Cars 2

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFTfAdauCOo

I never saw the original Cars. But I like cars, the places they go, and the noises they make. I like european cars, they are the best

You will drive all these cars

Is it personal this time?

Pixar has had a neatness and unifying style in each of their movies, including stories with a lot of heart and written with care. This balance has achieved modern classics every time in my opinion, even if the first Cars wasn't as inventive of a story line. I'm kind of worried they've watered all of that down a bit too much judging by trailers for this one.

ah, but what if the first Cars was was inventive of a story line, hmmm?

[extra w]

xxpost

I mean...Pixar will probably drop the ball at some point? But their recent past doesn't suggest that that's gonna happen in their near future.

I find the whole idea of anthropomorphic cars deeply confusing. Like, if there are cars instead of people, why are they still built to accommodate people?

Yeah, that kind of stuff was totally distracting me all the way through the first film. If this world is totally inhabited by cars who built all the buildings? Cars can't build stuff, they don't have arms. Did there use to be humans in this world who the cars killed?

Clearly what Pixar actually needs to make is a Cars prequel, exploring these dark undertones.

"But...but who made us, Lightning?"

"And where are they now?"

In the distance, the gentle hum of a Skynet custodial ship...

The Cars world *is* distracting. No better in this film either, cf that bit in the trailer with the airport metal detector going off.

Pixar really shot themselves in the foot when they chose to skip over the lucrative ILX market in favor of kids who just wanna buy toys

Why the hell didn't Radiator Springs have a simple telephone? The truck had a phone?! Gahhh.

Of course that's distracting, but you can say the same thing about Toy Story.

But this sequel looks cheap, right along with autotuned Will.i.am parrots dancing for a whole movie. OK not that bad, but I'm worried.

I never want to see this movie

I want to see a Cars prequel about the carpocalypse, when the vehicles rose up against their human overlords and took over. Oh, wait, they made that already:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_lfMfXER7F-k/SaZIke79MWI/AAAAAAAAAEE/2zTGkZgfw9c/s320/maximum-overdrive.jpg

This film is already creatively bankrupt on several levels. The first "Cars" was the product of much focus grouping, to find a franchise as marketable to boys as the Princesses are to girls (mission accomplished). Then Pixar got back into bed with Disney, when Disney threatened to start churning out straight to video sequels if Pixar didn't do it themselves (mission accomplished: Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Monsters Inc 2 ...). Factor in the cultural sops of the original Cars - NASCAR, Larry the Fucking Cable Guy - and plot lift from Doc Hollywood, plus the added twist that the entire premise doesn't make a lick of sense, even on its own terms, and the whole enterprise stinks. Love me some Pixar, but even Pixar has to pay the bills.

Then Pixar got back into bed with Disney, when Disney threatened to start churning out straight to video sequels if Pixar didn't do it themselves (mission accomplished: Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Monsters Inc 2 ...)

The current part about Pixar I like the least.

I hate Disney

Not only that, Cars was used as negotiating leverage with Disney, and was the first jointly credited Disney-Pixar film. Just a sop all around.

the first cars is apparently their most profitable movie ever by a big margin when you take merchandising into account

well yeah i mean, cars

Zactly. I have two girls, but I know parents with boys who have been decked out in Cars swag since birth.

Yeah, that kind of stuff was totally distracting me all the way through the first film. If this world is totally inhabited by cars who built all the buildings? Cars can't build stuff, they don't have arms. Did there use to be humans in this world who the cars killed?

― Inevitable stupid samba mix (chap), Wednesday, June 15, 2011 2:18 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark

http://agent44.com/blog2/wp-content/images/insidelightning.jpg

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2006-05-25-cars-usat_x.htm

as the father of a 3 year old, I've probably seen cars at least 20-30 times. There is just so much about the world the movie is set in that doesn't make any sense at all. The fact that cars can't build themselves is only a small part of it.

Anyway, I hope Cars 2 is fun, because I'm pretty sure I'm gonna watch it a bunch of times.

at some point in the movie, Mac says "thank the manufacturer! you're alive!", which indicates there is some sort of Car religion and origin story.

Yeah, despite my comments above re: the (mostly) ever-increasing quality of Pixar's output, I never saw the first Cars and don't feel terribly compelled to see the new one. Even despite the fact that I've actually gone out of my way to see their movies for the past several years now.

I find the whole idea of anthropomorphic cars deeply confusing. Like, if there are cars instead of people, why are they still built to accommodate people?

― You Post on ILX (Simon H.), Wednesday, June 15, 2011 6:13 AM (10 hours ago) Bookmark

^^^see my meltdown on the first CARS thread

I lvoe sitting there criticizing cartoons my daughter is watching - I think it will help her in life to develop critical thinking
"Dora's head is way bigger than diegos"
"No - Dora is smaller! " frowning eyebrows

_Cars_, the newest one from Pixar

^^^everybody acting like I am crazy for not accepting premise of anthropomorphized car world

Mr Jay Batman had no good answer for that question either, so I sb'd him.

Dora though, wtf, her head is three times the size of her own mother's. I hope mom had the episiotomy.

Questions I ask kids all the time: why do the Transformers need to change into cars and stuff when they can just stay giant indestructible robots? Why doesn't everybody in Star Wars carry a lightsaber? Why doesn't Harry use magic to correct his vision?

harry potter question is a good one

nerd chic?

This film is already creatively bankrupt on several levels. The first "Cars" was the product of much focus grouping, to find a franchise as marketable to boys as the Princesses are to girls (mission accomplished). [...] Factor in the cultural sops of the original Cars - NASCAR, Larry the Fucking Cable Guy - and plot lift from Doc Hollywood, plus the added twist that the entire premise doesn't make a lick of sense, even on its own terms, and the whole enterprise stinks. Love me some Pixar, but even Pixar has to pay the bills.

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, June 15, 2011 6:56 AM (5 hours ago) Bookmark

i dunno, i was all prepared to hate cars, skipped it until well after wall-e, but wound up enjoying it quite a bit. it's certainly not the best thing pixar's ever done (nemo!), but nor is it any sort of dark blot on their resume. despite the obvious focus grouping, toy marketing emphasis, and cultural sops to stuff i hate ― despite even the basic incoherence of the premise ― it works damn well as animated kids' entertainment. it's funny, smart, light of touch, fast-paced but still character-driven, visually inventive & appealing, etc.

there are logical answer
1. transformers want to stay hidden from man and they can drive faster than walk
2 Harry couldnt fix his eyes becuasethere is no spell for that
3people thought lightsabers were gay so they carried blasters

4 Doras head is the size of a pumpkin

contenderizer gives a pass to cars, can't stand darjeeling limited... ohkayyyyy

"deep taste", iirc

The lightsaber one seems pretty obvious. It's the same reason most wars aren't fought with swords anymore.

if people could easily swat bullets out of the air with swords tho

Only jedi know how to make and use lightsabres ffs.

they don't look that hard to use

omg that original "Cars" argument

easy to chop off your cock with a light saber if your not careful

... I suppose there's that

lol

Not sure that would fit very aesthetically.

lol I did not realize that the unfamous dude on "Rules of Engagement" is her son

not gonna lie, i think we could turn our foreign policy around if we had a sketch comedy show with painted bikini girls again.

sincere apologies, dan. i wasn't up to speed on larry the cable guy, and made unfair assumptions based on that ignorance. mea culpa.

no worries, I probably shouldn't have snapped so strongly

now that's git-n'er-done!

I do have to say, watching that trailer, I was brought straight the eff out of it every time I heard Larry the Cable Guy's voice. I'm not sure I could endure an entire feature film's length of that.

Not because of his voice, but because it's his voice, if you get me.

not gonna lie, i think we could turn our foreign policy around if we had a sketch comedy show with painted bikini girls again

how does The Man Show fit into this theory

were they painted with pithy countercultural slogans?

Adam Carrolla in a bikini could start a cultural revolution

xpost Han Solo uses a lightsaber to open up that Tan Tan belly. You'd think it'd be a handy thing to have around, even if you can't swat laser bullets out of the air. Re: Transformers, why do they need to hide from people, who can do them no harm? Besides, the stride of a 300 foot tall robot >>> a car on the highway - why use the road when you can step over the traffic? And if they can regrow Harry Potter's bones, they can correct his vision. But the Halloween costumes would be less distinctive.

I will say that the first Cars is gorgeous to watch, and ultimately harmless, albeit as thrilling as an actual NASCAR race, which is to say - not. It is also the rare animated film without a villain or dead parent, so there's that. But it's still lame.

xpost Han Solo uses a lightsaber to open up that Tan Tan belly. You'd think it'd be a handy thing to have around, even if you can't swat laser bullets out of the air.

so its like a boxcutter that you're highly likely to accidentally kill yourself with

it's more like a pocket-size nuclear blowtorch. something no man should be without.

Are you any more likely to kill yourself with a light saber than you are a laser gun? In a galaxy far, far away, they should require all light saber users to take safety classes and carry a permit at all times.

Like, could you indeed use it to open a hatch door like a can opener? That would be useful. Anyway, Cars: meh.

More on the harmlessness of ol' Larry: http://www.avclub.com/articles/witless-protection,3082/

Larry the Cable Guy isn't particularly bad as that tow truck voice. He's just bad on principle.

This is even better than the other link: http://www.avclub.com/articles/i-watched-this-on-purpose-witless-protection,2382/

I place him in the same category as that assclown Jeff Dunham: making xenophobia and casual racism acceptable again for Middle America.

This can't be posted enough:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuBVIDKbJF0

Like, it would be one thing (although no less defensible) if he actually had some lower class southern background that had informed his xenophobia, but the fact that it seems to all be an opportunistic put-on is kinda next-level horrifying to me.

I'm completely unaware of this guy outside of the Cars movies but I find him hard to bear in an entire movie where his character is basically the main focus and not just the comic relief.

They'll be shooting rockets at each other and flying around and there'll be explosions and they use bidets it'll be so COOL I hope there are kickflips and teal/orange and someone gets kicked in the NUTS (car nuts) then falls DOWN LOLOL

Basically, yeah, they have to do something a bit marketable to the masses, but they've been so good at remaining tasteful and heartfelt and creative- even with the first Cars. I'm worried that this might be the first movie that does away with too much of their reliable integrity.

It's a trailer. Trailers are often wonderfully wild misrepresentations of their attendant films.

are there bidet jokes in this? do cars desire to wash their car assholes

True about trailers, the whole plot is worrisome though.

Yeah I saw a bidet gag in one trailer.

Cars 1 is one of my least favorite pixar movies but the new one looks fine and I will go see it with my son and have a good time.

It's very very possible that Cars was the result of focus grouping, etc. But it's also very possible that it wasn't. Because everything I've ever seen about John Lasseter tells me that he is a huge car and NASCAR fan.

My boys are going nuts in anticipation of this movie. Pretty much every conversation we have turns to Cars 2, or to how much they would like to purchase a toy based on something from Cars 2. Doesn't help that there are billboards all over town, and plastered onto buses, etc. I'll probably be there opening day - take 'em out of preschool for the afternoon...

the main thing I didn't like about Cars was the music. It had some over-earnest nu-country song (maybe more than one). Pixar is usually very very sensitive about their use of songs in films; I only remember Toy Story 2 having the sarah mclachlan "when she loved me" song in the middle of the movie, but don't really remember anything else being in the middle of the film. but Cars does, and it's lame.

anyway, Disney has already gone ahead with their own sequel 'set in the universe' of cars, called Planes, which is coming next year. There is a trailer for it around somewhere. It looks dumb. Pixar don't want anything to do with it and their name isn't attached at all, though Lasseter (because he is also the head of animation for Disney) is in the PR stuff.

here it is:

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/06/new-from-pixar-er-disney-comes-planes/

so don't bitch about cars looking lame until you see this.

"xpost Han Solo uses a lightsaber to open up that Tan Tan belly. You'd think it'd be a handy thing to have around, even if you can't swat laser bullets out of the air. Re: Transformers, why do they need to hide from people, who can do them no harm? Besides, the stride of a 300 foot tall robot >>> a car on the highway - why use the road when you can step over the traffic? And if they can regrow Harry Potter's bones, they can correct his vision. But the Halloween costumes would be less distinctive."
1 Han said "this gay thing can open a beast belly" then used his macho blaster
2 transformers find it aesthetically pleasing also to be a porsche
3 everyone wanted potter to stay nerdy looking

I just love Pixar and have such a high opinion of their work, and their gigantic success was always overwhelming evidence that you didn't have to make something cheap to appeal to the masses. Just concerned because I'm a big fan.

I find the habit of Pixar's ace computer animation coming closer and closer to the Hollywood action films they've typically existed as an alternative to = - in storyboarding, in rapid edits, in execution and "stunts"/"effects"- a little troubling, or at least disappointing. Like, just because it's Woody or whatever flying through the air in slow motion, fireball exploding behind him, doesn't make it any less lame a cliche, wink or no. The new Cars looks like even more of that shit. So I guess it comes down to the script.

Wow, the Onion AV Club REALLY DOES NOT LIKE Larry teh Cable Guy:

It’s never easy coping with the death of an icon, especially for a franchise as intimately associated with that icon as Cars was with Paul Newman. Yet in a shocking miscalculation, the usually brilliant folks over at Pixar coped with Newman’s death in the stupidest possible way—by transforming John Lasseter’s shiny love letter to the automobile into an unabashed vehicle for the hayseed comedy stylings of Larry The Cable Guy. Larry The Cable Guy’s hillbilly tow truck Mater must have sold a lot of toys and played like gangbusters for focus-group respondents, because Cars 2 makes the vehicular redneck its proud centerpiece. That leaves Owen Wilson, the film’s ostensible star, to fret about the state of his relationship with his best friend Mater. Itchy & Scratchy Studios didn’t push Poochie on audiences the way Cars 2 does Mater.

AO Scott calls Cars 2's Mater "Pixar's Jar Jar Binks"

http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/06/24/movies/pixars-cars-2-with-larry-the-cable-guy-and-owen-wilson-review.html

reviews across the board are lackluster at best, I keep seeing 'worst pixar movie ever by a fair margin' . i'm still going to see it this weekend but I don't have my hopes up very high since I don't like the first movie at all either.

on the other hand, ebert liked it.

the female car must have a great ski rack

Got tickets for tomorrow with my boys. They will love this crap.

There were loads of great reviews on Rotten Tomatoes at first (including one that said there were lots of great puns - there aren't, unless you count written ones). Kind of weird but they're now balanced out a bit. Still, worth the admission price for the teaser trailer...

And the teaser trailer is for...?

Brave! Which is next summer's release. Should be before the 3d showings and before most 2d ones, iirc. Plus, Hawaaian Vacation Toy Story short.

You mean even the short is a sequel? ARGH.

I dread the day this makes it to dvd, I'm probably going to end up seeing it 100 times.

I applaud Michael Caine's guts in taking a voice job in this, when the last one killed Paul Newman.

ok this sucked. in a year with good animated non-pixar films like Rango and Kung Fu Panda 2, utterly missable.

the toy story cartoon was good though.

My kids loved the shit out of this:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5075/5868030211_f784c75f2a.jpg
Ben at Cars 2 by disbister, on Flickr

it was better than gnomeo and juliet, I will give it that.