By Ryan Parsons | Image property of Walt Disney Pictures.
Cars
There was once a time when every CG animation to reach theatrical release was guaranteed to be a blockbuster hit and carry some type of new animated magic; though not a single person could put their finger on what that magic actually was. Sadly, those days have come to pass and instead of having CG animations arrive as instant guarantees, each new release is now a craps shoot. Fortunately there are a couple rare cases every year that reach greatness, and Cars is one of those that makes it to the finish line; even with a few speed bumps on the race track.
DVD Review: Cars
Though it is hard to say why Cars does not match up to CG animations such as Shrek (limited adult humor maybe?) and Toy Story, it does have a story that finishes strong and sends a message; Lightning McQueen's character arc has a conclusion that happens right at the finish line.
No complaints on any of the voice actors. Though I was originally unsure about Owen Wilson, he shows prowess with his ability to act while alone in a sound booth. The animation is excellent and the DVD works to show off some of the highly-detailed settings including the highway driving scene between McQueen and Sally. I can only imagine how this film must look in an HD format. The bright colors and outdoor settings would make for unbelievable contrasts.
The extras on the DVD are just enough to get by on. There is a short on Mater titled "Master and The Ghostlight" that doesn't come close to "Jack-Jack Attack," the short packaged with The Incredibles. We also got "One Man Band," a short moviegoers saw if they got to the theatre in time; worthy addition. As expected, director John Lasseter makes an appearance with an episode-length featurette where he discusses his inspiration for Cars.
Any outtakes? Surprisingly no. We do have deleted scenes though, but they don't exactly cut it.
Though the extra features range from standard to weak, Cars is still a strong addition to any animated film collection. Sure, it may be missing some of the sizzle that Pixar predecessors had, but it still is way better than anything we have seen recently.
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