A Fun Ride

Rating: 9/10 (10 February 2008)

This really is a fun movie for all ages. The animation is so great that adults will actually get a thrill from seeing the cars racing around like a digital form of the car sets they had as kids. Kids will enjoy the characters and there is enough charm and humor to give everyone a smile.The "trivia" section of IMDb says the McQueen character is based on an animator named McQueen, but I'm sure thoughts of Steve McQueen and his racing days were thought of, too.
Be sure to watch during and after the credits at the end. It's like finding "easter eggs" in software programs. There are fun mini-vignettes that are sure to make all the parents who have invested in other Disney/Pixar films smile knowingly.
It's a fun ride with a few rough patches. I didn't appreciate the repeated "nuts" jokes. There are stereotypes of Italians (funny accents, hinted at Mafia ties) and Puerto Ricans (funny accents, loud colors). Interesting that the largely homosexual population of Disney artists never pokes fun at other homosexuals. And the preachy "progress made us by-pass small towns and leisurely rides to save a few minutes" doesn't make sense at the end when you realize those extra minutes = several miles of gas guzzling, and the "happy ending" involves bringing more traffic, including more technology, to the town.
But past the hypocrisy is stunning animation, a cute story, and great acting by Paul Newman who makes the movie worth watching all by himself. An actor who makes an animated character memorable is impressive. Some catchy tunes, too, old and new, will have your engine humming.
In the old days the family would spend a day in the car watching the scenery. Nowadays, enjoy some time with the family watching Cars.