Disney Pixar's Cars

Post by **YCougar** » June 13th, 2006, 1:32 am

Um...

Actually, I thought the point of the movie was essentially "we need to take time to stop and smell the roses once in a while." (Keep in mind, Lasseter cites the idea for this movie coming from a time when he took a vacation from his hectic work at Pixar to take it slow with his family.) Route 66 would mainly be the method used to get that point across, especially since JL has been wanting to make a car movie for ages.

Besides, it's taking place in a "now" timeline, where you have a struggling town and no dirty rotten swindlers of the Depression era. Seems that if something bad ever happened somewhere, we're not allowed to enjoy it ever again, especially not have nostalgia about the good things that did happen.

Sounds like a stretch to find something to dislike about the movie to me.

And as far as the "rose colored glasses" thing... I'm not sure if Pixar and other studios are actively trying to fool the world into seeming like a perpetually sunshiny place, but if I really want to find some bleak stuff to give me a reality check, I'll just watch the news. You might as well accuse Disney of rose-tinting The Lion King for making the lions conveniently monogamous. As if that had anything to do with the quality of the story or the telling thereof.

I like Pixar movies because they tend to be warmer and have more heart, rather than the cynical, satirical stuff many others are making now. Yeah, edgy humor can be fun once in a while, but I do like feel-good movies. Which Pixar is good at. I'll probably be looking for an excuse to see this one again.

Post by **Macaluso** » June 13th, 2006, 3:21 am

I dunno about you Shy, but the movie would not have worked any other way to me.

Post by **Meg** » June 13th, 2006, 7:48 am

Yeah, I think so too.

Post by **Dacey** » June 13th, 2006, 6:30 pm

Can we get back on topic anytime soon?

"Cars" grossed about $60.1M when all was said and done. Strong, of course, but not Pixar's best opening by any means.

(Waits for JHM to post a "Disney's in DEEP trouble" article)

Post by **Macaluso** » June 13th, 2006, 7:46 pm

Wendy's Jane wrote:Can we get back on topic anytime soon?

"Cars" grossed about $60.1M when all was said and done. Strong, of course, but not Pixar's best opening by any means.

(Waits for JHM to post a "Disney's in DEEP trouble" article)

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/ ... /2905.aspx

Post by **Meg** » June 13th, 2006, 8:31 pm

Oh no it's DOOMSDAY!!!

Whatever. It's still a great opening, and it's more important on how it's legs (wheels?) are. The Incredibles had a better opening than Finding Nemo, but ended up making less in the long run.

Post by **ShyViolet** » June 13th, 2006, 9:58 pm

Can we get back on topic anytime soon?

Well, we WERE talking about Cars--and Pixar.

How is that "off-topic"? It's just honest criticism.

And OMG WJ--LOVE your avatar.

Actually, I thought the point of the movie was essentially "we need to take time to stop and smell the roses once in a while."

Yeah, especially if we have lots of $ and can afford to.

You might as well accuse Disney of rose-tinting The Lion King for making the lions conveniently monogamous. As if that had anything to do with the quality of the story or the telling thereof.

Of course Disney rose-tinted The Lion King--that's what they do. But that's not their whole raison d'etre. There were dark things in Snow White, dark things in Pinnochio, even some dark things in Cinderella (the scene where her stepsisters rip up her dress is pretty intense.) I only see happy, happy, happy in Pixar. People loved Walt's pictures not just because of the "happily ever after" stuff but the scary stuff too.

But whatever...agree to disagree.

Post by **ShyViolet** » June 13th, 2006, 10:34 pm

Well.....

(From a rotten tomatoes review:)

Popmatters.com

As much as the movie makes such imagery oddly fresh again—in the ever-strange form of animation (look how sharp that butte looks!)—it is also, inevitably, archaic. This would be the point, of course, as Sally takes Lightning round the countryside to show him rock formations and an abandoned car hotel, where families of cars used to stay, apparently, when they were driving not to “make great time, but to have a great time.” (Never mind that the immigrant, working class sorts now inhabiting Radiator Springs would not have afforded such “vacations,” but would have trekked through the west looking for work.)

From CinemaLogue:

Mind you I’m more of a metropolitan than anything else, but I have an odd respect for people who are content to live within their means and appreciate what they have rather than spend their entire lives in an endless attempt to acquire everything they don’t. But not all people in small towns are necessarily friendly, and not all is necessarily beautiful. I think it’s an idealistic fantasy, a fable adored most by those who now have everything (read: movie executives) and imagine themselves being rugged outdoorsmen or what have you. Entire industries have been built around this sort of Marlboro Man mythmaking. Isn’t it funny, then, that the footnote clips at the end credits show Sarge running an SUV Boot Camp where one of the monstrous vehicles exclaims he’s never been off paved roads before? That joke underscores the film’s entire problem. It’s not interested in embracing balanced, real values. “Cars” embraces one idyllic fantasy from the vantage point of another, as if no shades of grey exist in between Hollywood, California, and Bozeman, Montana.

Post by **eddievalient** » June 13th, 2006, 10:55 pm

I just got back from watching "Cars" and I must say that it's very enjoyable. It's kind of thin on story, but it's easy to forgive that because the characters are excellent (especially Mater) and it has a good message. I thought it was interesting that, while it's an okay film for kids to see, some of the jokes and, indeed, much of the story (or at least the point of it) would be lost on them. Several Pixar films are made that way (like The Incredibles) and I think it's kind of cool that they're making a concious effort to target adults without resorting to "adult" humor. Overall I'd give "Cars" a 4 out of 5 and I can't wait to get the dvd when it comes out.

Post by **Brandon Neeld** » June 13th, 2006, 11:13 pm

Meg wrote:Oh no it's DOOMSDAY!!!

Whatever. It's still a great opening, and it's more important on how it's legs (wheels?) are. The Incredibles had a better opening than Finding Nemo, but ended up making less in the long run.

I still say that's a summer vs fall fluke.

Post by **PixarVixen** » June 14th, 2006, 12:26 am

I just got home from seeing Cars for the third time. I'm already starting to memorize this movie. ^^

I'm still unable to spot the Pizza Planet truck that I've heard is in Cars. However, I might have spotted the truck at the rest stop with Mr. Incredible's I on it.

Anyone else spot other Pixar related inside jokes?

Oh yes, and I know that Mater's license plate is A-113.

And Brandon has told me that the same number can be found on the train, but I couldn't see it.

~~=oP

Post by **Macaluso** » June 14th, 2006, 12:46 am

ShyViolet wrote: I only see happy, happy, happy in Pixar. People loved Walt's pictures not just because of the "happily ever after" stuff but the scary stuff too.

Yeah happiness sucks!!

Post by **animated_guy** » June 14th, 2006, 12:51 am

Macaluso wrote:
ShyViolet wrote: I only see happy, happy, happy in Pixar. People loved Walt's pictures not just because of the "happily ever after" stuff but the scary stuff too.
Yeah happiness sucks!!

awww. i dont mind the "happily ever after"
now im sad.

~a-G

Post by **PixarVixen** » June 14th, 2006, 2:00 am

ShyViolet wrote:I only see happy, happy, happy in Pixar.

I don't recall The Incredibles being all happy, happy, happy. Really, the only parts in the movie that were all happy were the Glory Day scenes, the scene showing Bob's life briefly after he brought home his new paycheck, and the scene after Syndrome was defeated. Throughout the movie, it seemed like everyone was tense and frustrated with their new lifestyles as "normal" supers. And once Bob disappeared on Nomanisan, things got even more hectic within the family. It was not all happy and fun.

~~=oP

Post by **Macaluso** » June 14th, 2006, 2:35 am

Infact, if anything, The Incredibles is one of the darker movies to come out of Disney in a while. Instead of the henchmen going off screen and hearing an explosion, you saw them flying their machines into trees and exploding, making it very obvious that they die. Syndrome dies in a very gruesome way that, while you don't actually see it on screen, the noises make it completely obvious what happens. As well as the ship exploding afterwards. They talk about how the bad guys in The Incredibles WILL not show mercy because Dash and Violet are kids. They WILL kill them. It wont' be sugarcoated. It deals a lot with death actually. Bob thinks his wife AND kids die in beginning explosion, while Syndrome has no remorese at all. I mean, granted it has a lot of laught out loud moments, like every Pixar movie, but the action and emotional scenes are there too for balance.