Cars (2006)

[hengcs]

Director: John Lasseter


The official site
see
http://www.disney.go.com/disneypictures/cars


My thoughts ...

-- I would like to credit those who draw the animated cars. When I first saw the poster (and subsequently the trailer) of the various cars, I have already convinced myself to watch this movie, regardless of how it fare. After all, don't you agree that the cars are very well drawn? hee hee ...


-- Although the laughs are intermittent and not throughout (or funny enough for kids), there are still numerous nice humor. Off hand now, I can recall a few ...
... dont miss the first race
... dont miss the last "drive in" movies ...

-- As usual, these animations have important messages for all ...
(i) such as family and friendship,
(ii) and life as a journey rather than the destination ...
(iii) and adults may appreciate the sentiments or reminiscences about "good old days" slightly more.

-- In terms of pacing, I think the two races are exciting ... wow ...
but occasionally, the pace may slow down (no good?!) ... oh no, isn't that the message of the movie?! (too bad, they do not want the audience to race through, but take a back seat once in a while ... ha ha ha) ...

-- I like two of the songs ...
... (song name?) song when they reminisce about the past
... (song name?) song during end credits


What could be better (if at all)?
-- the humor/joke should be more frequent and tailored more towards kids; after all, it is an animation primarily targeted at kids ...
-- the pacing in the middle ... unless you really want the audience to "slow down" so as to better "understand" the message ... but do you really need to?
-- some also feel that americans can better appreciate some of the settings and scenarios and jokes ... (although the messages can be applied universally)
-- a technical "inconsistency"?! ... that McQueen was repainted but appeared same for the second race (i can only presume they have to do so for the "sponsor's sake" ...) ... but then, McQueen was back to its different paint at the end (i can only presume it does so because it returns to Radiator Springs ...) ... but frankly, was it an oversight after rendering?! * puzzled *


Conclusion
Recommended. It can be better, but it is definitely not a flop. So, give it a chance! Who knows, if no better animation is in competition, it may walk away with the Oscar next year.



PS:
Do not be late, there is a short before the movie, "One Man Band" ... Very funny!
Do not leave early, there are clips during the end credits ...
BUT ALSO, there is an ending clip at the end!

[mouton]

CARS
Written and Directed by
John Lasseter and Joe Ranft


The crowd is uproarious. The stadium is practically shaking. Two checkered flags are waved and they’re off … to a sad and unfortunately slow start. I say “unfortunate” because I am speaking of Pixar Animation Studio’s seventh feature, CARS, and the Pixar name usually ensures sophistication, wit and insight in addition to awe-inspiring, revolutionary animation. Further to that, it usually means a darn good time but CARS drags its wheels, leading me to think Pixar might be due for a good tune-up. The problem is not with the quality of the animation, which bursts out straight away in the opening sequence. We are introduced to Lightning McQueen (voiced by the ever laid back, Owen Wilson), a spunky red sports car with a lot of scattered energy to burn and not enough experience or patience to see things through to the finish. He cruises past the rest of his competitors as he races for the Piston Cup, the highest achievement in race-car driving. The arena lights blare down on to the track and into our eyes as the cheers from the stands erupt to deafening new heights. Everything is as it should be but for one jarring detail. The patrons that fill the stands are other cars. Yes, people go to watch other people race against each other but this is a world inhabited by nothing but cars. It’s like “Planet of the Cars” and directors John Lasseter and the late Joe Ranft do very little to ground this reality. And yes, it’s an animated film but I couldn’t get past wondering how the cars managed to build the stadium and all the roads leading up to in the first place.

While on his way to another race in another town, Lightning gets lost and ends up arrested, or in this case impounded, in a middle-of-nowhere town after accidentally tearing up their road. He is sentenced to repairing the road before he can leave. Here he meets an expectedly colourful group of cars that run through a gamut of stereotypes, from the hippie minibus to the military standard hard-ass to the pimp-my-ride 59 Chevy. I have never seen the folks at Pixar deliver such one-dimensional three-dimensional characters. There is no good reason that these cars would inhabit the same town and so why would we even be there? The only resident that seems like he belongs there is a tow-truck by the name of Mater (as in to-mater). Voiced by Larry the Cable Guy, Mater is the dimwitted naïf who unknowingly bestows wisdom upon others. He is hilarious without realizing and is the most believable element of this film.

The clichés don’t stop at the characters either. The moral foundation of CARS focuses on being in too much of a hurry to get nowhere in particular. Upon being forced to slow down, Lightning learns that there is more to life than winning races and scoring cool sponsorships. When you aren’t speeding down the highway, you can see the cars around you and maybe even become their friend or fall in love. Lightning brings some much needed life to this dreary waste of a town and the inhabitants show him a thing or two about loyalty and the simpler pleasures that come from standing still. A good chunk of this lesson comes from Lightning’s love interest, Sally (a coy Bonnie Hunt), a car who studied law and climbed the corporate ladder before she realized she had no idea who she was. Ordinarily, I would find these themes engaging but cars are built for speed, not for taking the time to smell the motor oil.

The beauty of a Pixar film is best exhibited in their 1998 offering, A BUG’S LIFE. The ants and circus bugs that make up the majority of the characters have personality that more than makes up for the lack of time to develop them all. More importantly, the bug world is believable because it co-exists with a human world, bringing light to a universe that we ignorant humans don’t even know is right beneath our feet. Even the entirely unreal monsters of MONSTERS INC have doorways that lead to an earthly plain. CARS had an inherently huge obstacle to get past from the start line but instead of pushing harder, Lasseter and Ranft left CARS on cruise control. The result is more a casual Sunday drive then a high speed race – enjoyable and pleasant but lacking purpose and drive. B-

[bix171]

Certainly the most technically dazzling Pixar feature, "Cars" also seems a step back from the two ambitiously themed, pyschologically sophisticated previous features, "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo"--and that's a good thing. Rather than investing (or, in the case of "The Incredibles", overinvesting) in issues of family fracture or disruption, inside "Cars"' technical bravura is a sweet little animated movie about friendship, loyalty and ego aimed not at adolescents about to be led into maturity but at little kids. Nothing wrong with that.