The latest Pixar film, Cars, is one I’ve been looking forward to… but I must admit no where near as much as I was looking forward to The incredibles or Monsters Inc. The idea of talking cars hasn’t captured me as much as the other Pixar offerings… but still, it’s PIXAR!
Now the early Cars Reviews are coming out, and as expected they are VERY solid, but not quite as solid as previous Pixar flicks. Here is what some critics are saying in their Cars reviews:
“While the other guys are still hawking talking animals, the folks at Pixar continue to up the anthropomorphic ante with terrific characters and crowd-pleasing storytelling that are as much a part of the company’s much-deserved success as all that state-of”
Michael Rechtshaffen, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER“I found it really touching. I mean this is a worthy edition to the great Pixar library.”
Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER“Pixar throws us another phenomenal animated film that is as fun to watch as it is beautiful to look at. ”
Danny Minton, BEAUMONT JOURNAL“Fueled with plenty of humor, action, heartfelt drama, and amazing new technical feats, Cars is a high octane delight for moviegoers of all ages.”
Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE“Despite representing another impressive technical achievement, it’s the least visually interesting of the computer-animation boutique’s movies, and — in an ironic twist for a story about auto racing — drifts slowly through its semi-arid midsection.”
Brian Lowry, VARIETY
As of this moment, Cars is carrying an impressive 81% on Rotten Tomatoes. Impressive, but not quite the 97% of Incredibles, the 95% of Monsters Inc, the 91% of Bugs Life, the 98% of Finding Nemo or the 100% of Toy Story 2.
Isn’t it funny that a movie studio is so much better than everyone else that an 81% is considered a bit of a let down! That’s how good Pixar is. I can’t wait to see this one!
An incredibly good movie, on so many levels. Too bad it’s hard to watch a great artist without automatically comparing the present work to his or her earlier work. The incredible animation and images did not supercede the story, which was highly predictable yet still great.
What’s not to like? The tractor tipping scene was hilarious, the bit characters perfectly realized, and the moral superbly appropriate for my 9 and 12 year olders. But the part that I walked away thinking about was how deep cars lie in our collective psyche, especially after the tune “Life is a Highway” which captured the America I know better than just about any movie I’ve seen recently. The movie has depth, and if the audience member doesn’t see it, that is the fault of the audience member, I believe.
Michael
Pixar has not yet made a film that does not deserve 9 or higher. The animations are stunning, the detail is remarkable (come on, they put a hole in the back of Sulley’s chair because his tail needs to fit, although there is no shot that emphasises. They just did it because it makes sense), their characters are deep, plotlines are seamless, humour is heartfelt, witty, observational or referential, enough to make an adult laugh, and the voice actors could not more perfectly fit the characters (John Ratzenberger, you ROCK!). Never in history has a company created seven (Cars is out now; seen it, it ROCKS! Not my favourite, but it still ROCKS!) films that are closer to flawless than any other animated movies of any kind, and no other company has never made nothing but perfect movies and will continue to do so. Also, their short films are hilarious and entertaining (especially One Man Band!) Bye, PIXAR, don’t stop now, you ROCK!
You know, I’m wary about seeing this one. I’m a BIG Disney fan. Disney movies are the reason that I’m majoring in communications, to get into the tv/movie biz. Pixar has a great track record with me. I wept like a newborn baby at the end of Finding Nemo. I watched that with my mom, and we sat in that theater, hugging and crying. Just thinking about Nemo’s last lines to Marlin bring tears to my eyes. I know that sounds corny, but that’s what a good movie can do. Cars is just….a bunch of talking cars. Then again, I thought Nemo would just be a bunch of talking fish, so who knows?
Ilove Pixar movies. The only this far i have found not so good is Finding Nemo
Ohhhh a challenge? throwing down the gauntlet are we?
Well first things first, yes you did put in the Variety review, minus the juicy bit I corrected for you, I thought the “skidding stop” part was too clever to be left unsaid *wink*
As for the drop in the second weekend, I was kinda being sarcastic, I was pointing out it has really no competition. Nacho Libre, which I am sure will be quite funny and good, will be no competition for a kids movie, but I will stand by my comments and make a perdiction, I will say in its second weekend it will drop %67.
I do however believe, as I said, it will have an enormous opening weekend based on Pixars reputation and Im guessing in and around 75 Million.
Now for you, whats your perdiction on its second weekend decline, base it on 80 million opening weekend if you must.
ITS ON LIKE DONKEY KONG!!!!
nord
As the parent of a 21 month-old, this is a sure-thing viewing this weekend…
All I can hope for is that it has enough adult humor in it to keep The Wif and I occupied…
Hey Nord…
Ummm… did you read my post. I actually DID put the Variety quote in there.
Ummm… and your Da Vinci Code analogy is WAY off. Primarily because Da Vinci Code had like a 21% rating on RT… and it was crap.
The VAST VAST majority of critics (81%) are saying this is a solid flick
HAHAHA!!! A major drop off for a Pixar animated film?!?!? Are you insane?!?! Ok, let’s put it like this…
Most films drop about 51% from opening weekend to second weekend. I’ll predict Cars doesn’t drop 50% (unless it makes like $80 million on opening weekend… which means everyone has seen it already).
You willing to make a prediction? We can check the results next week.
Cheers!
~John
Here are some reviews that the PIXAR whores (read: John Campea) don’t want you to see:
“With Cars, Pixar’s enviable run of creative triumphs comes to a skidding stop.” Variety
“the movie runs at a turgid pace, with all the traction of a boxcar going uphill in molasses.” Village Voice
“Cars inspires more admiration than elation. It dazzles even as it disappoints.” Newsweek
I predict a solid opening weekend, simply because its Pixar people will turn out in droves, but like the Da Vinci Code, once word gets out how shit it is, you will see a STEEP drop-off in the following weekend and everyone will act baffled and blame it on Nacho Libre!!
VIVA NACHO LIBRE!!!
nord
just got back from seeing it….
…this film is as touching as Finding Nemo is…
the only thing that made me sad is, it had an INCREDIBLE moral…more so than perhapse any pixar movie so far….but the kids I went and saw it with seemed to forget all about that and within ten seconds of seeing it, were screaming “McQueen comes in first!!!”
I know, i know, it has nothing to do with the film, but perhapse the fact that I felt there was a moral story for children TO miss is a sign that I really enjoyed this film.
BTW: the characters REALLY are top notch. especially TOW MATER.
Toy Story 2 has 100%?? Hole shit.
Man I hate Pixar. None of their movies have any heart and soul to me. The best of the lot I thought was The Incredibles, but even that had so much god damned stupid over-the-top James-bond-of-the-60s music, that you could not possibly take it seriously. And the villains in ALL of their movies have never been evil. Mostly just kinda dumb.
I’d take the Lion King, The Little Mermaid or even Ice Age over any Pixar film.
Flame away.