Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #109 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-11-27
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 112 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Reviews
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

DVD Description
Pixar's latest movie features the talents of Owen Wilson and Steve McQueen, set in the world of car racing.

Lightning McQueen is a cocky, rookie race car. Speeding on his way to a big race, he crashes into Radiator Springs, destroying lots of the inhabitants belongings. In order to make up for what he did, the cocky roadster is sentenced to community service. Though he will do anything to get away from the work, McQueen must learn to respect and bond with the Radiator Springs inhabitants in order to get out of the town and back on the racetracks.

Synopsis
Talking cars rediscover the quirky originality of middle America in this inventive animated film from the folks at Pixar (TOY STORY, FINDING NEMO). Owen Wilson does the voice of arrogant rookie racecar Lightning McQueen, who winds up stranded in the small desert town of Radiator Springs on his way west to a big showdown. Sentenced to community service after literally tearing up the road in a high-speed chase, at first all Lightning can think of is getting back to the world of corporate sponsorship and merchandising tie-ins he loves so well. Eventually, however, the eccentric residents of Radiator Springs begin to grow on him, especially the attractive lady Porsche lawyer (Bonnie Hunt) and a rusty old tow-truck (Larry the Cable Guy). There's also a hippie Volkswagen (George Carlin), a low-riding T-bird (Cheech Martin) and Paul Newman as the gruff, curmudgeonly Doc Hudson, the town judge who harbors his own checkered-flag past. The story may not be new, but Pixar's precision-engineered animation brilliantly illuminates the town and its surrounding cactus-studded vistas down to the minutest detail, and director/writer John Lasseter keeps the film's satiric wit and generous heart in perfect alignment. Adults in the audience should appreciate the film's celebration of old-school American eccentricity, and the kids will dig all the thunderous grit and high-octane wheel burning.

Customer Reviews

A breathtaking animation and very touching and funny story
Both me and my 6 years old daughter we loved this movie - although of course for different reasons. She appreciated the very idea of talking cars and then the races, Mator the "red-neck" car, etc. I was impressed by the animation - this is for the moment the most technically advanced animation movie I ever saw ("Happy Feet" did as well) - and the more adult oriented humouristic parts (a Porsche girl who left Los Angeles to find peace in a small town; an old town doctor, called Doctor in Internal Combustion; the cars going to the toilet - guess which line is advancing faster..., a rivalry between a "Peace and Love" old van and a retired sergeant who is of course a jeep, a Japanese female journalist who is a gorgeous little Honda, etc, etc.). The final scenes in which they show fragments of older Pixar movies (like Sully and Mike Wazowski stranded in Himalayas) played by cars (the Yeti being an enormous snow tractor) are a delight. I just can not uderstand some of very critical (and mean) reviews below - I loved this movie and, more important, my daughter loved it too. She insisted on sleeping on a pillow with Ligthning McQueen for months after that.... If you didn't see it - go and get it. Pixar is getting better at every next movie so I just can not wait to see "Ratatouille"....

Visually great
"Cars" is the first Pixar movie I did not buy immediately. But finally I got tired of waiting for the rental copy, and I bought it.

The delay was due to the trailer not really doing much for me. Also, I felt that cars is a dubious choice for animated characters. Unlike bugs or toys, they don't have arms or faces, so it's a little forced, methinks.

That said, I'd have to say they pulled it off. Actually, looking at real cars after having seen this movie, I half expect them to move and open their eyes.

"Cars" is not the best or funniest Pixar movie. My faves are Monsters Inc, Toy Story 2, and The Incredibles. But "Cars" was still very worthwhile, I enjoyed it. And it is visually gorgeous. The scenery especially is amazing.

If you get the DVD, be sure not to miss the extras. The two shorts included, for one thing, are falling-over funny.

I also appreciate the basic message of the movie: winning is not everything. The western world is still a bit fixated on Being Number One. And contests can be fun and they can be inspiring, but ultimately they are just games, they are not life.

Motors along nicely
There has been a generally cool reception from critics for Pixar's latest.
Many felt the story stale and the characters not up to much.
The story is of a cocky young race car called lightning McQueen who needs to learn a lesson in manners and caring for others. To that end he winds up getting caught speeding through a dusty old forgotten town somewhere on route 66. His punishment is a weeks hard labour and while there he meets and learns to appreciate the locals.
The story is simple but then this is a film for little 'uns mostly so what do you expect? At first the fantastic animation captures the attention along with the fun to be had seeing cars behaving like humans,( at the racetrack the fans in the stands are all cars, using their headlights to make a mexican wave), but 15 minutes in the glitzy bright animation and novelty begin to wear off and you're left feeling that it's going to be a bit of a disappointment.
However this is not the case as once Mcqueen, (Owen Wilson doing a great job of making him a bit of a whiney & spoilt so and so ), reaches the backwater town of radiator springs things improve dramatically.
Here we are introduced to funny and likeable characters that carry the movie. Paul newman is amongst the voices of the townsfolk as an ex-racer with a seemingly grumpy attitude but the standout is the delapidated towtruck Mater,(tow-mater, geddit?), a hilarious hick whose presence makes this film so much better.
In truth the story and what happens are not of much importance, rather it's the inter-reaction of characters in this small but happy town that makes Cars worth while.
Be warned that it does run on probably a bit too long for very young children.
The extras are as solid as usual from Pixar but the standouts are the 2 extra cartoon shorts, one called 'Mater and the ghostlight' where the townsfolk get their own back on the practical joker and another totally unrelated one called ' the one man band' that is just as funny.
The picture quality is outstanding, colours are vibrant and definition flawless, it's likely to be a referrance disc in telly shops for some time to come.
The sound too is superb, effects steering is accurate and detailed with converstion clear and open too.
This is not Pixars finest but it's not the old banger that critics would have had you believe. Once it gets going it's enjoyable and gentle fun.
Make tracks for this one.