Cars 2 review - Pixar takes the checkered flag with this new sequel!

[DaddyB]

Everyone wonders, when will Pixar release a dud of a movie. When will it finally happen? Some secretly root for it to happen. Others even try to manufacture horrible reviews in hopes that their opinion will stem the string of successes that the little company from Emeryville has been creating since the 1980’s. This seems to be the summer of movie bashing for many movie critics, and as far as I’ve seen “Cars 2” has not escaped this.

I cannot not disagree more. “Cars 2” simply puts the pedal to the metal and succeeds where other sequels (and some other summer blockbusters) have not.

Pixar’s original “Cars” movie introduced us to a single-minded race car named Lightning McQueen who only thought of himself. Through a course of mishaps, he came to be introduced to the residents of a small forgotten town of Radiator Springs on the old Route 66. As he came to know the residents, he also came to find the heart of a true champion. In "Cars 2" we follow McQueen as he discovers what it takes to be a true friend when the pressures of the world (and a world-wide race) close in on him.

The whole Radiator Springs gang is back in “Cars 2” and Pixar has thrown in a whole lot of excitement as well. Consider the original “Cars” as the Indy 500: thoroughly fun and thoroughly American. “Cars 2” is the 24 hours of LeMans Grand Prix. Faster, more dangerous, and definitely international. There are a lot of new characters, which at some point may be too many for the very small children in the audience, but the storyline is full throttle and certainly worldwide, which requires a much larger cast of characters than the original.

I love that Disney/Pixar chose to create an international storyline for this movie when the International box office has heated up so much these past years. Consider that “Cars 2” was announced in 2008. But just recently Disney’s “Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” has scored just shy of three times more income at the box office internationally than here in the United States . When you consider that the “three times” is currently $220 million versus $735 million, the “Cars 2” plotline feels like a genius move especially considering that it was conceived in 2008.

Just a couple of short side notes. First, do NOT be late for this movie. Pixar created a “Toy Story” short that picks up where Toy Story 3 left off that is not to be missed. The short sets the mood to be reunited with old friends and to have a good, warm-hearted laugh together. Next, watch for the Pizza Planet Truck to appear TWICE in the feature movie. There’s also a nice little moment where Mater and McQueen mention the deceased Doc Hudson (voiced by Paul Newman, who passed away in 2008) which I thought was touching (yet they found someone to voice the George Carlin’s character, Fillmore). Finally, no blooper reel after the credits, but stay seated to watch the fabulous animated production credits in the style of travel postcards.

Here are some images, concept art and video from Cars 2 - These images I haven't seen around very much:

Lightning McQueen's pit crew:


German 3D posters (none like this in the U.S.)



Interesting image, because in the film, Lightning McQueen is not in this scene!

Here is some concept art... I thought these especially cool (like I wouldn't mind the original artwork hanging on my wall, cool)

and:



and of course, some video:

Still hungry for more "cars 2" stuff? The you have gotta check out:
http://pixar.wikia.com/Cars_2

[DaddyB]

ok... I know of one, there are supposed to be two (I suspect the one I didn't catch is in the London somewhere since that's where it was in the big movie theater signage). The one I caught was at the end during the race in Radiator Springs (hello carsland) the Pizza Planet truck is one of the spectators rooting them on.

I did NOT catch the reference to "Brave" somewhere in the movie (Pixar always puts a little something like a prop or merchandise from their next movie in the current release).

[disneylover]

Ooh! I will have to look next time we watch it! I won free movie tickets in the state farm sweepstakes. Most likely will see Cars again. I totally missed the North Western at the beginning too! And my husband even told me about it! LOL. (probably because I was appalled at the mother in front of me taking flash pictures during the beginning of the movie! Ugh, the nerve of some people!)

[Disneyland_DHI]

Yeah, Pizza Planet truck (Todd) was in Radiator Springs, rooting the racers on. I was extremely happy seeing how the race route went. That's exactly how it is in the videogames!! (Geek in me...)

And I LOVED the reference to Gusteau's. I was the only one in the theater laughing at that! And I also caught A113 for the first time on my first viewing (not as a liscence plate). And, in
the credits, did anyone catch the Pixar studios? Most references I caught on the first viewing of a Pixar film. Oh, by the way, guess what the Drive-in was playing? The Incredibiles. No,
not the Incredibles, the Incredibiles.

[disneylover]

SPOLIER: A113 is on Sideley, the Jet, right? We saw Gusteau's too! My husband and I laughed.

[DaddyB]

Did anyone see the car dressed as the mad bomber?
nah, me neither. But I looked for it.

[disneylover]

I missed John Lassetire too

[Disneyland_DHI]

I could NOT find John Lassetire. I did find an ad that read "Lassetyre" in London.


[SPOILER]I didn't catch if it was printed directly on Sideley, but I remember that there was a scene inside Sideley with the number. Remember the scene where Mater, Holley, and Finn are looking at evidence on that hologram screen? There was a green border with some sort of code at the bottom-right hand corner.[/SPOILER]

[Disney_Guy]

Did anyone catch on to Miles Axelrod traveling through the South American jungle that was the setting backdrop for Up when they first introduced him in the movie?

[Disneyland_DHI]

Did anyone catch on to Miles Axelrod traveling through the South American jungle that was the setting backdrop for Up when they first introduced him in the movie?

Ahh, I knew that was familiar!

And A113, does in fact, appear three times, and twice, not counting Mater's liscence plate.

[disneylover]

I saw the Lassetyre ad in London too! Hmm. I didn't pick up the "Up" background! Ah man, gotta go see it again

[DaddyB]

John Lassetire is the pit boss in one of the pit crews... I forget the story, but in real life John Lasseter is friends with an Indy driver, and when approached about having a character in the film, decided that being in the pit crew for an american grand prix driver would be cool. I think John Lassetire (A yellow pick up truck) has one line in the movie.

[Executioner]

Must see this now. Looks fun and with lots of little easter eggs!