No Frills to Go with the Thrills

The movie was beautifully done. BUT I have come to look forward to the commentary track and behind the scenes creative madness.

In this version, you just get the movie and 2 shorts.

Hopefully Pixar will release a 2 disk version in the near future -- wait for it for the full Pixar magic.

Everything You Hoped It Would Be

Beautiful to look at! The vistas--mountains, highways, prairies, etc.--are gorgeous. And the cars are so shiny, how do the artists do that?! The cars are also full of personality, with wonderful performances by Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt and every single other character. I also loved the sweet, nostalgic storyline, about Route 66 and the changing American landscape. Anyone of any age who loves a road trip will love this family movie, and the kids will want to watch it over and over. The DVD is loaded with special features, too. Ka-chow!

The Fast and the Furious Fun

Lightning McQueen is a rookie race car in a world populated by cars, trucks and other vehicles. Lightning is the hottest rookie around and he has a shot at the top title. But a rematch sends him to California. Unfortunately he gets lost on the way and winds up in Radiator Springs, a small town along old Route 66. His visit gets him in trouble and he winds up being stuck in town while performing community service.

At first Lightning is a smug egotist. All he thinks about is himself. He does not care about others. But the people and the relaxed attitude of Radiator Springs starts to leave its mark on the race car. Soon he realizes that caring about others is important. His personality begins to change. Soon he is back on his way to California for his chance at the title.

This is a fun and creative movie. The story at the heart of the film is as every bit a classic as Dickens's A CHRISTMAS CAROL. A strong and clear message that shows you can be good and successful at the same time. The whole car motif is carried all the way even using tiny VW bugs as the world's insects. Good characters help fill out the story. Two additional stories are included. One is Mater and the Ghostlight (the Ghostlight is mentioned in the film) and the second is a delightful tale of two performers competing for the coin of a young child (this on is called One-Man Band). The film itself ends with an epilogue that was not in the theater that I thought was pretty good and in keeping with the tone and ending of the film. All in all just a really fun movie that the whole family can enjoy. Check it out.