Before I give my impression of Cars, I want to say: Don't be late to the showing you attend. As is tradition by now, a Pixar short is shown beforehand. One Man Band is a true gem, and should not be missed.
Cars strikes me as being equivalent to Disney's Cinderella: It's a film made well within the capabilities of the studio that created it. It doesn't push any envelopes, thus will disappoint those looking to be blown away.
Those looking to be entertained? They'll fare a lot better. It's a good film. Funny, stunning visuals, even moving in places...yet it doesn't set any new boundries. It's well within the comfort zone.
It takes place on a bizarre alternate world where all animal life is a vehicle of some sort. The natural landscape is filled with the forms of automobiles. Bugs are literal "Bugs".
There's even a reference to "Thank the Manufacturer"!
Lightning McQueen starts out as a brash, talented celebrity race car. His only problem is that his life is -only- that. He has no true friends, no real connection to anyone...and in private cracks are starting to show in his shallow happiness.
He finds trials and tribulations in a little bit of nowhere on the long deteriorated Route 66...he also finds a surrogate family of sorts.
Things I liked:
The humor is funny. Pixar's always been good at pacing and piling up the laughs. They do well here. The Italian cars alone were comedy gold.
The voice talent is well used. Especially Paul Newman as the mysterious Doc Hudson.
The animation is high quality. The backgrounds are gorgeous.
They don't go for the easy, obvious ending. I liked that a lot.
Things I didn't care for:
The pacing is a bit off once the story introduces the Radiator Springs characters. It seems to take a long time to introduce them all, and we don't get much payoff until the introductions are through with.
The Route 66 nostalgia seemed to affect the 40-60 somethings in the audience more than it did anyone below that age group, me included.
Larry the Cable Guy is funny enough here as Mater...but that voice. It just grates.
Be sure to stay in your seat when the credits roll!
Not only does John Ratzenberger participate in a hilarious send-up of his Pixar career, but after the copyright notice scrolls by there's an extra scene. The fate of two peripheral characters from early on in the film is revealed. It's a scream.
I give it a solid B+.
Posted by MandyM (Member # 8375) on :
I saw it this morning and I saw Hoodwinked last week. This was SO much better! I disagree about Larry the Cable Guy. The only thing that grates is that my husband will talk like him the rest of the weekend. Incidently I don't think you gave away any huge spoilers. I thought the ending was pretty predictable but it was still great! This is the best animated movie I have seen in a long time.
Posted by airmanfour (Member # 6111) on :
I thought this was going to be a dobie, and am a little disappointed.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
A dobie to what?
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Yes, good and all, but the big question.
How did Click and Clack, the NPR Car Guys do? I heard they were in the show.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
They do well enough, but they only have bit parts as "The Rust-Eze Brothers".
Posted by airmanfour (Member # 6111) on :
The Feast for Crows *SPOILERS*. Cars *spoilers*. I was all amped up to bust on people for putting spoilers on their cars for no reason, but noooooooo, you have to legitimately discuss a film. What a let down.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
There there. *pats* Posted by Jim-Me (Member # 6426) on :
Puffy, I thought your review was about spot on. My only disagreement is that the slow pacing didn't bother me for two reasons: 1) the kids weren't bothered by it 2) it's kinda the point of the movie. to quote the Beatles (probably ripping off someone else) "Slow down! Baby, ya' movin' way too fast!"
I'd put it in the same class as the main thrust of Pixar Films-- "Monster's, Inc.", "Fiding Nemo", and "The Incredibles" being the cream of the crop and everything else a little fluffier and more just-for-fun, but still quality.
Other notes: I was really struck by the beauty of the film, but that's the only breathtaking thing about it. I enjoyed the NASCAR cameos (there were TONS), especially the nod to Andretti's little known start in NASCAR, and any movie that references the Original 1979 "The In-Laws" ("serpentine!") scores instant greatness in my book. Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
But the gist is: I agree.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I liked it about as much as I liked The Incredibles - a great deal and I'm glad I saw it, but it isn't as good as Monsters Inc. or Toy Story II.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
See, I cannot *STAND* Larry the Cable Guy ("Git 'er dooooone!" Yeah, uh, go play chicken in traffic), but I was surprisingly unfazed by his presence in this movie.
I enjoyed this about as much as I enjoy my favorite two Pixar movies (Finding Nemo & The Incredibles) and more than the mediocre ones (Toy Story I/II, Monsters Inc), although how much I love a given Pixar movie tends to be directly correlated to how old I was when I saw it, so...meh.
Mostly, I was just glad it was so much better than the previews made it seem.
Posted by Jim-Me (Member # 6426) on :
I think it's funny that we disagree so wildly on which pixar movies are in that top tier, but we all agree that there are certain pixar movies that are top-shelf, and the rest are all good.
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
I knew this movie SO well from the first 5 minutes, that I could have walked out and decided between 10 possible endings, and known exactly the one that was right. It had absolutely nothing to offer in originality, or much to offer in charm or talent. The only interesting thing about it was a number of visuals depicting the highway being built, and that was the only part that caught my interest. I wished there had been a better movie showing.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
There's an idea: "Highway: The Movie," all about an intrepid road and how he learns to bend a little.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I like dthat movie, but I kept thinking, why are they all cars? How is that practical? But then the parts a the end made me laugh and I got all weepy during a scene which is just so uncool. But it was so sweet. Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: There's an idea: "Highway: The Movie," all about an intrepid road and how he learns to bend a little.
It would be not less believable than a world of cars in which people go to nascar.
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