Cars

Description

From the acclaimed creators of TOY STORY, THE INCREDIBLES, and FINDING NEMO comes a high-octane adventure comedy that shows life is about the journey, not the finish line. Hotshot rookie race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) is living life in the fast lane until he hits a detour on his way to the most important race of his life. Stranded in Radiator Springs, a forgotten town on the old Route 66, he meets Sally, Mater, Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), and a variety of quirky characters who help him discover that there's more to life than trophies and fame. Revved up with a sensational soundtrack, featuring Rascal Flatts, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, James Taylor, and others, plus exciting bonus features, including the short movie "Mater And The Ghostlight," CARS is full of freewheeling fun for everyone. Review: Stop and Smell the Pavement - Race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) has had a fantastic rookie season and could easily become the first rookie to win the coveted Piston Cup. All he has to do is win the run off race against veteran The King (Richard Petty) and perpetual runner up Chick Hicks (Michael Keaton). If he can do that, he might be able to get a new sponsor. After all, being the spokescar for Rust-Eze is a little embarrassing for a sleek racecar like Lightning. On the way to the big race in Los Angeles, Lightning accidentally gets separated from his transport truck and finds himself in Radiator Springs, where he accidentally destroys the road. Much to his dismay, he's sentenced to repave the road before he can continue on the way. Radiator Springs is the town that time forgot. A former way station on the famous Route 66, it is barely surviving now that the big interstate has been build nearby, making stopping there no longer necessary. Of course, this is exactly the type of town Lightning wants to avoid. He's living life in the fast lane and just wants to get on his way. But to complete his community service, he has to deal with the locals. Mater the Tow Truck (Larry the Cable Guy) quickly labels Lightning his best friend and wants to help him have a good time. Sally Carrera (Bonnie Hunt) is cute and distracts the rather single focused Lightning. In fact, everyone in town seems to enjoy having Lightning around. Everyone but Doc Hudson (Paul Newman). What kind of secret might he have? And will Lightning take what he is learning to heart? This movie might bore kids. More so then other Pixar films, the main conflict is internal, focused on what Lightening is learning from his experiences in Radiator Springs. There is a villain, but he gets little screen time. And this is the first movie to not have on of Pixar's patented climaxes that will not quit. All this isn't to say that the movie is bad. I saw it twice in the theater, and loved every minute of it both times. The story is ultimately heartwarming, the characters endearing, and the movie is funny. The tractor-tipping scene alone is guaranteed to make you laugh. Plus there is lots of fun during and after the final credits. And then there's Pixar's attention to detail. Watching the car's backup lights turn on and off or the bugs being VW Beetles, for example, add to the charm. The animation in the movie is flawless, and many of the scenery shots are absolutely breathtaking. If I didn't know better, I would say they were real. This is a movie to watch on the big screen for those shots alone. Surprisingly, this is the first Pixar film not to get a two disc special edition. Frankly, I find that disappointing. Still, the movie looks and sounds wonderful. There's a new short with Mater, deleted scenes, and the "One Man Band" short that showed in theaters before this movie. While kids might not find it as engaging as Pixar's other films, they will enjoy it. The lack of extras is disappointing, but the film more then makes up for it. This is another triumph for Pixar. Review: Cars is worth the ride and even better in HD!!! - When it premiered in 2006, Cars was met with some lukewarm response from critics. It was positive but not as positive as previous Pixar films have been met. Still, Cars is a really good movie with great animation, voice cast, characters and a good story. I've never been interested in the world of racing but when I saw Cars in theaters, I realize it was not only for racing fans. It has a wide appeal and I really enjoyed it. Lightning McQueen is a very well-rounded character and you can see his transformation from selfish moron to a caring and loyal friend. The story has really good messages and as with every Pixar film, the animation and the level of detail is simply breathtaking. Cars may not be your cup of tea but is a worthwile picture and I think it deserved the Best Animated Feature Oscar instead of Happy Feet which may be good but not as good at this one. Cars may be seen like the worst Pixar production but even worst Pixar means amazing and much much better than all the competition has to offer. Cars is an excellent film. Video & Audio: Cars arrived on Blu-ray on 2007 in a single-disc package. Now Disney has repackaged it alongside a DVD in order to promote the sequel that will premiere this summer in theaters. Cars BD is magnificent. You can watch every detail, every nuance, every texture in the screen. No compression artifacts are found in the print. Cars BD is amazing. Likewise, the 5.1 uncompressed Audio is the equivalent of the picture in the sound department. You can hear everything with absolute clarity. Bonus Features: In comparison with other Pixar BD sets, Cars is somewhat light in the bonus features department but still has a lot of insight bonus material. First you have the Cine-explore feature which allows you to see the picture in an interactive way where you can choose between two audiocomentaries (one with John Lasseter and the other with the animators), also this feature enables you to pick some featurettes that will appear from time to time. This mini documentaries include design of characters, settings, graphics, animation and more. If you prefer you can also watch this documentaries separately. You also have deleted scenes, a game, the shorts One Man's Band and Mater and the Ghostlight, the inspiration for the movie and more. A DVD copy is also offered. Sneak Peeks: Some trailers include: Cars 2 (in theaters June 24) The Lion King: Diamond Edition (on BD and DVD this fall) The Incredibles on BD (already released) Dumbo: 70th Anniversary (on BD and DVD Sep. 20) The Fox and the Hound: 30th Anniversary (on BD and DVD Aug. 9) Closing Thoughts: Cars is an excellent film that is worth watching. With stunning video and excellent audio and many insightful bonus material this BD/DVD combo is a must-own release. Completely recommended!!!