CARS - What did everyone think? (SPOILERS INSIDE!)

[Jake Lipson]

Okay, so I noticed we've got all these different kinds of Cars threads for various things -- critic reaction, midnight showings, trailers, etc. -- but I really can't find a thread dedicated specifically to member reviews. So I decided to make one, and...well...here it is.

I rushed out to see the first show at my local theater this afternoon (1:20), and I thought it was FANTASTIC. Forget the critics; in my book, Pixar is still going perfect with a seven for seven. Cars is not the most brilliant film in their library, but it is a tremendous ammount of fun, and while you're watching it you just are able to lose yourself completely in its world and have a great time. Once I suspended the no-humans disbelief, I found it really easy to believe these characters and the world, and the movie charms you so much it's easy to give it that. It was funny, it was endearing and...they weren't just hunks of metal. It worked for me. Since I'm not a car buff, I wasn't expecting it to be as easy to go with this as it was to go with, say, toys or bugs or monsters or fish or superheros or even rats, but...it worked for me. And, yeah, that Lightning will be redeemed was fairly obvious from the beginning, but it's really the "how" rather than the "what" that drives this, and I think that's part of the movie's point. Slow down and enjoy the details first, not the instant gratification answers. The characters were fun, it went fast and yet slow too, and it was just a great afternoon.

Plus, it's probably the most eye-popping colorful movie I've ever seen; every frame was a visual wonder. A lot of the scenery here is so exquisitely detailed that I swear it looks just like photorealistic stuff. They showed a bunch of trailers for lesser CGI crap coming out later this year before the movie started (Barnyard, Open Season, The Ant Bully, etc.) a nd, really, I think they should be removed from it because it really does those movies a severe disservice to be paired with Cars. Looking at them, they leave a bad impression on you to begin with -- stupid stories, second rate animation -- but then Cars hits you and...it wipes the floor with the crap that all the other studios are trying to sell you. Seriously.

The music was really great, too. What can I say about Randy Newman except "perfect," and really nice to hear him back in the Pixar composer chair again. "Our Town" will be Oscar-nominated for sure, and I too liken it to "When She Loved Me" in tone and impact. Otherwise, I don't normally like modern pop music, but the stuff in Cars was surprisingly agreeable with me and I like it a lot. I noticed how much more music-driven this is rather than some of the other Pixar films, but it worked really well and serviced to drive the action. Having "Real Gone" where it was in the beginning was a really terrific choice, as it set the mood and thrust us into the feel of everything fast, complimenting the stunner opening in a really great way.

All the credits stuff was great, too; nice to see the tribute to all of John's characters, the "car movies" were hillarious, and it was even nicer seeing the dedication and tribute to Joe Ranft. I am thrilled that he got a co-directorial credit; that was a really sweet gesture and well deserved by a great guy who gave so much to animation in the name of entertaining people.

And entertain Cars did -- watching it was the most fun I've had with a movie at least all year and I'm really looking forward to going back and taking the tirp again. Great work all!

[DisneyPrincess]

Pixar has done it again!

I went to the first showing this morning, and was absolutely blown away.

Pixar has always been able to tie you into the characters and make you relate to them and love them. It was no different with Cars. The characters were loveable and diverse, and the voices were perfect for each car. As a fan of race car driving, and as someone who travels Route 66 almost every day, it really touched my heart. The movie was "about" something. I just saw Over the Hedge, and after seeing Cars, Over the Hedge was a bunch of nonsense.

I found myself looking at my watch after about 30 minutes during Over the Hedge, thinking "okay, when is it going to be over", and with Cars, you are so wrapped up in the story and wondering, what is going to happen next that I never looked at my watch. I found myself cheering, laughing and crying- all during one movie. (Who else died laughing when Mater was tractor tipping?!?!?!?- it was hilarious)

What I loved, and why it pays to stay after the end of the movie, is they took Toy Story, A Bugs Life and Monster's Inc and acted them out with cars dressed up like the characters from the movies (with the original voices). It was so funny to see the characters as cars. I also shed a little tear as they showed clips of all the Pixar movies, to celebrate their 20 year anniversary.

This is definitely one I will be buying and maybe seeing again. Like John Ratzenberger said, you need to see it 7 or 8 times. We have already been to get some of the books and toys from the movie. As a matter of fact, I took my daughter to Wal-mart last week and purchased Lightning and Sally die-cast cars. We went back today to buy more, and both Wal-mart and Target were completely sold out. At both places, all of the toys had been picked over. It looked like Christmas or something. If that's a sign of its success, I think Pixar has struck gold with this one!

[Disneykid]

I just came back from seeing this and was absolutely blown away. Even though I knew I'd like it, I wasn't expecting too much based off of the trailers and Aaron's review, but it exceeded my expectations. The animation was breathtaking with its photo-realistic backgrounds, and I loved the retro looks to some of the cars and locales, too. Mater was certainly the best character in the film, much like how Dory was the highlight of Finding Nemo. It makes me wonder what would happen if the two of them met...I do think the film dragged slightly in the middle, but there's nothing I'd cut out because every scene is important in one way or another. The carsified Pixar films at the end were hilarious ("Hey...they reuse the same guy in every movie! What kind of cheap car reproduction is this?!") This is certainly the best film of 2006 thus far. Here's how I'd rank the Pixar films:

1. Finding Nemo
2. Monsters, Inc.
3. Toy Story 2
4. Cars
5. The Incredibles
6. Toy Story
7. A Bug's Life

Despite what some reviews are saying, I still don't think Pixar's hit a bump in the road, yet. Ratatouille (I know I spelled that wrong) looks very interesting, and One Man Band has officially become my favorite Pixar short. I can't wait to see the new short starring Mater that's showing up on the Cars DVD.

[CJ]

I went with my cousin to our local theater's first showing at 1:30 p.m. It was way better than what I thought it would be. I don't think Cars is the best Pixar film, but I liked it a lot.

I loved the music, animation, and the end credits. I even liked the "One Man Band" short before the film. However, I wasn't impressed with the tractor tipping scene, but all the little kids in the audience loved it. I also would have liked to have seen more screen time for the supporting cast. But other than that, I really enjoyed Cars. I definitely think it was worth the money to see it on the big screen.

[DisneyPrincess]

However, I wasn't impressed with the tractor tipping scene, but all the little kids in the audience loved it.

I guess I'm a kid at heart!

[Luke]

I liked it. I think there are some issues that it can be taken to task for and perhaps I'm too enamored with Pixar's work on a whole to remain as critical with them as I might of another studio's film. But if not on par with their best films (and ranking the first six is no easy task), <i>Cars</i> is definitely not something I would say is a failure.

[rnrlesnar]

I will also say that Pixar has done it again, and this is right up there with the Incredibles and Toy Story. I thought everything about it was fantastic. I am actually going to see it again, which would be the first Pixar movie that I've seen twice in theaters.

The story was very good, the humor was great, and there were a lot of memorable characters.

I can't imagine how much this is gonna make through merchandising, and there are lots of possibilities for theme park attractions.

[Harbinger]

I really liked it! It was better than I expected but still one of the weaker Pixar movies.

Pros:
The Credits scenes were amazing.
The "One Man Band" short ROCKED.
JAW DROPPING CGI
Many great jokes
Almost all of the Radiator Springs characters
Pacing was great
Great ending
Lightning's transformation was totally believable
A Suspenseful Climax
Ratatouille teaser rocked!

Cons:
The song during the Pre-Interstate montage should have been eliminated
The songs throughout sucked
Lightning never stopped being annoying even at the end
Many Stock/Overdone Characters (Doc, the old grandma car, etc.)
Plot and story was a bit hazy
Pop Culture References (Jay Leno, etc.) PLEASE NO. (Shrek 2 whored them out)
Some sequences went on too long (Lightning's Dynaco dream)

I would think it would be better if it didn't focus on country life and focused on city car life. I don't know, but I wanted to see the city. I think an interesting concept would be the effects of urban sprawl on little towns like that. It hasn't been done too often.

*** 1/2 (out of ****)

1) The Incredibles
2) Toy Story/ Toy Story 2
3) Monster's Inc
4) Finding Nemo
5) A Bug's Life/ Cars

Coming in a few years.... FLOWERS. (It's like Alice in Wonderland but CGI)

j/k

[MadonnasManOne]

I'm just now getting back from seeing Cars, and I must say, Pixar is still going strong! After reading some reviews that weren't positive (including Aaron's), I decided not to go in expecting to be blown away. I ended up really enjoying the film. I wasn't completely blown away, as I was with The Incredibles, but, I certainly enjoyed Cars. First, Pixar proves that nobody else can come close to their animation. Top notch! Watching the very heavy load of trailers before the film began, and seeing so many computer animated films coming out, none of them even came close to matching Pixar in the visual department. The story was a good one, and it paid off in the end. The jokes were great, and the "pop culture" references there are in the film, make sense being included in this film. So many other films just throw them in for the sake of it. I do feel that the story was a little slower paced than I would have liked, but, as I said, it paid off in the end. Again, Pixar proves that they can do the animation better than anyone else, make you believe in what you are watching, and keeps the story at the heart of the film. The stuff during the ending credits is the BEST that Pixar has ever done. The fact that they can poke fun at their own expense, and make it so entertaining, speaks volumes about the genius of Pixar. While Cars is, in my opinion, not their best film, it certainly is another jewel in their crown. The VERY PACKED audience I saw this film with seemed to really enjoy it. Both adults, and children alike, really seemed to have a great time, and there were a few moments when the audience cheered. Cars is a good time, indeed, and if you haven't seen it yet, what are you waiting for?! I'm actually planning to give it a second viewing, before it leaves theaters. Of course, I'll be picking up the DVD, to proudly add to my collection!

I also enjoyed One Man Band, and certainly hope it is included in the DVD release. The preview trailer for Ratatouille looks great, and I can't wait to see even more on this.

[memnv]

We saw this movie tonight and I agree it was great I loved the Movie scenes during the credits and I have noticed that noby has mentioned the little scene after the credits. All I will say is that involves the Mini-vans that were lost. Will be in my collection and I hope to see it at least 1 more time in the theaters

[dvdjunkie]

Saw this film for the second time this evening, and it is even better the second time around. There are some very subtle jokes that you probably missed the first time around, so I suggest everyone try to see it one more time before waiting for the DVD release.

And thanks to all who are posting for not giving away the little ending after all the credits have run. It really makes the movie!

Pixar and Disney have proven that they are a winning combination and will be around for years to come. We didn't have all those trailers that people are saying they saw, we only had two, one for "Invincible" and one for "Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest". And then after "One Man Band", which was absolutely great, the trailer for the rat movie.



PS: I still don't think Aaron saw the same movie we all saw. I think his review was totally off the mark, and he should go see this movie with a real audience of movie lovers. It is NOT just for rednecks, as he thinks.

[memnv]

Getter Done,

[MadonnasManOne]

PS: I still don't think Aaron saw the same movie we all saw. I think his review was totally off the mark, and he should go see this movie with a real audience of movie lovers. It is NOT just for rednecks, as he thinks.

While I agree that Aaron should experience the film in theaters, and give it another "spin", he is entitled to his opinion. Not everyone is going to like everything that Pixar does. You can't please everyone, all of the time, as the saying goes, and this appears to be the case where Aaron is concerned.

[MickeyMousePal]

I saw Pixar's Cars today at 7:00 p.m. and I thought it was great Pixar really did a great job with Cars and One Man Band. Both Owen Wilson and Larry "The Cable Guy
Here at AMC we didn't have a trailer for POTC: Dead Man's Chest or Invincible. But I thought Ratatouille remind me of The Little Mermaid all over again with the rat chasing scene. I thought that Cars did have a plot that the main character Lighting McQueen has to find his place and his personality. The music was kind of a let down but the end where they show the credits was very funny....even the end piece after the credits was funny. I would totally buy Cars on DVD when it comes out this fall in November...Pixar still has it's good luck charm thanks to John Ratzenberger. But I do have to say it was a weak Pixar film like Finding Nemo and A Bug's Life.


1. Toy Story 2
2. The Incredibles
3. Toy Story
4. Monsters, Inc.
5. Cars
6. Finding Nemo
7. A Bug's Life

[Hatter]

Hmm... my first reaction after getting home is that I'm somewhat dissapointed.
After I saw The Incredibles, 19 months ago, I was practically bursting with excitement. I sat down and poured out a 1,000 word review effortlessly, but tonight I'm having a hard time expressing what I thought.

I keep thinking to myself, "it just didn't live up to The Incredibles", but I know that's unfair. Bird came in outta nowhere and did that film his way. Cars actually fits pretty neatly between Lasseter's other work like Toy Story and Bug's Life. But what it didn't really have, I thought, were any new observations that we couldn't have gotten any other way. So far, all of Pixar's films have followed the same vague theme - Toy Story showed us the hidden world of toys, Bug's Life showed us the hidden world of bugs, etc etc. But Cars didn't really contain any great insights about the world of cars... it could have been told with humans, which is something you couldn't say for Finding Nemo or Monsters, Inc. Maybe making the characters be vehicles instead of riding them was the best way to tell the story, I don't know. I wasn't privy to Pixar's story meetings. But despite the fine animation, I couldn't really empathize with the cars. And the love story between Lightning and Sally was a bit too too much for me to swallow.

I will say that it was a gorgeous film to look at, though. The natural environments were truly breathtaking. It's a shame there wasn't a greater variety of them. I hate to compare it to Incredibles again, but that film had over 130 sets, while Cars seemed to be simply "Racetrack-> Radiator Springs-> Racetrack".

The biggest, and nearly only laughs for me were the automobile-versions of the other Pixar flicks during the credits. That was bloody brilliant. Especially with Ratzenberger criticizing himself. At least he had a fairly substantial role this time, unlike his last couple of outings.

Maybe I'm just not the target audience - I've never been to the Midwest, I don't particularly care for cars or racing, and I'm not from a small town that faded over time. What it really boils down to, is that Pixar unfortunately homogenized themselves. The whole deal just felt like a "typical Pixar movie" - not to say that that's a really bad thing, just dissapointing that they didn't really push the envelope this time.
Edit/Delete Message

[memnv]

I saw Pixar's Cars today at 7:00 p.m. and I thought it was great Pixar really did a great job with Cars and One Man Band. Both Luke Wilson and Larry "The Cable Guy

Don't you mean Owen Wilson

[magicalwands]

I had a VERY good time watching Cars. I think this is as weak as Pixar's films can get: a few choppy scenes but great overall. And the gas jokes, they weren't that bad at all. Though I got distracted by their eyes because they were just pupils moving around but I got back to the movie. Can't wait for this to be on dvd. (and thank you for having Mater lose his hood again! I didn't like his voice when he had it on.)

My theatres, sadly, did not have the trailer for Ratatoulle.

[MickeyMousePal]

Sorry, memnv Owen Wilson not Luke Wilson.

[Stinky Pete]

We saw a morning showing yesterday and loved it. I was truly blown away with how real the CGI looked especially on the drive lightning and Sally went on. The story was good. How Lightning turned from a self centered racecar to a sympathetic car was great.

The other thing I enjoyed was the history of Route 66. I grew up 30 miles from Route 66 in OK and the story of towns drying up is so true. Those stories are all over the whole stretch of the road from Chicago to San Bernidino. Watch in the credits and you can see a list of all the Route 66 places that are still "making" it.

BTW - Make sure you stay until the very end, as you should for every Pixar movie. The showing I went to everyone had left except for my family and another. Too bad, they missed out. Old Pixar characters in famous scenes from their movies, but as cars. It was pretty funny. You also get to see the fate of the minivan couple that didn't ask for directions.

All in all, it was a great movie. My daughter was ready to get it on DVD right then. The humor was great and the cast did an outstanding job. I give it 9 of 10.

Look for "The Birds" (My avatar) on a telephone wire during the movie.

[jediliz]

I LOVED IT!

I actually asked my mom to drop me off @ the theatre. I was afraid I wouldn't get a ticket, considering it was the First Day.

I give it a 9 or 9 1/2 out of 10.


I didn't get to see the secret surprise at the end of the credits because right in the middle of the credits my theatre CUT the credits off! I was so mad!


I definitely want the DVD. One Man Band was funny.

Ratoutliie (sp?) doesn't look like something I'd like, though.