Monday, April 16, 2007

Pixar's Cars


"Cars" is the first Pixar movie I did not buy immediately. But finally I got tired of waiting for the rental copy, and I bought it.

The delay was due to the trailer not really doing much for me. Also, I felt that cars is a dubious choice for animated characters. Unlike bugs or toys, they don't have arms or faces, so it's a little forced, methinks.

That said, I'd have to say they pulled it off. Actually, looking at real cars after having seen this movie, I half expect them to move and open their eyes.

"Cars" is not the best or funniest Pixar movie. My faves are Monsters Inc, Toy Story 2, and The Incredibles. But "Cars" was still very worthwhile, I enjoyed it. And it is visually gorgeous. The scenery especially is amazing.

If you get the DVD, be sure not to miss the extras. The two shorts included, for one thing, are falling-over funny.

I also appreciate the basic message of the movie: winning is not everything. The western world is still a bit fixated on Being Number One. And contests can be fun and they can be inspiring, but ultimately they are just games, they are not life.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The western world is still a bit fixated on Being Number One."
Uhm, only the western world? Let's look east and see China. Being Number One is all the rage there I hear :)

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Indeed the East is changing a lot.
So is the west, in opposite directions.

Anonymous said...

I saw several clips of the film, from the videogame's bonuses. They're very nicely done. There's a horde of tiny "Disney" details that make the cars genuinely feel human. I should get the movie's DVD. And Finding Nemo too. It seems that animating fish, who are head and body together with no limbs to speak of, is close to cars in principle.
I can recognize big talent when I see it. The Pixar animators are aces.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Yes, I thought of the fish, but at least they are alive and have eyes and mouths.

Anonymous said...

The western world is still a bit fixated on Being Number One.

That's because we are Number One, the Lone Superpower, America. Though we are currently run by a corrupt administration.
Seems like Mr Stobblehouse is fixated on children's movies. That's different. It's rather amazing that an adult would actually rent a kid's movie and like it, lol. Unless he has kids and they wanted to see it?
Maybe that's why? Oh well, be happy at whatever movies you like. Take care.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Tonya, go to Amazon (or anywhere else) and see how many reviews of these kind of films are written by adults.
Some Disney movies for kids are boring to adults. But some of them, and all Pixar movies are purposefully written to appeal to all ages, done with layers and subtlety. Something which is hard to do, but when successful it obviously expands the market tremendously.

Anonymous said...

What if adults like Walt Disney felt that MAKING "kid stuff" was beyond them? Who would make it then?...