Cars (2006) - 6/10

I'm giving myself whiplash with the last couple of films I've watched. That was an unintentional car pun in the review for a car based movie that makes constant car puns. I'm tired just writing that. Lets get to it. 

1. Acting

The voice acting in Cars is fine. That's really it. Honestly the VA I disliked least was the one I was most predisposed to dislike - Larry the Cable Guy as Mater. Everything else was just meh.

2. Cinematography

The great thing about animation is the freedom the artists have in terms of camera. Because everything is digital, anything is possible. This is a lovely movie to watch from a visual standpoint and the great thing about camera moves in a racing movie is the ability to get up close while still being able to articulate speed. It is a tough balance, but one I think the team handles well here. 

The other great thing about animated movies is being able to play with your light and colors. The colors here are bright and vibrant and just really pleasant to look at. Special mention for the 'neon' scene where the once desolate Radiator Springs transforms into a glowing spectacle.

3. Production/Costume Design

 Obviously, we are dealing with digital productions here. However, the design of all the cars and sets is lovely. This movie certainly leans into the 'everything is cars' thing quite a bit but I actually found it nice. The anthropomorphizing of the cars was also done smartly. Their eyes are emotive, the way they move tracks within the world, and little touches like mustaches and the like to make everyone seem distinct was well executed.

Another special mention here for whoever decided that all the flies in the movie would be VW Bugs. 

4. Writing

The story and plot here are fairly generic. The fish out of water hotshot being taught life lessons by the slow moving whimsical townsfolk is not new. Nevertheless it still has its Pixar charm and these are family films that are targeting a much different age bracket then me. So, again, this is fine for what its trying to be.

5. Sound Design

I really loved the sound design and choices made in the film. Being able to make the car sounds organic is obviously important, but what is inspired is the integration into their normal interactions. Like the sound designer had to sit down one day and be like, what does a cow that is actually a tractor sound like when it tips over and then farts? That was someones job. But they nailed it and the comedy of the sound design really adds to the world and script.  

The soundtrack on the other hand was not for me. I felt that some of the musical backdrops were heavy handed and distracting. The tone felt a bit off for me.

6. Editing

 Seeing afterwards that the runtime was 117 minutes was actually surprising. The pace felt pretty brisk overall and the plot well constructed. The only thing I really noted was the flashback scene about the town was odd. The music and the cut felt weird and long. There was definitely a shorter way to execute it.

7. Visual Effects

 Less VFX, and more just animation/CGI for this category. The movie is, like almost every Pixar outing, gorgeous to look at. The animations were wonderful and I bought all the characters as both car and person. This paragraph should be honestly be longer, but this is the level of animation I would expect from such an accomplished studio.

8. Originality or Strength of Adaptation

'What if the entire world was populated by cars' feels like a Rick and Morty bit. But Pixar leaned into the concept and I think it largely paid off. I don't think there is a ton of originality here but it was at least well executed.

9. Stunt Coordination

The cars are not real, so, no notes. 

10. Direction

 John Lasseter is a legend at Disney and Pixar. He has been apart of almost every single animated effort from the studio over the past 30 years. This may not be his strongest product, but it is still a very competent one.

Legacy/Final Thoughts

Cars is not Disney's greatest film, but its a serviceable one. It sits in the shadow of some much bigger films. Nevertheless, it was one of Pixar's earliest endeavors and its willingness to play around with anthropomorphized inanimate objects and make them feel human was impressive.