Cars (2006) August 14, 2006
Posted by gproject in : Cinema, Recently Viewed , trackbackDirected by: John Lasseter
“Focus. I am speed. One winner, twenty-three losers. And I eat losers for breakfast”. The opening lines of Pixar’s latest offering are set to a matte black screen, but it’s all a tease because this is their most accomplished visual achievement yet. Cars practically jumps off the screen during the racing sequences, and fills you with awe as the camera drifts over middle America. I’m constantly amazed at the advancements of CGI, and it’s clear from this film that Pixar are still right on the front line.
John Lasseter is back in the director’s chair (if they have those on animated flicks) for the first time since Toy Story 2, not that the difference is obvious as he’s been involved in all the Pixar productions in some way. This time the story focuses on a famous NASCAR racer called Lightning McQueen who gets lost on his way to the biggest race of his career: The Piston Cup. He winds up trapped in Radiator Springs, a once great town now lost in obscurity on the famous Route 66. His self-important attitude doesn’t earn him many friends, but spending a little time off the racing circuit allows him to learn about what’s really important in life.
It’s a much simpler story than usual, but strangely the longest Pixar movie to date at 116 minutes. It doesn’t feel anywhere near that though because there’s so much to enjoy along the way. Owen Wilson brings sufficient cockiness to Lightning McQueen, while Paul Newman is a great choice for the wise old Doc Hudson. Bonnie Hunt & US comedian Larry The Cable Guy provide two of the important town residents with appropriate voices, and there’s a whole string of famous names playing supporting characters from George Carlin, to Michael Keaton, and even Cheech Martin. Oh, and as always there’s a bit of during-the-credits fun, with an especially nice nod to previous Pixar movies & the John Ratzenberger connection.
I won’t lie, I was worried about this one. I reserve a special place for Pixar movies, since they always manage to seamlessly blend great stories, great characters, and wonderful animation in a way that nobody else can touch. It must be something in the water there because every movie they produce has something new. I didn’t think that The Incredibles could outdo their past feature films, but when I saw it there was no question in my mind – it was my favourite Pixar movie. So after seeing the teasers for Cars I was concerned that this might be a stumbling block in an otherwise flawless résumé. Early reviews and box-office only compounded my theory. But you know what, forget that. It’s still better than the, like, 15 other CGI movies coming out this year. Sure, it’s not as good as Incredibles, but it’s still a fantastic movie which is thoroughly enjoyable throughout its running time. I think this was just the case of a bar raised too high.
And if you get the chance, see it digitally projected. Seriously, it probably doubled my enjoyment of the movie because every frame was so perfectly presented. Honestly the best cinematic experience I’ve had in a long time.
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