I turned to pixel halfway through and said I'm ordering the DVD the second it's available. I may also sneak over there on $5 movie day to see it again.
Hmm... I haven't seen it, but the trailer made it look like it might be hard to take, and then they held it back and tweaked it for a year, all of which made me think this might be a misbegotten one.
It's also gotten a mixed critical reception, with some muttering about how it's an unprecedented misstep from Pixar, but I recall A Bug's Life getting the same kind of mixed reviews (and I also thought that one was mediocre as storytelling, though technically beautiful; the Dreamworks knockoff Antz was more fun). Everyone loved The Incredibles, but that was as much Brad Bird's genius as Pixar's.
The trailer made it look like NASCAR: THE COMPUTER MOVIE!11 and while the racing is a big angle in the film and there are a lot of actual driver cameos, the movie's not all about rednecks watching cars make left-hand turns.
The majority of the film takes place in Radiator Springs, a "sleepy little town" on Route 66. Being a fan of roadside Americana, I was instantly enthralled. Hell, there's even a mountain monogram on a hill near the town.
The fact that some of the computer animation was technically amazing also didn't hurt things much.
Sure, the plot is as predictable as it gets (and I say this as someone who didn't see Doc Hollywood). However, I don't see Pixar movies for the surprising plot twists.
Okay, it has NASCAR (eh) and Owen Wilson (bah) and Larry the Cable Guy (ech). It doesn't matter. It's done well enough that I enjoyed the racing, thought Wilson hit the right notes (though it may be one of those situations where an actor has to really stretch, you know, like Tony Danza playing not-so-bright guys who are all named Tony), and even Larry the Cable Guy was used so as to add to the film rather than being a repetitive irritant (which I was worried about from the early trailers). I mean, the movie managed to make me not hate him...and that's an accomplishment.
(I think that at least some of the hold-back was to hit the summer release season, which seems to me to have been the right choice.)
I'd see it again. It's definitely on my buy-on-DVD list.
Oh, and the Pixar end-of-movie humorous bit? Kicks. Ass. No bloopers; it's better than that. Also, stay through the credits for one last laugh.
I didn't mind the presence of Larry the Cable Guy, because as far as dimwitted but well-meaning tow trucks go, he did a very good job at voicing one. Part of this is probably due to some semblance of acting skills, but I also think this is because in this film he was playing, well, a tow truck, and not his usual racist cracker redneck jackhole.
At the risk of spoiling cameos, I loved Click & Clack's. Especially since Ray got to be his '63 Dodge Dart.
And I thought the "tribute" to John Ratzenberger during the end credits was particularly inspired. He's Pixar's utility infielder when it comes to voices, and it was nice to see that recognized.
Hearty agreement on the Bug's Life/Antz hierarchy. And am similarly leery of Cars. I guess I may see it at some point. At least we have the Brad Bird Returning on Ratatouille, although what is UP with the fur on those rats? Course, I don't like their eyes either, but I am picky.
The panorama views are amazing. It's the biggest movie they've ever made, in terms of physical locations. (Virtual physical locations, that is.) Some of the driving scenes are astonishing.
We're gonna go again. That's extremely rare for me.
Lightning and Sally's ride was incredible. The only problem I had was that the road and surroundings looked so realistic, and then the cartoony cars were put on top of it.
And I wonder how many virtual miles of roadway they used for the highway scenes?
What I liked was that the driver cameos, with the exception of "Darrell Cartrip", all featured their real names. Richard Petty, a relation of mine by the way, is The King, of course. The egregious vehicle-related pun names were kept to a minimum, thankfully avoiding the Flintstones Factor. You know, the plague on the show where every reference had some tired rock pun in 'em, even if it was just tacking on "rock" to the end of someone's name.
But in the flick, California was California. Hollywood was Hollywood. Mario Andretti was Mario Andretti. That was nice. Though I do admit I kinda got a kick out of "Darrell Cartrip."
Last Friday I took the day off work to mow the lawn and to go see Cars.
My wife doesn't know this, although I begged her to take a half-day off "to spend time with me." I'm not even sure if she noticed what the ticket stub was for when she threw it away cleaning.
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dancing_serpent
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 04:57 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 11:44 am (UTC)I may also sneak over there on $5 movie day to see it again.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 12:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 01:12 pm (UTC)It's also gotten a mixed critical reception, with some muttering about how it's an unprecedented misstep from Pixar, but I recall A Bug's Life getting the same kind of mixed reviews (and I also thought that one was mediocre as storytelling, though technically beautiful; the Dreamworks knockoff Antz was more fun). Everyone loved The Incredibles, but that was as much Brad Bird's genius as Pixar's.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 01:53 pm (UTC)The majority of the film takes place in Radiator Springs, a "sleepy little town" on Route 66. Being a fan of roadside Americana, I was instantly enthralled. Hell, there's even a mountain monogram on a hill near the town.
The fact that some of the computer animation was technically amazing also didn't hurt things much.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 02:31 pm (UTC)Okay, it has NASCAR (eh) and Owen Wilson (bah) and Larry the Cable Guy (ech). It doesn't matter. It's done well enough that I enjoyed the racing, thought Wilson hit the right notes (though it may be one of those situations where an actor has to really stretch, you know, like Tony Danza playing not-so-bright guys who are all named Tony), and even Larry the Cable Guy was used so as to add to the film rather than being a repetitive irritant (which I was worried about from the early trailers). I mean, the movie managed to make me not hate him...and that's an accomplishment.
(I think that at least some of the hold-back was to hit the summer release season, which seems to me to have been the right choice.)
I'd see it again. It's definitely on my buy-on-DVD list.
Oh, and the Pixar end-of-movie humorous bit? Kicks. Ass. No bloopers; it's better than that. Also, stay through the credits for one last laugh.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 02:45 pm (UTC)At the risk of spoiling cameos, I loved Click & Clack's. Especially since Ray got to be his '63 Dodge Dart.
And I thought the "tribute" to John Ratzenberger during the end credits was particularly inspired. He's Pixar's utility infielder when it comes to voices, and it was nice to see that recognized.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 02:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 03:48 pm (UTC)And am similarly leery of Cars. I guess I may see it at some point.
At least we have the Brad Bird Returning on Ratatouille, although what is UP with the fur on those rats? Course, I don't like their eyes either, but I am picky.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 04:08 pm (UTC)I thought "What, is this gonna be known as 'Pixar Eye' or something?"
Keith
Date: 2006-06-16 01:26 pm (UTC)We're gonna go again. That's extremely rare for me.
Re: Keith
Date: 2006-06-16 03:21 pm (UTC)And I wonder how many virtual miles of roadway they used for the highway scenes?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 01:31 pm (UTC)Paul Newman steals the movie, in fact.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 02:54 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 03:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 03:29 pm (UTC)The cameos were priceless, and some of the visual gags. I also really liked the nod to Richard Petty.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 03:41 pm (UTC)But in the flick, California was California. Hollywood was Hollywood. Mario Andretti was Mario Andretti. That was nice. Though I do admit I kinda got a kick out of "Darrell Cartrip."
(no subject)
Date: 2006-06-16 03:44 pm (UTC)My wife doesn't know this, although I begged her to take a half-day off "to spend time with me." I'm not even sure if she noticed what the ticket stub was for when she threw it away cleaning.
Now you know my secret.