Does “Cars” maintain Pixar’s string of smashingly great films?
Personally, I don’t subscribe to the popular opinion that all of Pixar’s films have been four-star classics. A Bug’s Life, as colorful as it was, never did much for me, and Monster’s Inc. was injured by Billy Crystal’s tiresome schtick. But I love all of their other work, so I’m looking forward to Cars…
… even though the reviews coming in have coaxed me to lower my expectations.
Here’s Russ Breimeier’s review at Christianity Today Movies.
And here’s Steven D. Greydanus’s take.
i completly agree w/ you on the lack-luster bugs life but i personally really enjoyed the unique and bizarre premise of monsters, inc. and boo is a really fun character.
–RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com
I’ve always been fond of the doors sequence in Monsters Inc.
Stirring myself to see Cars is becoming harder by the day, as the impression grows on me with each review that the Pixar formula might be wearing thin this time around. Personally, I thought Nemo and Incredibles were well served because outside talent came in.
I’m surprised no one’s taking time to review Psychopathia Sexualis, a film whose innate charm and wide appeal could give Cars a run for its money this weekend.
Just got back from seeing it with the tribe. I had read the review at CT first so my expectations were a little low. I thought it was pretty good much better than the review led me to expect. Had some funny moments some heartwarming moments. I think I would categorize the Pixar movies this way, Incredibles, Nemo, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 1, Cars, Monster’s Inc., Bugs Life.
It was definitely better than Shrek 2 or Hoodwinked or Madagascar, I enjoyed it more than Wallace and Gromit, I enjoyed it as much as Chicken Run I think. Not even in the same class as Iron Giant, but then what is.
The animation was still incredible. There are some scenes where the McQueen car and the Porsche are driving through the countryside that are pretty amazing.
My four year old son, almost 5 was transfixed. He loved it.
Greg Marquez
goyomarquez@earthlink.net
IVChristianCenter.com
It was definitely better than Shrek 2 or Hoodwinked or Madagascar, I enjoyed it more than Wallace and Gromit, I enjoyed it as much as Chicken Run I think.
Hmmm. And yet I own almost all of those films on DVD (all but the Wallace & Gromit feature film, though I do own the shorts), and I own all of the other Pixar films on DVD, and yet I feel no urge to get Cars. Hmmm.
I like that “Hmmm” can I use it?
I also own all of those on DVD and my guess is that Cars will sell more DVDs than any of those. I think it’s going to be pretty big. Which of course isn’t the same thing as saying it was good. But for a kernel of evidence my 5 year old, two days after seeing the movie, already owns the “Cars” game for Nintendo DS.
We also stopped by the mall today for lunch after Church. The Disney store was completely sold our of all of the McQueen cars. They are as hard to find as a Mexico World Cup jersey.
I saw Cars yesterday. I went in with so-so expectations, and was pleasantly surprised. While the storyline isn’t particularly original (my husband referred to as “the Doc Hollywood of Talking Car Films”), I liked the movie a lot. It was good fun. And as always, stay through the credits.
Re: Monsters Inc and Billy Crystal’s shtick…I (and apparently I alone) had that problem with Albert Brooks in Nemo. It really detracted from the film for me.
Julie, I’m with you. Brooks so got on my nerves after 30 minutes but I still enjoyed the movie. And the character was supposed to be neurotic so it still worked. Crystal didn’t bother me in Monsters, Inc.
I loved Cars. I hated Doc Hollywood but it works with all the clever Pixar landscapes & car-themed details. I was going to go ‘cos it’s Pixar but I was so-so about it until a week ago when I saw a Movie Surfer spot on Disney channel about it. Totally changed my mind & got me amped to see it.
Cars is clever but not pretentiously so, like Pixar’s other films. In lesser hands, the basic idea of any of their films could go vastly awry but they never allow it to. I very much disagree with Mr Breimeier’s review. “Minimal chuckles?” The crowd I saw it with was roaring throughout to the point that we missed dialog a number of times. And I’ve never found Pixar’s movies to be laugh-riot movies like Over the Hedge wants to be. They’ve always been more cerebral. Steven Greydanus’ review is a bit more is more on-target for me. It’s only in comparison to The Incredibles & Nemo & Monsters, Inc that Cars seems in any way lacking, for me. Except that it makes up in the genuine emotion, that only touches on sentimentality at the right moments, what it’s formualic & predictable story lacks. (Gredanus makes the excellent point that the action set piece races that bookend the film don’t end the way they would if the same story had been made with live actors. He’s right, Lassiter is toying with our expectations of the formula even while he’s using it!) It’s also the honesty of it’s actor’s performances coupled with the fabulous Pixar character animations that separate Pixar from the competition. Since Nemo, this has been flawless while the other studios are still where Pixar was during Bug’s Life. Very well done but not as effective.
The more I thought about Cars after I saw it Saturday night, the more I wanted to see it again, to spend time in the wonderful world Lassiter & Pixar have created. As Greydanus said, it’s endearing. And it’s that heart (so lacking in Robots, for example) that makes the film for me.
I read some of th comments you linked to – good grief. Complaining that TS is not enough like LOTR is like saying LOTR is not enough like TH – they are different books with different foundations. I couldn’t read TS the first few times I tried, but that was in the 5th and 6th grades! It is hard!! But it is good. It helps understand the world and the world in Tolkien’s mind. Would you complain that The Smith of Wotten Major is silly because you expect LOTRs? Come on! We don’t know what CT did, or didn’t do. It might be great. I, for one, am not going to pre-judge CT or the book. If he had let a dead man be dead, and not done anything, we’d never have the beautiful creation story in TS which is one of the most amazing pieces of prose ever.
I agree with Geoffrey, and think you’re dead wrong on this one, Jeffrey. I explained why over at Arts and Faith.
I also agree with the above comments. I’ve loved every bit of Tolkien’s writings that have been published (except some of the Lost Tales). As a writer, it’s extremely fascinating to me to see the process he went through in writing and re-writing his stories. The man was such a perfectionist it’s a wonder ANY of his books made it to publication. Simple example: at the end of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in RotK, there’s a brief list of some of the great warriors who fell in the battle along with Theoden. Tolkien re-wrote that list alone several times, changing the names over and over, obsessing over a detail that no one would ever pay hardly any attention to!
I also agree with Goeff about the Creation story being an amazing bit of prose, though it isn’t my favourite from TS. For me, it is in the Lay or Beren and Luthien, where Beren sees Luthien dancing in the grove. That section is breathtaking. Literally. The first time I read that, I think I forgot to breathe for a few minutes. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything else (and I have read a few books in my days) that has affected me like that.
Count me in as one who is looking forward to it. It may turn out to be Lost Tales volume 24, or whatever number that ever got to, but I hope not.
Thanks for the comments. I’ve revised my statement.
Nicely revised, Jeffrey.
As I pointed out over at A&F, and have commented on publically every chance I get, the ten-volume “History of Middle-earth” is definitely slanted toward Christopher’s readings of his father’s work and intent, and often that results in a great disservice to Tolkien’s legacy. I’m hopeful that the raw power of the tale of Turin will help atone for some of those sins…
What I’d love to read is Professor Tolkien’s translation of Beowulf that was discovered a few years back in a box (!) at Oxford (I believe). Every once in a while, I hear a bit about it & that it’s to be published. I think that would be fascinating!