CARS Worth the Trip
I finally got around to seeing the Disney/Pixar movie, Cars. No, I don't have any kids under age 19 and yes, I went with just my wife...no children. There were about 50 adults in the theater and 10 kids. I have to tell you that I have not seen an animated feature since 1999's Iron Giant, which I saw with my nephews..and enjoyed!
Back to CARS...I wanted to check out what all of the talk was about and see if there actually was some fun to be had for adults with animation and cars. The answer is...it's up to you. If you can REALLY suspend disbelief, its worth the drive. If you need real people doing real things on the screen, you might want to wait until CARS is available via video on demand.
The animation is great. The story line is fun. The characters have personality. I have always felt that our cars are extensions of our personalities. But, I had a hard time with the lack of human presence in the film. With this said, about half-way through the movie, about when Lightning McQueen is befriended by Doc Hudson, (a '51 Hudson Hornet voiced by Paul Newman) who prefers to keep his former racing fame a secret, I found myself being drawn into the plot and actually caring about the characters. Doc's tips on racing ultimately help Lightning in a showdown with Chick Hicks and "The King."
Once the cars came to life for me, Cars also came to life. Lightning's blossoming relationship with Sally the Porsche touched me. His new pal, Mater, was a tow truck worth listening to. The storyline is a classic story of pride coming before a fall, adversity bringing out the best in someone...or some car, and in true Hollywood tradition, redemption and a big, happy ending.
I particularly enjoyed the attention to the little details. Watch for the tire track clouds and "natural" stone formations in the shapes of hoods, quarter panels, hood ornaments and Cadillac tails ala Cadillac Ranch of Amarillo, Texas. Lightning gets a makeover while stuck in Radiotor Springs and goes from looking like a C6 Corvette to looking more like a 55-56 Vette.
One detail that worried me going in: Guido and Luigi, who run the local tire store got my attention, primarily because I'm Italian-American and am pretty tired of charicatures based upon ethnic stereotypes. But, even here, although they treaded very closely to thin ice, for me at least, the Pixar gang pulled it off with humor and respect.
Having driven the Route 40 Interstate that parallels Route 66 and driven the Mother Road, I found the historic accuracy right on, as well as the many little details: from Doc Hudson's racing tips to Richard Petty's #43 1970 Superbird.
Cars took on a big job: Creating an animated feature that entertains "kids of all ages." To my way of thinking, they get an A for effort. Everyone in the theater seemed to enjoy it. Check it out and let me know what you think. Here's a tip: If you go, be sure to stay through the credits. There are some great "out-takes" that you should not miss.
That's all for now from The Driver's Seat!
Thanks for reading and please drive safely.
Jim
Back to CARS...I wanted to check out what all of the talk was about and see if there actually was some fun to be had for adults with animation and cars. The answer is...it's up to you. If you can REALLY suspend disbelief, its worth the drive. If you need real people doing real things on the screen, you might want to wait until CARS is available via video on demand.
The animation is great. The story line is fun. The characters have personality. I have always felt that our cars are extensions of our personalities. But, I had a hard time with the lack of human presence in the film. With this said, about half-way through the movie, about when Lightning McQueen is befriended by Doc Hudson, (a '51 Hudson Hornet voiced by Paul Newman) who prefers to keep his former racing fame a secret, I found myself being drawn into the plot and actually caring about the characters. Doc's tips on racing ultimately help Lightning in a showdown with Chick Hicks and "The King."
Once the cars came to life for me, Cars also came to life. Lightning's blossoming relationship with Sally the Porsche touched me. His new pal, Mater, was a tow truck worth listening to. The storyline is a classic story of pride coming before a fall, adversity bringing out the best in someone...or some car, and in true Hollywood tradition, redemption and a big, happy ending.
I particularly enjoyed the attention to the little details. Watch for the tire track clouds and "natural" stone formations in the shapes of hoods, quarter panels, hood ornaments and Cadillac tails ala Cadillac Ranch of Amarillo, Texas. Lightning gets a makeover while stuck in Radiotor Springs and goes from looking like a C6 Corvette to looking more like a 55-56 Vette.
One detail that worried me going in: Guido and Luigi, who run the local tire store got my attention, primarily because I'm Italian-American and am pretty tired of charicatures based upon ethnic stereotypes. But, even here, although they treaded very closely to thin ice, for me at least, the Pixar gang pulled it off with humor and respect.
Having driven the Route 40 Interstate that parallels Route 66 and driven the Mother Road, I found the historic accuracy right on, as well as the many little details: from Doc Hudson's racing tips to Richard Petty's #43 1970 Superbird.
Cars took on a big job: Creating an animated feature that entertains "kids of all ages." To my way of thinking, they get an A for effort. Everyone in the theater seemed to enjoy it. Check it out and let me know what you think. Here's a tip: If you go, be sure to stay through the credits. There are some great "out-takes" that you should not miss.
That's all for now from The Driver's Seat!
Thanks for reading and please drive safely.
Jim
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