A feast to the eyes, good medicine for the heart, and a good flick for everyone, Pixar remains running without a disappointment yet

Rating: 7/10 (9 June 2006)

The only problem with setting the bar so high is that then you are expected to always perform at that level. Pixar set the bar so high with some of its masterpieces that whenever they come out with an above-average animated film, its still "disappointing" because it's compared to its other brilliant creations. The Incredibles suffers from this, and so does Cars. But, just like The Incredibles, Cars is a superb tour-de-force that should entertain the entire family. From the beginning fun-filled race to the great ending, Cars is a technical achievement, visually appealing, and also contains a great message, one that does not seem forced unlike other animated movies. As a matter of fact, this is perhaps the best animated movie since Finding Nemo three years ago.
Cars focuses on Lightning McQueen, who is a fast-talking, cocky, arrogant, independent rookie whose first year in racing has proved to be a very successful one. Yet, during his drive to California in attempt to claim his first Piston Cup trophy, he becomes sidetracked and is stuck in a secluded town called Radiator Town full of friendly cars led by a quiet yet bitter car with a mysterious past. Throughout the movie, Lightning attempts to leave the town, but the citizens are not going to just let him go without a fight.
Casting is amazing. Owen Wilson perfectly matches his character, Lightning McQueen, and Larry the Cable Guy actually provides some laughs as Mater. Paul Newman is excellent as the humble Doc Hudson, and the rest of the cast (Cheech Marin, Tony Shaloub, George Carlin, John Ratzenberger, Michael Keaton) did a great job as well. Pixar separates itself from most other movie companies because there is a lot of focus in storytelling, and the script was very good, and the dialogue has many humorous moments as there are one-liners sprinkled all-over the place. Watching the credits, one would see the amount of research put into the movie as well as dedication and effort, and that is something that really doesn't happen much with movies nowadays, especially those that come out in the summer.
While it is not the funniest Pixar movie nor is it the one with the saddest moments, the blend of comedy, drama, and hint of racing action is spectacular. The pacing totally slows down as the setting changes, which is a rarity in itself. You sometimes forget that they are all cars as they showcase their happiness, sorrow, and pain through their dialogue, tone, and also their facial expressions like a human being. Some moments actually had the audience collectively saying "awwww," or collectively gasping, or collectively breaking out into laughter. If anyone complains about the pacing of the film, then they obviously missed the message. Cars shows that at times, its best to slow down and take life slowly, not constantly have to go out their to win the gold, to earn the money, to gain respect. If you complain about the pacing, then you are a victim of the fast-paced world we live in.
Animation is utterly startling, so rich in detail, so rich in color. Everything visually is practically perfect, from the tire tracks in the background to the little scratches in the main character's car, to the thousands of spectator cars witnessing the race. It is hard to blink because missing a moment of Cars would be a punishment to the eyes. Showcasing emotion through facial expressions in automobiles is not easy, yet Pixar pulls it off like it was no problem at all. It is obvious years were put into this movie.
Bottom Line: I can't put enough praise on this film to fit into this review. In a world of sequels, remakes, and disasters, it is nice to see that there is still some creativity out there and that there is still a company that can flesh out quality movie after quality movie. Cars has excellent casting, a great story, detailed animation, a superb ending, and a hefty dose of drama to blend in with the humor, Cars is a blast--much better than previous Dreamworks efforts, better than any Blue Sky movies, and even better than the latest Wallace and Gromit production. You would have to go back to 2003 to find a better animated film, when Finding Nemo surprisingly destroyed the summer competition for a very long time. Cars should add some nostalgia for the adults, and should also entertain the kids despite it being almost two hours in length. 10 years and still running well, good job Pixar. Cars: not the first good movie of the summer, but the first great movie of the summer.