Great Message, Great Characters, GREAT MOVIE!

Rating: 8/10 (23 April 2010)

It's amazing how Disney movies seem to capture the hearts of children all over the world. Last night while watching this creative film with my children (who are both younger than this four year old film), I seen their eyes stair at the TV in amazement. They both could not believe that there was a world of only cars that really talked!
Disney's Cars shows that there is a true meaning to the word "family", it's just up to you to find out what that is. The movie begins when Lighting McQueen (Owen Wilson), a famous race car gets lost in a small abandoned town called Radiator Springs. He got into some trouble while there and had to stay until he and his powerful engine repaved Radiator Springs' main road. This famous race car who could only think about winning the Piston Cup had no care in the world and thought he was better than every other car in Radiator Springs. However, he met several characters including: Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), a famous race car from several years back, Sally (Bonnie Hunt), a really nice Porsche who Lightning McQueen falls in love with, and Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), a rusty old tow truck who becomes Lightning McQueen's best friend. All of these characters change Lightning McQueen's way of thinking and he begins to learn the real meaning of family and friends.
One of my favorite scenes was when Lightning McQueen and Sally go on a drive to an old abandoned hotel. This is when Lightning McQueen learns the true meaning of Radiator Springs and he begins to fall for Sally even more than before. There was a slow motion shot of Sally as Lightning McQueen was watching her drive beside a water fall. Director John Lasseter, angled this shot perfectly. You could truly feel that Lightning McQueen was becoming a new person, or shall I say car.
Directed by John Lasseter, who also directed A Bugs Life and Toy Story, seems to have several motifs in this film. The biggest one of all being that all of the cars in this movie have their own personality, just like a human being. A Bugs Life and Toy Story are both very similar in this way. A bugs life is about talking bugs that live a normal, working life like humans and Toy Story is about talking toys who only talk and have personalities when humans are not in the room. All three of these films have very similar motifs.
Overall, I believe John Lasseter, as well as all the actors and actresses voicing the characters did an excellent job giving these cars personalities. As a mother, I am very protective over what my children watch, however, the family oriented message this film gives is great for children to learn from. I also love that it is entertaining for the entire family.