Cars - it Rocks!
by Greg Clapp - 06/07/06

Here ya go, APP readers...an early review of Cars. This is pretty much the same review you'll find in yesterday's episode of the Window to the Magic Podcast, but if you listen to that one, there's all kinds of music from the yet-to-be-released soundtrack and a couple soundbites from the movie....

Now, before you start asking how the heck I got to see Cars before it even opened, well, it turns out I was hanging out with my good friend John Lassiter, and I told him how excited I was to see his newest film. Well, he's got this theater in his house, and he invited me over...uh... no, I'm a terrible liar. Mr. Lassiter wouldn't know me from any other obsessive Disney fan out there.

To be perfectly honest, I got lucky. Kelly Blue Book presented a special sneak preview in 8 U.S. cities, including Seattle. I heard about it on The Disney Blog (http://thedisneyblog.typepad.com), went up to the Kelly website and scored me a couple of tickets. Of course, the first person I had to call after I saw it was my friend Paul Barrie from Window to the Magic, so I could brag just a little. You ever hear someone turn green with envy over the phone? It was great!

So here's my review...

I can summarize Cars in three words: Wow, Wow, and WOW! Want me to expand on that a little bit? Okay...Cars rocks! It really and truly rocks. Rocks hard. I mean, Detroit Rock City. Not to get your expectations up or anything, but this movie really really rocks.

Now, I'm an obsessive Disney fan, sure, but I won't recommend movies just because they're Disney. But there hasn't been a Pixar film I didn't like, and it seems like each one is better than the last. They've come a long way since Toy Story, that's for sure, and Cars is no exception. The 3D animation in this film is the absolute best I've ever seen--every reflection, every sparkle in Lightning McQueen's paint job, every hair in Luigi's rainbow wig, it's all there in vivid detail.

The premise is simple, and a just a tad predictable. A hotshot racecar is headed to California for the race of a lifetime. A long the way he gets sidetracked and learns some important lessons, makes some friends, gets the girl, and saves the farm. Don't worry, I haven't spoiled anything. You can see all that coming a mile away.

What really makes this movie is the sublime character development and voice talent. It's really well-cast. You know how cars sometimes look like faces, with their headlights and front grilles? Well, Pixar takes that to a whole new level and turns them into living breathing individuals. It might seem hard to accept a world that's populated by cars instead of people, but the characters are so well developed and the animation so rich that you'll be a believer after the very first scene. And that first scene is a doozey. It really captures the excitement of NASCAR racing and immediately sets up the whole story.

My only criticism is that it gets a little slow after the first half hour, but it's all good. There's so much to see--there's a zillion subtle jokes, pop culture references, and so many little details, you'll have to see it a few times to catch them all. Almost every scene has signs, billboards, bumper stickers, license plates, and other opportunities for jokes and tributes. Definitely keep your eyes peeled for references to other Pixar films--they do that a lot--and to Emeryville, the city where Pixar is headquartered. I can't wait to get this movie on DVD so I can slow it down and see it all.

When you go see it--and if you're listening to this podcast, you know you're gonna--you'll also get a couple treats before the movie: a very funny trailer for Ratatouille, which opens sometime in 2007, and the amazing short film "One Man Band," also from Pixar.

Like any Pixar film, it ain't over 'til it's over. If you miss the credits of this one, you'll be missing one of the funniest scenes in the whole thing. So stay 'til the very end. I mean the very end. Wait for the lights to come up. Really. You're gonna love it.

Cars opens Friday, June 9th in theaters everywhere. Go see it. It rocks.