Pixar's Cars reviewed
What is perhaps most admirable about Pixar is the way that they are always pushing boundaries and challenging themselves. It’s one thing humanising monsters and insects, but in Cars, they’ve actually achieved the impossible and brought credible life and personality to the inanimate, blocky, limbless objects that are cars.
I know a lot of people have been put off by the idea of watching an animated film about motor vehicles, but Cars is well worth seeing. It’s superbly animated (there is one stunning scene where neon lighting reflects on the cars’ polished metal surfaces) and comes with 2 strong messages about A) leading a more holistic life and B) treasuring a simpler past. The film is very much orientated towards the message that ‘Life is a journey; not a destination. Enjoy the ride.’
And in case you think the film could become too preachy, it has an appealing voice cast that includes Owen Wilson as cocky rookie racing star Lightning McQueen, Bonnie Hunt as Porsche Sally and Paul Newman as Doc Hudson, essentially a mayor figure in the little town of Radiator Springs.
There are also amusing supporting characters like 2 little Italian tyre dealers (cars themselves, of course) with a Ferrari obsession, and some nice little in-jokes and touches like the Radiator Springs yokels going tractor-tipping and a certain Californian governor appearing as a bright yellow humvee.
Perhaps the film is not as emotionally affecting as Finding Nemo or The Incredibles, but it still gets a very healthy 8 out of 10 for having a heart, and not simply resorting to wackiness and tedious fart and burp gags.
Oh, and the animated short that accompanies Cars is called One Man Band and it is utterly superb in terms of character facial expression animation. I would hope it wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short for this year.
I know a lot of people have been put off by the idea of watching an animated film about motor vehicles, but Cars is well worth seeing. It’s superbly animated (there is one stunning scene where neon lighting reflects on the cars’ polished metal surfaces) and comes with 2 strong messages about A) leading a more holistic life and B) treasuring a simpler past. The film is very much orientated towards the message that ‘Life is a journey; not a destination. Enjoy the ride.’
And in case you think the film could become too preachy, it has an appealing voice cast that includes Owen Wilson as cocky rookie racing star Lightning McQueen, Bonnie Hunt as Porsche Sally and Paul Newman as Doc Hudson, essentially a mayor figure in the little town of Radiator Springs.
There are also amusing supporting characters like 2 little Italian tyre dealers (cars themselves, of course) with a Ferrari obsession, and some nice little in-jokes and touches like the Radiator Springs yokels going tractor-tipping and a certain Californian governor appearing as a bright yellow humvee.
Perhaps the film is not as emotionally affecting as Finding Nemo or The Incredibles, but it still gets a very healthy 8 out of 10 for having a heart, and not simply resorting to wackiness and tedious fart and burp gags.
Oh, and the animated short that accompanies Cars is called One Man Band and it is utterly superb in terms of character facial expression animation. I would hope it wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short for this year.
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