with the 'cars' that live there.
One of his many new friends includes a funny, loveable, redneck of a tow truck named Mater (Larry the Cable Guy). And a 'love interest', so to speak, is the gorgeous motel owner, a Porsche named Sally (Bonnie Hunt). Things are going well, but McQueen still can't figure out why Doc Hudson still holds such a grudge against him. Turns out, there's a painful secret from Hudson's past that prevents him from letting his guard down. What's his secret? Can Lightning McQueen finish the road in time to make it to the Piston Cup race? After a week with his new 'family', will he even 'want' to race?
'Cars' works because it has heart. It's the fresh kind of film that will cater to both knowing children & their eager parents. 'Cars' offers an impressive blend of comedy, fun characters, stellar script, intelligence, & technical wonderment. There's a moral message, of course (learning humility & help those less fortunate than you). The only thing hampering this film is its running time. It's one of the longer Disney films I've seen & it didn't need to be. It's also more admirable to watch, than it is to revel in. Finding Nemo it's not; The Incredibles ... not quite. But I sat in awe of the unbelievably beautiful animation on the screen. There's a segment where Sally takes McQueen on a long scenic drive in the outback. I could sit & watch that scene forever.