For animation, 'Cars' is Lightyear's better -- SFGate, 2006-06-05

[cstephens]

...Joe Ranft ... - there is a tribute to him during the credits

I had totally spaced that he died during the making of "Cars". The tribute made me almost cry.

Yes, the reference to "For the Birds" is super-quick, but we laughed so hard. The husband did indeed see the pizza truck but I forget exactly which scene it's in.

I'm not that interested in any of the Cars merchandise, but I so want toys that replicate the cars from the movies at the drive-in.

Technically, I thought this movie was amazing. The scenes are indeed incredible, and you start to take them for granted and have to pretty much remind yourself that it's *all* animated, every speck of dust, every leaf, every droplet of water, EVERY SINGLE REFLECTION ON EVERY SURFACE. But as for story and content, it didn't do that much for me. I'm pretty gullible, but even I found the film and characters to be 90% predictable. There is one outcome that I hadn't figured on but which made perfect sense. I didn't find myself really connecting with the characters at all, and I found myself restless. I found moments and bits amusing and cool ("Hey, look at that!"), but overall, I don't have a desire to see the film again, except for the drive-in part. Prior to the movie, my ranking of Pixar films had "A Bug's Life" last and "The Incredibles" right above that. I'd personally put "Cars" between the two - more engaging for me than "A Bug's Life", but not even as engaging for me as "The Incredibles".

BTW, we saw the film at the El Capitan last night, and I have a page with just a few pictures of the pit stop demo and the Cars outside (http://www.colddeadfish.net/carsatelcap.html).

[TikiGeek]

...we will watch the freeway and big car scenes to see if we can see the Pizza Planet truck. I would bet it is there.It's there all right! ;) I saw it in the crowd at one of the LA race scenes.


No, Steve McQueen was a well-known actor. He's deceased.Steve McQueen was also very into car and motorcycle racing - he did much or all of his own stunt driving. He was a close friend of Paul Newman too.

[Mark Goldhaber]

Steve McQueen was also very into car and motorcycle racing - he did much or all of his own stunt driving. He was a close friend of Paul Newman too.
Aside from being in the racing movie Le Mans (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067334/), Steve McQueen (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000537/) was in one of the all-time great car-chase movies, Bullitt (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062765/).

[adriennek]

Saw it. Loved it.

Teared up during the movie.

Laughed hard during the credits until the Joe Ranft part.

Then Doc and I sat there crying while our son said, "Why are you crying?" :rolleyes:

Big Yellow Thumbs Up. I want to write John Lasseter a fan letter but I know he won't actually ever see it himself. I'm seriously wondering if I have any connections to get one to him.

Adrienne

[Disney Vault]

I wish it would have made more opening weekend. But I am sure this movie will still go on strong all summer.

[honeymoon @disney]

Just got back from seeing Cars. I had low expectations, since this took soooo long to come out, and I thought it was just an obligatory movie for the pixar/disney contract. It was actually surprisingly good: great animation, lovable characters, lots of humour, and the moral was something different than we normally see. I'd recommend it to a friend ;)

(I loved the little 'bugs' on the lights and such... very cute)

[twist1980]

My boyfriend and I saw Cars this afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised to see plenty of other adults there without children.

I thought the movie was adorable. Entertaining but teaching a valuable lesson at the same time. Lots of clever little things that would be easy to miss like the flies or the names of the tires.

I loved the One Man Band short at the beginning and loved the Drive-In scene during the credits.

Now what kind of ride could they do with Cars...? ;)

[potzbie]

I saw it today.

You remember FINDING NEMO and its "look".
Well, the look of CARS is twice the sophistication.
The quality of the images, and the "camera angles", blew me away.
It is no "cartoon-quality" flat look.
The suggestion of physical land was super.

For the first time in a long time, I laughed out loud.
It is rare for a movie to make me laugh.
Of those that got me, a couple of the gags were verbal, and a couple of the gags were visual.
So, the blend of the comedy was something very rare nowadays.

I said to myself, several times during the movie, "This is the best film I have seen this year."
Its look.
Its laughs.
Its credits.
Before the movie was over, I was thinking to myself, "This is the happiest-making movie I have seen in a long time."

Making all "people" as cars is a fabuous touch.
• Cows as tractors. (And tipping them over as a lark!)
• A wheat reaper (combine?) as an angry watchdog.

I now know what the other posters mean by watching for the credits.
I don't think I am spoiling things by saying that the drive-in shows Pixar films as if the actors were cars.
(Example: MONSTERS INC. -- Mike as a one-eyed car; Sully as a "monster truck".)

In comparison.
THE INCREDIBLES was well done.
But THE INCREDIBLES did not leave me thinking, "This is the happiest movie I have seen in years."
FINDING NEMO was exellent.
But FINDING NEMO did not make me laugh as often.

The ensemble of actors was right on the money.
Cheech Marin as a chrome-purple low-rider, with "lifts", for example.
Larry The Cable Guy doing a Pat Buttram voice sound-alike.

I can easily imagining adults and children re-watching the DVD for the missing gags, and the visual effects too fast for the first-time viewing.

A big thumbs up.

[JeffG]

I don't think I am spoiling things by saying...

Actually, I would say that is the very definition of a spoiler. I'm really glad I saw the movie before I read that post.

At this point, perhaps the moderators might think about adding a spoiler flag to this thread's title, if the posts are going to continue being this specific.

-Jeff

[mad4mky]

• A wheat reaper (combine?) as an angry watchdog.



I think it was meant to be the Bull of the heard. Not a watchdog. Notice the ring in the nose???:confused:

We saw it Saturday night.
Without our kids.:D

We thoroughly enjoyed it. I couldn't stand 'The Incredibles'...so this was nice to see...and enjoy.

I said this in another thread...but I'll say it here again. It was amazing how hardly anyone got up at the end of the movie and left. I would say over 3/4 of the theatre stayed through the credits.
I think that is part because of the fun scenes they ran...but also because the closing song compelled you to stay seated and watch.

I am off to buy the soundtrack today.:)

[cstephens]

I actually hate when they run new film stuff during the credits (I remember thinking that at "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"). I missed most of the credits because I was laughing so hard and looking so much at the drive-in stuff. There were a few interesting names I caught in the credits, so I'm wondering if there were any more I missed.

[GusMan]

Was Lightning McQueen named after Glenn McQueen from Pixar who also died?

According to IMDB.com, that is correct. I first thought it was Steve McQueen as well, but was corrected when I read this.

[Disney Vault]

According to IMDB.com, that is correct. I first thought it was Steve McQueen as well, but was corrected when I read this.
Oh I am so glad to hear that. I was hoping it was named for him.

[adriennek]

I actually hate when they run new film stuff during the credits (I remember thinking that at "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"). I missed most of the credits because I was laughing so hard and looking so much at the drive-in stuff. There were a few interesting names I caught in the credits, so I'm wondering if there were any more I missed.

I know what you mean. I really wanted to read the cast credits. There's also a huge sequence of locations they visited for inspiration. I'm wondering how many people will be planning Route 66 road trips and using the credits as a planning guide!

We also wondered if there would be any additions to the credits. Remember when Bugs Life had two sets of outtakes? There are still "other" tributes they could put in the credits.

Adrienne

[MrsPooh]

We also wondered if there would be any additions to the credits. Remember when Bugs Life had two sets of outtakes? There are still "other" tributes they could put in the credits.



We wondered that too. Both my guys want to see it again for sure.

I know there was mention that some of the characters and situations were predictable, but I didn't care. A lot of movies can be predictable, but this one was just so much fun, it didn't matter!

The one thing I predicted was:

I just knew Sally had to reopen the Wheel Well Motel. It HAD To be done! And, of course, Lightning McQueen had to spruce up the town!

Also:

I knew Lightning McQueen didn't have a pit crew because he didn't think he needed one, and I just knew the guys would come be his pit crew. I just thought he would take them along, instead of them surprising him. I was surprised by Doc becoming his crew chief! I didn't expect that! I knew he would have to use the "turn right to go left" move, that was a given, but to have Doc there was the best!

Of course, the end of the race made me cry! :D

I have to say I LOVE Doc Hudson! Having Paul Newman's blue eyes in the car made it perfect!

[Aimros]

Warning to those of you who have not yet told your children that Joe Ranft died - there is a tribute to him during the credits, and the stuff you want to stay for is AFTER that.

AVP
What happened after the tribute? I only stayed until then and thought it was too sad and it was time to go....

[mad4mky]

I There's also a huge sequence of locations they visited for inspiration. I'm wondering how many people will be planning Route 66 road trips and using the credits as a planning guide!

Adrienne

Just two weeks ago, my husband and I took the long drive from Las Vegas to the dink town in Arizona where my parents live.

We got lost
(2nd time we'd driven that way...2nd time lost :rolleyes: ).

But, this time, we ended up lost on Rte 66. Our 'Yahoo Directions' didn't even mention Rte 66.

We were kinda happy to be 'lost', and neither one of us, even in these advanced years of age, had ever been on Route 66!
We even stopped in "Kingman"...at the beautiful visitors center to ask for directions.
So...needless to say, when the Route 66 came on, and they sang about Kingman, my hubby and I chanted "we've been there!":D

And...if anyone watched "Toy Story"...the first one, on TV (ABC) a week ago on a Saturday night...they showed throughout the viewing inserts and information on about inspiration and animation regarding 'Cars'.
Pixar/Disney showed how the animation team drove along Route 66, stopping at landmarks, enjoying the sites and how they got their inspiration on this trek.:) (they even had a Route 66 expert/guide with them).:)

[Disney Vault]

And...if anyone watched "Toy Story"...the first one, on TV (ABC) a week ago on a Saturday night...they showed throughout the viewing inserts and information on about inspiration and animation regarding 'Cars'.
Pixar/Disney showed how the animation team drove along Route 66, stopping at landmarks, enjoying the sites and how they got their inspiration on this trek.:) (they even had a Route 66 expert/guide with them).:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPxRuevlU40
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0IIF6BbYEs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmsFnu2z2fM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxsU48iLbEk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDUiwgnH4Ks

I don't know if there are more but these are the only clips I could find from that for whoever missed it.

[TikiGeek]

We were kinda happy to be 'lost', and neither one of us, even in these advanced years of age, had ever been on Route 66!
We even stopped in "Kingman"...at the beautiful visitors center to ask for directions.
So...needless to say, when the Route 66 came on, and they sang about Kingman, my hubby and I chanted "we've been there!" :D Thank you for mentioning the Powerhouse (http://www.kingmantourism.org/route66museum/) :) If you want to have a great Route 66 adventure - Kingman, AZ is the place. Route 66 (the stretch through old downtown) is also known as Andy Devine Ave. here in Kingman - Andy Devine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Devine) is one of the towns favorite sons. ;)

[adriennek]

I knew Lightning McQueen didn't have a pit crew because he didn't think he needed one, and I just knew the guys would come be his pit crew. I just thought he would take them along, instead of them surprising him. I was surprised by Doc becoming his crew chief! I didn't expect that! I knew he would have to use the "turn right to go left" move, that was a given, but to have Doc there was the best!

Ok, now

I TOTALLY knew that Doc HAD to be his crew chief - ESPECIALLY when we found out Doc's "Secret"

And this is how I remember the credit sequences:

There was the Drive-In Movie sequence- Toy Car Story, Monster Trucks Inc and Bug's Life

Then the tribute to Joe Ranft

Then the end of the credits

Then the two mini-vans who'd driven through town earlier in the movie, lost in the desert.\

Adrienne

[cstephens]

I know what you mean. I really wanted to read the cast credits. There's also a huge sequence of locations they visited for inspiration.

My first thought about the location inspiration credits was "how cool!" My second thought was "I feel sorry for the people who had to compile those credits".

[stan4d_steph]

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I really enjoyed the information on the background at the MoMA exhibit. I plan to see Cars this weekend. :)

[mad4mky]

Thank you for mentioning the Powerhouse (http://www.kingmantourism.org/route66museum/) :) If you want to have a great Route 66 adventure - Kingman, AZ is the place. Route 66 (the stretch through old downtown) is also known as Andy Devine Ave. here in Kingman - Andy Devine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Devine) is one of the towns favorite sons. ;)

Yeah. The Powerhouse! :D

It was so nice!!:)
Air conditioned...clean bathrooms. Hubster asked for directions and the two ladies were soooo nice. They were chatting up a storm.
We took a drive down the main drag...which I now know is Andy Devine Dr. Kingman is the cutest little town. I said to my hubby "If we weren't "lost"...and had to be somewhere...I'd want to stop by some of these shops".
But...we were on a mission to get to 'Butt-Snot' no-where in Arizona.:rolleyes: ;)

[MrsPooh]

And this is how I remember the credit sequences:


That's how I remember it too! ;)

Piglet was disappointed because he wanted:

A Nemo and Incredibles Cars reference! Especially Nemo. I mean, we had VW Bug flies, why not car fish?


Think maybe they could add that as the additional scenes later on? ;)

I was glad to see they used the original voices for the Drive in!

[adriennek]

I can't remember where I read someone post about the white Apple car in the movie, but here's a little still and blurb (http://www.powerpage.org/archives/2006/06/apples_84_car_1.html) about car #84. HA HA. :geek:

Adrienne K, yes, I'm a :geek: and I'm married to one, too.