Movie Review: Cars
Starring: Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, John Ratzenberger, Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech Marin
Directed by: John Lasseter

Pixar’s first film under their new marriage with Disney has been anticipated since their last film was in theatres. In the dawning age of CGI garbage, Pixar has stood as a lone bastion of quality entertainment, innovated story-telling and above all: creativity.
The early reviews for Cars promised that the highest of expectations would be filled. Pixar had created yet another classic. I must admit, I was hoping it to be the case.

Cars is a technological triumph in and of itself. Now that every movie studio who seeks to make family films has converted to CGI animation, Pixar has had to raise the bar every film to prove why they remain the standard-bearer. Many of the lighting effects are stunning, and the dozens of different stages of dirt that gets caked onto the cars’ bodies would’ve made animators cringe even a few years ago.
Yet the measuring stick for Pixar is not only for their technological prowess, but also for their care of a great story line. Pixar films have been one of the few places where stories are the only reason a film is made. Films like Toy Story, Monsters Inc. and theIncredibles mix the fantastic with the mundane in such a real way that we can see the possibility in our own lives of the toys coming alive behind our backs, or that there really might be a monster in our closet. (Benevolent, of course.)
That being said, Pixar has raised the bar for so long that it begins to be an impossibility that they will continue to astound and amaze us. Sadly, Cars is a step back for Pixar.
Alike Bugs Life, I believe it will be a film worthy of the Pixar name, but overshadowed b those who came before and (hopefully) those who follow.

The story follows Lightning McQueen (Owens) a rookie race car who is poised to win the Piston Cup, the highest accomplishment for any race car. He seeks to take the crown away from the King, long-time veteran of the race track (voiced appropriately by Richard Petty.) However, en route to a tie-breaker race in California, Lightning is lost in the desert of Arizona where he accidentally destroys the main street of a little town called Radiator Springs. He then finds himself trapped there until he repairs the road. In the meanwhile, he not only falls in love with the tiny little town and its inhabitants, but also with a Porsche.

This film ultimately has a very uplifting and charming moral. The appeal and value of small-town life is far more important than getting somewhere fast. Aside from the friendships that Lightning makes with the residents, he also falls in love with the land and the history of the region. It is eventually learned that everything we think we need may be right under our noses the whole time.

The downfalls with this film lie in the very nature of its characters. Automobiles are often anthromorphic and are projected with various human characteristics, but even from the first preview I had certain reservations about all of the characters of this film being cars. I hoped that the film would change my mind, but I’m afraid I left feeling unsatisfied with the whole affair. I raced my Hot Wheels as a kid, and then had a fantastic crash. But I never made them talk to one another.
This point aside, I can’t say that this story has been their strongest. There are timeless elements to the story, but overall, I can’t say I feel this movie will achieve the same legendary status as their other films. I just don’t feel it’ll be as memorable.

One of the funniest moments in the film occurs when Lightning and Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) go Tractor Tipping, a vehicled version of cow tipping. The other moment that really stands out is when John Ratzenberger’s character finally confronts the other several characters he has played in the other Pixar films.

Overall Grade: C+

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