Cars

There's an extra coat of hot wax on Pixar's vibrant, NASCAR-influenced comedy about a world populated entirely by cars. Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is the slick rookie taking the Piston Cup series by storm when the last race of the season (the film's high-octane opening) ends in a three-way tie. On the way to the tie-breaker race in California, Lightning loses his way off Route 66 in the Southwest desert and is taught to stop and smell the roses by the forgotten citizens of Radiator Springs. It's odd to have such a slim story from the whizzes of Pixar, and the film pales a bit from their other films (though can that be a fair comparison?). Nonetheless, Cars is another gleaming ride with Pixar founder John Lasseter, who's directing for the first time since Toy Story 2. There's the usual spectrum of excellent characters teamed with appropriate voice talent, loads of smooth humor for kids and parents alike, knockout visuals, and a colorful array of sidekicks, including a scene-stealing baby blue forklift named Guido. Lightning's plight is changed with the help of former big-city lawyer Sally Carrera (Pixar veteran Bonnie Hunt), the town's patriarch Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), and kooky tow truck Mater (Larry the Cable Guy). The Incredibles was the first Pixar film to break the 100-minute barrier, but had enough story not to suffer; Cars, at 116 minutes (including some must-see end credit footage), is not as fortunate, plus it never pierces the heart. Trivia fans should have bonanza with the frame-by-frame DVD function; the movie is stuffed with in-jokes, some appearing only for an instant. Ages 5 and up. --Doug Thomas

After a solid opening sequence that establishes the selfish nature of race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), Cars takes what feels like an inordinate amount of time to strand him in the deserted town where he can learn lessons about selflessness. Once there, the situation and the dynamics of the characters are overly familiar from any number of films, from An Officer and a Gentleman to Mr. 3000. This is a surprising problem coming from Pixar, a studio responsible for beautiful scripts like Finding Nemo and Toy Story 2. Thankfully, the artistry of the Pixar animators has not diminished whatsoever. The reflections and shadows of the cars, the quality of the air in a Western town, and the details of Lightning's makeover from race car to '50s cruising machine offer just some of the visual splendors that are abundant throughout the movie. The problem is that with every other Pixar film the beautiful attention to detail usually does not register in full on the first viewing because the characters are so emotionally engaging. Because Cars fails to fully grab one's heart, it is easier to admire the scenery. This film certainly supplies a fine moviegoing experience, but it does feel like a disappointment considering what has come before. Pixar usually puts out breathtaking Porsches, but Cars is a dependable Honda. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Mater y la luz fantasma: el travieso mater obtiene lo que merece en un novedoso y exclusivo corto animado
Espectculo de un hombre: Corto animado divertidsimo
Inspiracin para Cars: El realizador John Lasseter descubre la emocin en la Ruta 66 (en Ingls con subttulos en Espaol)
Eplogo

A pedal-to-the-metal race car determined to prove his worth on the tracks discovers that life isn't always about crossing the finish line first in Toy Story director John Lasseter's mechanically minded tale of friendship and loyalty. Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) may be just a rookie, but he's convinced that he can realize his dream of zooming by the checkered flag if he can only make it to California in time to compete in the upcoming Piston Cup Championship. When Lightning takes a detour into the slow-moving, Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, however, it begins to appear as if his shot at the big time has effectively stalled out. Of course, Lightning's exciting cross-country trek wasn't all for naught, and after befriending such quirky Radiator Springs residents as Sally the Porsche (voice of Bonnie Hunt), Doc Hudson (voice of Paul Newman), and Mater the Tow Truck (voice of Larry the Cable Guy), the eager young racer learns that sometimes life is more about the voyage than the outcome of the race. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

• Disc #1 -- Cars
  • Play Movie
  • Mater & the Ghostlight
  • One Man Band
  • Bonus Features
    • Epilogue
    • Inspiration for Cars
    • Deleted Scenes: Top Down Truck Stop
    • Deleted Scenes: Lost
    • Deleted Scenes: Community Service
    • Deleted Scenes: Motorama Girls
  • Scene Selection
  • Sneak Peeks
    • Play All
    • Ratatouille
    • Peter Pan Platinum Edition
    • Meet the Robinsons
    • CARS Video Game
    • Disney Blue-Ray
  • Set Up
    • Audio Options: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX
    • Audio Options: Dolby Digital 2.0
    • English Subtitles: On
    • English Subtitles: Off
    • THX Optimizer
      • Audio Tests
        • Play Test
      • Video Tests
        • Play Test
        • Advanced

Disc #1 -- Cars
1. Dinoco 400 [9:26]
2. Victory Lane [4:10]
3. Rust-eze [2:30]
4. "Life Is a Highway" [3:33]
5. Lost [4:40]
6. Into Town [2:53]
7. Where's McQueen? [:45]
8. The Impound [1:29]
9. Traffic Court [4:15]
10. Bessie [1:55]
11. Customers! [5:56]
12. Doc's Challenge [4:05]
13. A New Road [2:44]
14. Turn Right to Go Left [1:58]
15. Back to Work [4:01]
16. Tractor Tipping [3:06]
17. Backwards Driving [3:41]
18. Goodnight [1:28]
19. Doc's Piston Cups [:00]
20. Breakfast at Flo's [2:44]
21. Drive With Sally [2:00]
22. Wheel Well [3:42]
23. "Our Town" [3:34]
24. Stampede [:56]
25. Doc Races [4:16]
26. He's Gone [2:07]
27. A New Customer [2:36]
28. Cruisin' [2:32]
29. McQueen Is Found [5:05]
30. California Race [13:40]
31. Back on the Map [2:12]
32. Epilogue [8:09]