Cars 2

The Black Sheep of the Pixar family is back

Lover: Taken from IMDB
“Cars 2 is about Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. For Disney/Pixar this is much different compared to Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Cars, Up, Wall-E, Monsters INC., Ratatouille, Toy Story 2, The Incredibles, A Bug's Life, And Toy Story 3. All have been Wonderful Films. Cars (2006) has been rated as the lowest rating of Pixar. But i thought it was wonderful. Cars 2 has the same formula. If you don't like Larry The Cable Guy, you will not enjoy this movie. He outshines Lightning McQueen, by being the main character. this film comes with my highest recommendation.”

It is different from the rest of the Pixar Canon but this is not a good thing in this case and sadly Larry the Cable Guy’s turn as Mater is more annoying when the focus is on him, or is that just me?

Hater: Taken from IMDB
“How sad to rate this movie "awful" - but that's what it was. Really, I LOVE Pixar films - I even really liked Cars 1 - but this movie fails on so many levels. I saw this movie with my husband and he's in agreement - Cars 2 was not good. It was too busy and loud, so many things going on at once it all just sort of blended together. The trusty and likable old characters were relegated to the back burner, leaving Mater and some unlikable new characters to carry the show. I didn't give a hoot about the new characters, the plot was convoluted and lame, and it just wasn't funny. Honestly, I may have laughed once or twice, but that was it! It wasn't really geared toward young children, and the other adults in the theater seemed to be as bored as we were. Half way through the movie I found myself thinking "when is this thing gonna get better?" Then answer was - never. If you must see it, rent it and save yourself some money. Pixar - you owe us one for this stinker!”

Cars 2 however is not a stinker, the runt of the litter it may be but Cars 2 is still full of the pure wonderful inventiveness and complete immersion in its world that is a Pixar hallmark. I feel there is to much of one person’s bias here, which is fine it’s what these online things are for however when reading remember the only and best judge of a film is yourself.

What I thought:
When the first Cars came out it almost straight away became the black sheep of the Pixar family. It’s vehicular persuasion of its characters making them not as emotionally attachable. The story is not as complex or as layered making this the most kiddie friendly fair they ever made. Since then Cars has gone on to make lots of money through merchandising alone. The second was an obvious choice to make, in the eyes of the kids Cars is fun, easy to understand and an immensely rich environment to explore.
So what of the sequel, does it meet the expectations of the crowd it’s really aiming for?

Well for the majority yes, for such films I always look to the opinion of my twin boys. 5 years of age and the perfect judge of such things, when one during the film seems more interested in the projector I fear the attention grabbing habit of Pixar films is lacking here. Only a little as the only other interruption was for a toilet break, which you’d forgive a 5 year old. To the point however they laughed at the foolish oaf of a tow truck in the right places and looked on in awe when they put cars into set pieces that could rival the best of action directors.

So from their perspective it was a fun joyride that expanded hugely on the world for Cars that has been oh so lucrative of the people at Pixar and Disney. Adult viewers however will lose interest fairly quickly; Mater is a funny sidekick not a leading role, his usual horribly silly shtick grates on the nerves as the ever likeable but predictable Lightning McQueen takes a back seat. There are two strands running through Cars 2, one is a worldwide grand prix that McQueen is dying to win. All of that set against what is essentially a spy film in the cars world as Michael Caine’s Fin McMissle Blasts and “Car-Fu’s” his way through foes.

That part of this story is the most impressive and had it been the main focus would have been a blast, instead we are left with a left with a “what could have been” with a big goofy teethed grin.

In Cinemas: Now
Running Time: 106 mins
Cert: U

Why Pixar are one of the greatest film studios of all time...

Christmas 2010 became the time I caught up with Pixar movies I hadn’t previously seen. It was the year that they completed the perfect trilogy with the sublime Toy Story 3 and the year I finally got round to seeing Up and Wall-e. On watching these three movies I realised something, Pixar have released 11 feature films and counting and amazingly every single one has been a hit. Not just box office numbers but most are hailed by the critics, most important however are the children who flock to these films in their drones, accompanied by their more than willing parents.

Those willing parents are more the key to success of Pixar than the children in some respects. They’re films are not just kids films, they deal with very adult issues and more often that not have very sly comedy winks to the more mature viewer. Here are some examples for you…

When have you ever known an animated kids film to not only portray a “post apocalyptic” type world but deal with it as an issue?
How many animated kids films have you seen that have a geriatric as the lead?
Or deal with real issues of pain and loss?

There have been some Disney features in the past that have dealt with similar issues but they dress it up. Studio Ghibli are very much about these issues however they’re appeal is not as universal as Pixar.

The animators and the Directors clearly treat their films with the same love and attention to detail as any Oscar best picture. Each film is heavy and funny enough for adults and fun and exciting for the little nippers. Even when Pixar dip their toes into the safer warmer waters of more kid-centric fare (ala Cars or Bugs Life), they create such vivid characters that appeal to children hugely, and you only have to compare the merchandise of Cars to other Pixar movies to see just where its success lies. Cars 2 is this years Pixar release, no doubt critics will pounce on it as they did the first Cars but I’ll still go and see it, especially with the news that the accompanying Pixar short is Ken and Barbie from Toy Story 3 on their Hawaiian honeymoon.

Yes this is a feature where I gush about Pixar a lot but I really do love their films. Toy Story 3 is a heart breaking end to a trilogy that surpasses any I have watched; even the greats like the original Star Wars had their bad points (ewoks). Toy Story has none and only got stronger in animation and emotional clout as the films went on. As Andy grew the inevitable severance from his Toys was always going to deliver the biggest punch and who didn’t, at least just for a second think that they might just end it in the furnace? Who can tell me that when the Toys blankly looked at each other and held hands to accept death that they didn’t feel for those computer animated Child’s Playthings.

Films like Up and Wall-E have ace’s in the from of their characters, Up’s Mr Fredrickson is a grumpy old man and my son (4) pretends to be him! Dug is one of the greatest characters they have ever come up with, the voice is perfect and with the facial expressions un-changed like a real dog (not Disney grins and human traits) everything he says is hilarious! Wall-E is a whole different kettle of fish, a robot who can not speak to convey emotions and yet you fell for him almost instantly, his eyes like big puppy dogs and his beeps and blips so emotive. A love between two robots and an outer-space “dance” sequence that would give anyone on strictly a run for their money; it all comes together in what is simply a great story thanks to these voiceless characters.

Until this year Finding Nemo was my favourite though, its tale of a fathers search for his son against impossible odds is incredible and moving. It’s visually stunning and like The Incredibles has real family Drama beating at the heart of it. What Father hasn’t been a bit over protective and terrified when they’ve lost their child? What family hasn’t had to deal with some of the more real issues that are shoe horned into a Watchmen type super hero story? All of these things make the characters real and recognizable despite the fact their fishes or can stretch their body to make a boat.

Pixar also love playing with your perceptions as well, did you think you’d see a fancy French kitchen run by rats, or that one of them is a fine chef? Did you know that the monsters hiding in your cupboard are more scared of you then you are of them? These films make fine comedy flair by flipping common ideas on their head, Ratatouille more so than Monsters Inc. The latter has incredibly dense design and who can blame them with a whole new Monster world to build from scratch; it also includes the cutest Pixar character in boo. The Monsters are also set to return to our screens in 2012!

So there you have it, the reasons I think Pixar is one of the greatest Film Studios of all time. Now the Academy will shove Toys Story 3 in best animated film category when it really belongs in best picture.

the Buzz: 19/10/10

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Christopher Columbus Biopic

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Lots of casting rumours for The Hobbit

Toy Story 3

The Perfect Trilogy

Loved it: Taken from IMDB

“I attended a special screening for Toy Story 3. I went in with HIGH expectations. I LOVED the first two Toy Stories movies. Toy Story is a beloved franchise that almost everyone that I know loves the first two films. Now how about the 3rd film? Well all I could say is that it lived up to my unbelievably HIGH expectations and then some. This is such a good film. It has the laughs, magic and best of all the entertainment. The new characters in the movie feel like they were in the previous two films, they were that engaging and really worked well in the movie. The best part of the movie has to be the ending, I almost cried and was moved to just about to tears. I truly believe that this is one of the best Trilogies of all time. It might even rival the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.This movie has a real chance to become the First Animated Film to win Best Picture. I surely would not be surprised. 10/10 An Amazing End to a Fantastic Series Go Watch It.”

couldn’t agree more.

Hater: Taken from IMDB

“Bad, really really bad animation, in fact, absolutely crumby TACKY animation. Maybe Mr. Pixar should take a look at Max Fleischer's "Popeye" cartoons, hand drawn in the 1930's with the most basic analog technology. Am tired of melancholic Israeli peacenik crap (e.g., "Shrek Goes Fourth"). You, Pixar, live in a war zone not of your own choosing, so suck it up. It ain't your fault millions of Arabs have a Third-Reich death wish for you (c.f., Haj Amin Al-Husseini, the mufti of Jerusalem). This is nothing more than a 3rd rate documentary dressed up in 4th rate low-budget computer animation. The only reason international festivals and the Oscars fawned over and award this slop is because it conforms to their anti-Fleischer liberal bias. Nothing like a toy scrapping the ground in abject guilt to get a rise from the Church Ladies.”

There are bad reviews in there that may have a point (more about that later) but this bad review was just too funny not to quote! All of this for a kids film!

What I thought:

I have been saying it over and over again in my head but Toy Story 3 is the completion of what is the perfectly executed trilogy! Let’s take some of the best trilogies, Star Wars people still pick a favourite and most hated the ewoks! Lord of the Rings, most people thought Return of the King was just a tad to long and Orlando Bloom gets worse the more you watch them. Even things like Back to the future are let down by a lack lustre third entry.

Toy Story has done something not done before, every movie stands alone in all its CG glory as a testament to Pixars work. Nothing encompasses the companies’ ethos more, that it picked up where Disney left off with such awe inspiring family films. The fact that my son cried out “WOODY!” when he was in trouble proved it to me. I have never known them to sit still that long or to cry out when a character was in trouble! The thing is, it was just as harrowing for me as it was them. I grew up with these characters, the first film came out in 1995, and I was 11 years old! Toy Story 3 deals with what everyone knew would come, Andy would grow up and have no need for toys anymore and it’s heartbreaking.

The complaints about the film centre around on how scary and dark the film is in places, I would agree. Saying that my boys loved it, not once did they indicate they were scared. Its central theme can be scary but then when did children worry about a “central theme” personally I think these complaints have come from over sensitive parents.

So there you have it 2010 continues in such a great way, looking forward to Scott Pilgrim Now.