StumpTown Entertainment

I sat down to write a review of the latest Pixar offering, Cars, and it started to feel silly for me to be reviewing a movie that couldn’t care less if I liked it. Well, I’m still going forward, but I thought I would solicit some help from the target audience. So, for this review, you are going to get 3 opinions for the price of one….or actually none. My oldest son Gibson, who is 5, going on 35 will offer his opinion in response to my questions and his pal Douglas, who is 3 and a half and undeniably the biggest “Cars” fan on the planet will offer his as well with the interviewing and notetaking help of his Mom Jennifer. I mean, this kid loves this movie more than Cliff Claven and he wouldn’t be working if it weren’t for Pixar.

So, I’m using the same template as usual, but I altered the questions slightly to make them somewhat more kid friendly. What you will get is the unedited words of these two uber critics. To keep from holding you in suspense, let me just say that both Gibson and Griffin loved the movie, and I have to say that I did too. Movies like Cars make me very grateful. Now that I have kids I have been plunged into the world of kids entertainment and let me tell you in all honesty, if Dante were alive today and writing he would make the world of kid’s entertainment one of the levels of Hell and he'd be spot on.

So, when someone actually takes the time to make a kids movie that is also enjoyable for adults like Cars and Finding Nemo and Chicken Run and the Incredibles, it makes me want to find them and kiss them. I don’t however as I fear it would discourage them from making adult friendly kid movies in the future. Plus it’s against the law….and creepy…let’s just move on.

What it’s about: Warning – Gibson’s description of the movie, which I finally cut-off to keep it from being twice as long as the actual movie (like father like son, I guess), contains some spoilers about the story and the end. Douglas keeps you guessing.

Me: Basically, this is the story of Lightening McQueen who is an upstart race car in a world inhabited only by cars (and other motorized vehicles). The cars talk and such and have eyes in the windshield. McQueen finds himself in a small town that was bypassed when the new interstate replaced a section of old Route 66. While trapped in the small town, he makes friends with some small town cars and learns some important life lessons about maturing as a car….and how to effectively navigate a hard turn on a dirt track.

Douglas: ‘Bout Chick bumped Light Nin-Queen off the track (nods head vigorously).Yep.

(Douglas’ Mommy: What else is it about?)

It is ‘bout Chicken Little lost his underwear. (Smiles)

(No really, what else is it about?)

‘Bout how Mater says “Howdy, Howdy.” ‘bout 94 movies. ‘bout Cars. 59 onstereo on the DVD.

(Really?)

(Nods head.) Cars is not on DVD.

Gibson: It’s about cars that are funny and lightening McQueen the red car is the best race car in Cars. The car whose name is “The King” at the very end he got injured ‘cause he broke down. And when he broke down, lightening McQueen came over and brought Tow Mater, the rusty tow truck, and Tow Mater fixed the King and the King is the guy of blue. (I have to point out that Gibson can see that I’m typing his every word so he talks the entire time in this deliberate stilted voice like he’s been giving dictation for 25 years…It cracked me up and even when I pointed it out and told him he could talk normally, he said, “I am, just type. I have more to say”)

He has a really fancy thing sticking up on the back of his car and Tow Mater is Lightening McQueen’s friend and when he lost the race, the boss and lightening McQueen were going to play a race and he lost and so the road was broken because there was a little car and a statue and he broke down of it and he pulled it along on the road so that’s how he broke it and so when he lost the game he…let me think about what I’m going to say…he made him fix the road because he lost and he didn’t do a very good job on the first time but the second time he did a great job. (At this point I asked if he thought we should move on to the next question and he gave me an incredulous look and agreed. Otherwise, I guarantee you he would still be talking…no matter when you are reading this, he would still be going. Trust me).

What’s to like: I asked the boys what their favorite part was and you can see their responses below, as I know full well you are already skipping what I have to say to get to the good stuff. Anyway, I’ll just add that the animation was the best I have ever seen, the story was great. I absolutely loved the tractor tipping scene mentioned below as well as the two Italian cars who sell tires. Really, there was tons they got right, including the cameos by real drivers, the random pop culture references aimed purely at adults (“freebird”). But I will cut myself off to get to what the boys said.

Douglas: Light Nin-Queen

(Mommy: Really?)

Like the big race. Sheriff says (switching to deep voice) “you in heap o’trouble, son.” Mater says “Ray-der Springs. The cutest little town incounterator county.” Mater says
“Just like ta-mater, but without the toe.”

Gibson: My favorite part was when Lightening McQueen and Tow Mater and the tractors on the grass were sleeping and Tow Mater snuck up on them and honked and then one of them tipped over and then the tube that tractors have, they tooted out of their tubes and that is my favorite part (giggling and laughing hysterically…by the way, flatulence is always funny, I mean from birth to death).

What I could have done without:

Me: Had a long section about two-thirds in that was basically just a cartoon music video. Snooze.
Douglas: I like everything.

Gibson: Nothing. It was all great.

Who do you like:

Me: The tire sales guy and his assistant. Especially in the big race. Hilarious.

Douglas: Light Nin-Queen

(Why?)

Because him red. I like red.

(Do you like anyone else?)

Chick is one too.

(Why do you like Chick?)

I don’t.

Gibson: Tow Mater and Lightening McQueen because Tow Mater made the tractors toot and Lightening McQueen won all the races….and I do like races.

What’s new: I didn’t ask the boys this question, so you’re stuck with me on this one. Well, it was about cartoon cars and the eyes weren’t the headlights. Why not? Don’t know, but that was new.

Also, the animation really is amazing. The scenery shots, for the most part, would not have looked odd with real actors walking through and made the whole movie a fun visual experience.

What’s the last word: Just me here too. Ending was great. No complaints. Predictable, but it’s a kids movie. You don’t really want one of those scary, sad, pshycho French Movie endings, now do you?

Who you should bring:

Me: I asked the boys, whether this was a movie they thought Mommies and Daddies (or Grown ups if you prefer) would enjoy, in addition to kids of course. Their answers are below. As for my answer, this is a movie that you will enjoy with your kids. I haven’t so fallen in love with this sort of movie that I would see it without kids. It was good and all, but it was still for kids. If you don’t have kids, find someone who does and take theirs…with permission of course.

Douglas: Grown-ups?

(You know, grown-ups. Like Mommies and Daddies?)

Like my parents? At my house?

(Yes. Would we like the movie?)

Nope.

(Why?)

Because there don’t. That be not very nice. (singing to himself whilesitting in front of Daddy’s computer) I want to look at Car trailers. Lookat car trailers. Look at car trailers. Yeah, yeah yeah. I want to go toCars CD. Cars. Cars.(Did Mommy like this movie?)
My mom? Mmmm, yeah. Her did. Her liked it from the ‘ginning of the racewith Chick and Light Nin-Queen. Reving up in the trailer. “I am speed,”the racecar bellowed to himself, “I am light-nin.” Burst into the crowd.Flashlights went around him and the fans went wild! (all of the last part is“quoting” from a Cars book we have).

Gibson: Kinda, kinda not, or actually let’s just go with a “kinda yes.”

Where you should watch: It’s worth going to the Theater, even though when you do this with a popular kids movie, you are just tacking on one more to the hundreds of times you will end up seeing the movie. Nevertheless, the visuals on this movie make the big screen well worth the price of admission. I asked the boys whether they would rather watch the movie at home or at the theater.

Douglass: At home.

Gibson: Theater because there’s much more room and my favorite part of the theaters is the big giant screen

What’s the couch rating: Gibson would never have let Mommy fall asleep even if she had wanted to and she wouldn’t have in this one anyway.

What my gut tells me: Loved it. I suspect I won’t start hating it until at least the 16th or 17th time I see it and maybe not even then.

What it’s like: It is a lot like the other Pixar films in story, look and feel. In fact the movies are starting to show a formula to their story lines if you look for it…so don’t.

Where it rates: As a movie for kids: 10. They will love it. For adults: 8. I mean it would be higher, but it is a kids movie.

Finally, just for fun, I asked the boys the following question:

Do you think the use of camera angles in animated films that simulate live action cinematography engage the viewer by tapping into previously conceived ideas about how one views something that is real, or do you feel it limits the otherwise limitless boundaries provided by digital technologies?

Me: I find it adds to the experience by drawing you in to the created world.

Douglas: (Sticks out tongue. Ignores me. Tilts his head to one side.) Huh?

Gibson: (smiling like I’m tricking him) Uhhhh….I don’t know what that means.

And there you have it. Special thanks to Gibson, Douglas and Douglas' Mommy and Daddy Tony and Jennifer. Look for future reviews by these two budding prodigy critics in the future. Until then, Gibson says, “I better get my picture on this blog.”