Disney Pixar's Cars

[Russell_Reyes]

Pixar rules. www.imdb.com/chart/

[Meg]

Not bad! Not bad at all!

[Phil]

I took my family to see Cars on Friday, too. We all loved it. We stopped at Toys R Us on the way home to look for the Matchbox-size toys, but they were all sold out... The movie just opened and the toys are already gone.

Anyway, about the movie itself. I loved it, I thought it was great. But I'm having trouble convincing friends who were not awed by the trailers to see it. Mainly because of the comparison pitfall. I can't say things like, "It was so much better than The Incredibles" not because Cars was bad, but The Incredibles was good. Pixar excellence (Pixcellence) has become commonplace.

There were a few scenes where I got a little "sniffly", and as I thought about it later, it wasn't because the story itself was sad. I was just able to empathize with what these vehicles were feeling. Read that last sentence again. Vehicles. It sounds crazy, but it's true.

Anyway, if you haven't seen it yet, go see Cars. Not because it's better than Finding Nemo or Monster, Inc., but because it's just a great movie.

[Meg]

I've still got to pick up the Matchbox Cars for myself. I've only seen lightning, Mater, and Doc, so tell me if there's any more!

[PixarVixen]

The movie just opened and the toys are already gone.

Actually, some of the toys have been out for weeks, like the Matchbox cars. What stinks is that when I was at Disney World, they had ALL of them. I could've gotten the ones that never made it to the shelves at my stores, but I figured they'd have them eventually. Still haven't seen them yet.

~~=oP

[James]

I got Mater and Lightning weeks ago, but haven't seen any others since then.

[animated_guy]

wow. well i just went to the local target store and i had to litterally get on my knees and look for a cereal box that had something to do with cars. i talked to an employee before hand and they said that they only had what was in the shelves. it took me a couple of minuets before i finnally found a box of apple jacks that included a cars racer toy i dont really like apple jacks but i didnt care. i got myself the cereal, and a couple other stuff. I got home and to my suprise i got mater! yay. its really cute. and im glad i got it. it was kinda embarassing being on my knees crawing through the cereal isle, but i got whatt i was searching for!
~a-G

[ShyViolet]

Just because a fictional novel painted a bleary picture of the road, does not mean that was the actual reality for a great majority.

I agree that there must have been people who had positive experiences on Route 66 before or after but....

...a fictional novel?!?! The characters may have been make believe but the reason this novel gained so much attention was because John Steinbeck based it on so many REAL THINGS that were going on during the Dust Bowl. That's why it was so hard-hitting and why it gained so much attention. You wouldn't call the Depression fictional, would you?


But anyway...Pixar or Disney or whatever they call themselves now can make a movie on whatever they want. I'll still see this film of course. I'm sure it has good stuff in it. All I'm saying is that Cars, like most Pixar films, has a prevalently middle-class/upper-middle class bent to it. Hence the rose-colored glasses approach.


http://www.cis.yale.edu/amstud/r66/ok1.html

[James]

...a fictional novel?!?! The characters may have been make believe but the reason this novel gained so much attention was because John Steinbeck based it on so many REAL THINGS that were going on during the Dust Bowl. That's why it was so hard-hitting and why it gained so much attention. You wouldn't call the Depression fictional, would you?

Both are fictional stories that use real things about Route 66 to make their story. You just complained that a fictional movie about Route 66 didn't paint an accurate picture because it ignored some negative aspects. Why no outrage about a fictional novel about Route 66 not painting an accurate picture by ignoring the overwhelming positive aspects. Both fictional stories took what they wanted of Route 66's history and ignored the rest. Complain about one, you've got to complain about the other as well.

But anyway...Pixar or Disney or whatever they call themselves now can make a movie on whatever they want. I'll still see this film of course. I'm sure it has good stuff in it. All I'm saying is that Cars, like most Pixar films, has a prevalently middle-class/upper-middle class bent to it. Hence the rose-colored glasses approach.

By your definition, EVERY animated film has rose colored glasses. Why didn't DW go into the dangers of sharks and the ocean instead of trying to create an entertaining story in Shark Tale? Why didn't POE mention the many other religions in the world?

I agree that there must have been people who had positive experiences on Route 66 before or after but....

http://www.cis.yale.edu/amstud/r66/ok1.html

Even your cite here talks about the good things people did for the downtrodden on Route 66. Unlike your earlier quote that

They could barely afford gas and food and were often ripped off by people along the Route diners and gas stations

your link says gas stations along Route 66 gave them free gas so they could make it to the next town.

Maybe you need to take off your negatively-tinted glasses about Route 66(which I'm inclined to believe come from the fact that Pixar is the one doing the film about it). Maybe start with Wikipedia, which has a much larger overview than your narrow focus here. With a DreamWorks Route 66 film coming soon I'm sure your views will change then anyway!

[Meg]

With a DreamWorks Route 66 film coming soon I'm sure your views will change then anyway!

If DreamWorks is able to pull that movie off, I will love them forever and ever.

[ShyViolet]

You just complained that a fictional movie about Route 66 didn't paint an accurate picture because it ignored some negative aspects.

Actually, I said that I didn't know if the entire topic was appropriate to begin with. Of course they couldn't talk about that Depression stuff in the fim. All I was saying was that I questioned the validity of the "Route 66 simple life" message that the film was endorsing.

By your definition, EVERY animated film has rose colored glasses. Why didn't DW go into the dangers of sharks and the ocean instead of trying to create an entertaining story in Shark Tale? Why didn't POE mention the many other religions in the world?

Very true--and you'll notice that I listed POE in my first post as having greatly shortened and diminished the Exodus story, even though it is a good film.

SharkTale is completely different territory--it's a fable, a comedy fairy tale, it's not trying to "say" anything. The Sharks weren't "Sharks" per se but stand-ins for people.

An anthropomorphized tale and a story that specifically mourns the loss of a specific time/place are two different things. In Cars Route 66 is not just the setting, it's a major part of the film--the film's basic LIFE LESSON is that things were better when Route 66 was around.

your link says gas stations along Route 66 gave them free gas so they could make it to the next town.

I know. And in the book (and film) The Grapes of Wrath we see the kindness of diner owners who give the family a loaf of bread. However, these instances were the exception rather than the rule.

Even your cite here talks about the good things people did for the downtrodden on Route 66.

I realize that. All I was trying to say was Route 66 has had a lot of negativity historically, and that making an animated comedy about it (as opposed to a drama like POE or Pochontas) is questionable. That's all.

Code: Select all

With a DreamWorks Route 66 film coming soon I'm sure your views will change then anyway!

Is it really about Route 66? I know it's called that but the subject matter seems very different from Pixar's. The love of small-town diners, gas stations and attractions along this route is very much John Lassetter's view and I doubt they would go so far as to copy that.

Maybe start with Wikipedia, which has a much larger overview than your narrow focus here.

I'll check it out.

If DreamWorks is able to pull that movie off, I will love them forever and ever.

I'm holding you to that....

[Brandon Neeld]

But anyway...Pixar or Disney or whatever they call themselves now can make a movie on whatever they want. I'll still see this film of course. I'm sure it has good stuff in it. All I'm saying is that Cars, like most Pixar films, has a prevalently middle-class/upper-middle class bent to it. Hence the rose-colored glasses approach.

Ok, now this comment I absolutely have no choice but to argue.

A) Are you referring to the fact that Pixar is portraying a middle/upper-class lifestyle or
B) Are you referring to the fact that Pixar is playing to a middle/upper-class aufience?

If A then it deserves to be noted that Radiator Springs is this little bitty bumpkin town in the middle of nowhere. With the exception of you big racing stars, most of the characters in this film barely have a dime to their name and in fact are on the verge of losing it all.

If B then I'm inclined to mention the fact that everyone and their brother has been complaining that this film plays to redneck NASCAR fans. And last time I checked, with the exception of Jeff Foxworthy (and now probly Larry the Cable Guy) we country boys weren't exactly at the top of the social food chain.

[ShyViolet]

Uh, that would be "B."

It's not about the characters in the film, but the fact that Pixar's "Oh wouldn't it be great if we all lived in small towns with run-down gas stations and greasy spoon diners" theme seems a bit...forced.

It's easy for them to claim this message from where they are--and I don't care if they're in Emeryville as opposed to Burbank or L.A. It's the same thing. I doubt any of them would live in those towns if given a choice. Or for that matter make a dramatic film about STRUGGLING blue-collar small town people rather than those that are "happy with what they have."

If B then I'm inclined to mention the fact that everyone and their brother has been complaining that this film plays to redneck NASCAR fans.

Maybe, but it was made by a NASCAR fan who is most defintely not a redneck or "country boy".

If you have the money to collect expensive model cars (and probably real cars) and expensive vintage toys and this inspires you to make movies, you naturally are going to have a upper-middle class viewpoint when making a film like this.

[Brandon Neeld]

and may I ask which major animation company has a lower caste crew that can make a major film from the perspective of the lower castes???

[ShyViolet]

Look, I'm not saying they "had" to make a movie from a lower-caste or blue collar point of view. All I was trying to say was that they do have a very middle class/upper middle class bent to their themes. Because that's where they come from. (having child protagonists with braces, comic villains who collect toys, etc....)


They also have a very American angle to their films, and even some reviews have questioned how deeply other coutries will identify with NASCAR.


I'm not saying that out there is some Egalitarian Ideal that all animatioin studios should conform to (and no, I don't think it's DreamWorks )

All I'm saying is that these films come from a very specific place. I think it was even mentioned in another thread way back when that Pixar folk come from a very younger Baby Boomer/Gen. X background of Slinky, Barbie, Speak-and-Spell, "Pizza Planet" type restaraunts and yes, collecting vintage cars. I'm sure a lot of people have no problem identifying with these things and find them "timeless." But not EVERYONE comes from the same place. Not everyone has had these experiences.