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While I was watching "Cars 2," an elusive nostalgia tugged at my mind. No, I wasn't remembering Pixar's original " Cars " from 2006. This was something more deeply buried, and finally, in the middle of one of the movie's sensational grand prix races, it came to me: I was sitting on the floor of my bedroom many years ago, with some toy cars lined up in front of me, while I used my hands to race them around on the floor and in the air, meanwhile making that noise kids make by squooshing spit in their mouths.

In this memory, I was completely engrossed with my cars. They were as real as people, and I played favorites and identified one car as my surrogate. Maybe my hands were swooping around with toys, but my imagination was somewhere else, and I performed the dialogue for the cars: Oh, yeah? Take that! We'll see! Eeeeyowww!

This memory was not random. I think it was inspired by the spirit of John Lasseter 's movie. I believe in some sense, the great animator was sitting Indian-style on the floor of his Pixar playroom and hurtling his cars through time and space with sublime reckless delight. We learned from "Cars" that Lasseter loves automobiles, and here we learn that they can serve him as avatars in an international racing-and-spying thriller as wacky as a Bond picture crossed with Daffy Duck.

I have no idea what kids will make of the movie. At a time when some "grown-up" action films are relentlessly shallow and stupid, here is a movie with such complexity that even the cars sometimes have to pause and explain it to themselves. It mixes concerns about fossil fuels with spycraft and a lot of grand prix racing where more is at stake than who wins. And it has a new hero: The shiny red Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson ) is eclipsed by the rusty, buck-toothed tow truck named Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), who was only a supporting vehicle in the first film.

A plot synopsis would spin us into bafflements, and the movie isn't about a plot so much as the action it involves. Briefly, Sir Miles Axelrod ( Eddie Izzard ) has invented a new fuel that doesn't deplete the planet's shrinking oil reserves and wants to prove it in a World Grand Prix to be run in England, Japan and Italy. This is a masterful way of introducing new backdrops into the races, and the movie is so visually complex that I imagine Lasseter and his colleagues slipped details in just for fun.

At one point, in a shot so brief you don't want to blink, we even learn that the Popemobile travels in its own Popemobile. This inspires the theological puzzle of whether the one inside is the pope. One of my fellow viewers said she didn't even see a Popemobile. Maybe I dreamed it. In any event, there are no humans in the movie who could be the pope, although much is made of the dinosaurs who are a source of fossil fuels. Actually, I believe oil originated from ancient plants and microorganisms and not so much from dinosaurs, but in the Lasseter universe, it no doubt comes from gas-guzzling dinosaurs like in those old Rambler ads.

But I digress. Lightning McQueen ends up in a championship duel with the Italian driver Francesco Bernoulli ( John Turturro at full throttle). He and Mater find themselves in the middle of a clandestine war between the forces of fossil and alternative fuels, also involving the British secret agents Finn McMissile ( Michael Caine ) and Holley Shiftwell ( Emily Mortimer ). Having recently admired Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon doing dueling Michael Caine imitations in " The Trip ," I noted that Michael Caine does a pretty good one himself.

The original film was an elegy to a past when America spun out along Route 66 and now-classic cars occupied an iconic role in American lives. The cars in "Cars 2" have developed an array of new bells and whistles; they extrude so many wires, spikes, weapons and gimmicks they must really be shape-shifters, and Mater in particular is expert at disguising himself. This is not surprising, because a lot of the guys you find around tow trucks are pretty good at using paint jobs to dress up beaters.

Anyway, "Cars 2" is fun. Whether that's because John Lasseter is in touch with his inner child or mine, I cannot say. There remains one bone to pick. Although the hero of the 2006 film was a Hudson with the step-down design and there are AMC Gremlins in this film, as nearly as I can tell, Lasseter entirely ignores the greatest independent American automaker of them all, Studebaker. Maybe I missed one. I don't think so. There is a more obvious reason. Introducing a Studebaker Golden Hawk into this film would make all of the other characters look shabby.

Note: The 3-D adds nothing and darkens the bright colors. See it in 2-D if you can.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Cars 2 (2011)

106 minutes

Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen

John Turturro as Francesco

Michael Caine as Finn McMissile

Eddie Izzard as Miles Axlerod

Emily Mortimer as Holley Shiftwell

Directed by

John Lasseter

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Cars 2 Reviews

It’s not awful, but it just felt so perfunctory to the point of apathy.

Full Review | Mar 1, 2024

It may not live up to the usual sophistication associated with the animation studio, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad film.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 12, 2023

It's all the delight of a spy movie, but with the added fact of Oh right, they're all cars!

Full Review | Mar 1, 2021

This sequel wisely alters course - in the most extreme direction imaginable - to spoof spy thrillers.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Nov 30, 2020

The problem with Cars 2 isn't that it's a bad film. It's that it's not a Pixar film.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4.0 | Sep 5, 2020

Start your engines! You're in for the adventure of your life with Cars 2.

Full Review | Nov 16, 2019

Yes, the movie has some weak spots. A little long, a little light on story, and, gratefully, heavy on visuals...but I say, with Pixar, do we always need missing parents and tearjerking, with tissues always an arm's reach away?

Full Review | Jul 26, 2019

I defy anyone to tell me with a straight face that this is anywhere near as awful as 2011's other family hits, Zookeeper and Mr. Popper's Penguins. Case closed.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 20, 2019

The trouble with stuffing too much into a film quickly becomes evident in Cars 2, as the plotlines tumble and collide with each other creating, mostly, cacophony.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 2, 2019

The animation... alone is good enough for it worth a watch.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Feb 21, 2019

There's a fine line between being healthily assertive in joining the conversation and being rude, however unintentionally. Mater is on the wrong side of that line, which gives Cars 2 a bit of a strange message.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Feb 13, 2019

There's much to look at, but little to follow.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 8, 2019

Cars 2 suffers from a charmless and immoderately talky storyline that hikes up the thrills but forgets the widespread appeal of its far superior contemporaries.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 13, 2018

The animation whizzes at Pixar shift from weightier fare to madcap action in "Cars 2," a zippy, multitrack adventure custom built for gearheads, racing fans and little boys.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 22, 2018

If you're interested in seeing wonderful landscapes created by the magic of digital animation and some of the most colorful characters never created in the automotive industry world, this is just the movie for you... [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 17, 2018

The problems start and end with the uninspired, witless and convoluted script.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Jan 26, 2018

To its credit, Cars 2, despite its over-busy plot and constant action, certainly isn't, well, on automatic. But the secret agent schemes do get confusing.

Full Review | Aug 25, 2017

A fairly disastrous sequel...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 16, 2015

Undoubtedly flawed, this animated film is still (barely) worth seeing.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.0/5 | Jun 30, 2013

Minor Pixar, but it would be a major film were it made by just about anyone else. I, for one, will not get greedy.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Jun 22, 2013

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Movie Review | 'Cars 2'

Sidekick Tries to Tow a Sequel

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By A.O. Scott

June 23, 2011

What sidekick has not dreamed of stepping into the limelight? After dinner in their split-level cave, Betty and Barney, convinced that they were the modern stone-age family, must have fantasized about pitching “ The Rubbles ” to the suits at Hanna-Barbera. And surely poor, neglected Robin is at this moment lolling around somewhere in the Bat Cave sketching lobby posters for “The Boy Wonder,” which will never make it to a theater near you. And while we’re at it, how come students of literature are never forced to read a book called “Sancho Panza”?

An implicit answer might be found in “Cars 2,” which takes the bold, arguably generous and ultimately calamitous step of pushing its lovable, goofy second banana to the center of the action. That would be Mater, the garrulous, snaggle-toothed, dimwitted tow truck voiced by Daniel Whitney, better known as Larry the Cable Guy . This may be Mater’s finest hour. It is certainly his longest.

Lightning McQueen, the red racecar who speaks in the gee-whiz cadences of Owen Wilson, is still around, of course, as are some other residents of Radiator Springs, the Southwestern desert town surrounded by tail-fin rock formations where the first “Cars” took place. But they (Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin and the Pixar stalwart John Ratzenberger, among others) are very much in the background. Most of “Cars 2” takes place far from Radiator Springs — in Tokyo, Paris and London — and Lightning’s racing exploits are secondary to the improbable adventures of Mater.

These include a falling out with Lightning, an identity crisis (every animated character needs one) and an action-packed espionage caper with a couple of suave Britons. One is a retro-cool, Bond-style sports car named Finn McMissile (Michael Caine), and the other is a sexy, Emma Peel -like coupe called Holly Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer).

There is a lot of zooming around, some stabs at gearhead humor, and a soupçon of environmental concern, thanks to a subplot involving a petroleum magnate (Eddie Izzard) who is using car races to promote his new alternative fuel. The villains are a pack of thuggish lemons led by a diabolical scientist (Thomas Kretschmann).

Mostly, though, there is Mater, who tags along with Lightning on the grand prix circuit before falling in with the secret agents. Through it all, he talks and talks and talks, mangling idioms and missing the point in an exaggerated drawl that would make even the cast of “ Hee-Haw ” wince. As if to prove that certain groups have escaped the protection of political correctness, the Southern-fried Mater is dumb, excitable and puppy-dog loyal, his idiot-savant automotive expertise grounded in humble, blue-collar simplicity. I doubt anyone will protest much, but Pixar has now found its redneck Jar-Jar Binks. Such a proud moment.

Design for the Road in ‘Cars 2’

View Slide Show ›

Even without Mater’s nattering — or the florid Italian sing-song of John Turturro as Lightning’s European rival (compare Sacha Baron Cohen in “ Talladega Nights ”) — “Cars 2” would be, by far, the loudest Pixar feature yet. The whine of engines and the rattle of gunfire (surprisingly frequent in a G-rated film) compete with the nonstop yakking to such an extent that Michael Giacchino’s score has to strain and blare to be heard. Perhaps after the exquisite silences in “Wall-E” and “Up,” the Pixar team wanted to open up the valves, kick up some dust and make some pop culture noise, leaving the poetry to someone else. Or maybe the company was tired of turning out one masterpiece after another and decided to coast for a while.

“Cars 2” is certainly built to move merchandise — this series may surpass even the “Toy Story” films as an effective advertisement for licensed playthings — but it is notably lacking in soul or sublimity. Nearly every other Pixar fantasy, however extravagant, has been tethered to a recognizable human reality. But unlike “Toy Story” or “Ratatouille” or “Wall-E” or “Monsters Inc.,” the “Cars” movies have no human characters, and somehow this robs them of a crucial dimension of magic. It may be intriguing to imagine what our toys do when we leave them behind, but there is something irreducibly grim about an entire planet ruled by mass-produced consumer goods whose producers and consumers are nowhere around.

But maybe I’m misinterpreting the movie and underestimating Pixar’s capacity for subversiveness. Maybe “Cars 2” is a dystopian allegory for an era of ecological anxiety.

Or maybe not. I should add that it is not entirely without charm or wit. Directed by John Lasseter (with Brad Lewis credited as co-director) from a script by Ben Queen, “Cars 2” lavishes scrupulous imaginative attention on its cosmopolitan settings. The Tokyo sequences are especially gorgeous, a vibrant tribute to the anime aesthetic, streaked with neon and teeming with inventive pop cuteness.

That city, and everywhere else on the globe where this busy, swift-moving picture touches down, turns into a video-game backdrop once the wheels start spinning. There is some ingenuity in this, but the visceral immediacy of arcade-style racing games does not come through, in spite of the skillful application of 3-D.

And “Cars 2” illustrates one of the pitfalls of that format, which is that if the 3-D is unobtrusive enough that you don’t really notice it, you may as well forego the disposable glasses and the surcharge that comes with them.

Opens on Friday nationwide.

Directed by John Lasseter; Brad Lewis, co-director; written by Ben Queen, based on a story by Mr. Lasseter and Brad Lewis; directors of photography, Sharon Calahan (lighting) and Jeremy Lasky (camera); music by Michael Giacchino; production design by Harley Jessup; produced by Denise Ream; released by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Studios. Running time: 1 hour 47 minutes. This film is rated G.

WITH THE VOICES OF: Larry the Cable Guy (Mater), Owen Wilson (Lightning McQueen), Michael Caine (Finn McMissile), Emily Mortimer (Holley Shiftwell), Eddie Izzard (Miles Axlerod), John Turturro (Francesco Bernoulli), Brent Musburger (himself), Joe Mantegna (Grem), Thomas Kretschmann (Professor Z), Peter Jacobson (Acer), Bonnie Hunt (Sally), Darrell Waltrip (Darrell Cartrip), Franco Nero (Uncle Topolino), David Hobbs (David Hobbscap), Tony Shalhoub (Luigi), Jeff Garlin (Otis), Michel Michelis (Tomber), Jason Isaacs (Siddeley/Leland Turbo), Cheech Marin (Ramone) and John Ratzenberger (Mack).

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FILM REVIEW: Lightning McQueen and Mater mix it up with spies and Formula 1 in yet another Pixar winner.

By Todd McCarthy

Todd McCarthy

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From left: McQueen (voice by Owen Wilson) and Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) go nose to nose with Fin McMissile (Michael Caine).

Pixar’s 2006 release Cars is widely regarded as among the less dazzling of the animation house’s dozen sterling titles, so it’s fair to imagine that John Lasseter and his pit crew felt motivated to use extra elbow grease to deliver an improved new model. On the whole, they have: Lightning McQueen and the loyal pickup truck Mater quickly vamoose from sleepy Radiator Springs to join the Grand Prix circuit in a succession of world capitals, where they become entangled in some related international spy intrigue. Featuring cooler cars and more action than Fast Five , Cars 2 is notably less refined and more rambunctious than Pixar’s recent run of artistic gems. But commercially, it’ll be off to the races this summer, with even bigger international prospects assured on this lap than on the first spin.

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Cars 2 Review

Lightning and mater are back shaken, not stirred..

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Cars 2 Review

22 Jul 2011

112 minutes

As Pixar tradition dictates, Cars 2 stars with a short. Hawaiian Vacation revisits the Toy Story gang who, after Ken and Barbie are left behind from Bonnie’s summer holiday, recreate a perfect tropical idyll for the Mattel lovebirds to share their first kiss. It is pitch-perfect Pixar: a strong set-up delivered with jokes, filmmaking flair, perfect character moments — Mr. Pricklepants’ alien audition is genius — smarts and sentiment, all topped off with a post-credits payoff that works a treat.

This reminder of Pixar’s high benchmark doesn’t make life any easier for Cars 2. Coming off the back of the studio’s least favourably reviewed film — it currently sits at 74 per cent at Rotten Tomatoes — and one of its lower-grossing flicks (it made $462 million worldwide so it’s all relative), the movie has built itself up into a franchise through a series of shorts and spin-off merchandise. A kind of Doc Hollywood with a NASCAR replacing Michael J. Fox, the original was that rare children’s film that suggested you ease up a bit, live life in the slow lane. This time round, things have been amped up considerably, transplanting hot rod Lightning McQueen and thicko tow truck Mater not only into a globe-trotting Grand Prix, but also into a slick espionage flick circa 1966. The two strands never really cohere, but deliver enough spy-cool, visual fizz and comedic touches to entertain.

From the retro fittings of The Incredibles to WALL•E’s adoration of Hello Dolly, Pixar has always been enamoured with ’60s pop culture, and Cars 2 positively thrums with it. From Michael Giacchino’s stupidly catchy Finn McMissile guitar riffs, to a delight in gizmos and gadgetry, to impenetrable coded secret-agent greetings, this is a love letter not only to 007, but also to American counterparts like The Man From U. N. C. L. E. and Get Smart. A terrific opening set-piece sees Michael Caine’s Finn McMissile, an Aston Martin overflowing with Q Department firepower, infiltrate the baddies’ oil rig and the subsequent escape is a potent reminder that Pixar can hold its own against anybody in the action stakes. Be it a nighttime Tokyo race or a high-speed runway rumpus courtesy of Jason Isaacs’ spy plane, Cars 2 is at its best when it is on the move.

It is in the bits between the action, the Pixar specialities of plot points and character beats, that the movie does less well. The narrative is admirably complicated — everyone is chasing a camera which can generate an electro-magnetic pulse that can destroy the cars mid race — but offers little in the way of surprises. There are tons of new characters but, save the Brit spy duo of McMissile and Emily Mortimer’s Holley Shiftwell and John Turturro’s Formula 1 demon Francesco Bernoulli, few register.

It is also hard to remember a more talk-driven Pixar movie, but little of the dialogue crackles or pops. There are first-base jokes about cultural difference, wasabi mistaken for ice cream hijinks, over-emotional Italians and wrong-side-of-the-road gags. The relationship dynamics between McQueen and Mater are too simply drawn, the moralising, as McQueen asks his gauche friend to change to fit into the wider world, too on the nose. It’ll play perfectly for the young but, for once with Pixar, that’s all it does.

As ever, there are stunning little grace notes (watch the mud speckle the camera as the race cars speed by), lovingly realised street scenes and the frame is filled with inspired visual puns. But the film never truly finds its mojo, its heartbeat. If you want a barometer of the difference between top-drawer Pixar and Cars 2, you could do worse than listen to the songs. Randy Newman’s songs for the Toy Story series are smart, charming and heartfelt. Country star Brad Paisley’s tunes are pleasant but forgettable. The former will last for the ages. The latter works well enough for now.

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Cars 2 is the rare Pixar film that feels like a mess. So many times, you wonder how they are going to balance the different aspects of their next summer hit, but by the time the credits roll you no longer question it. With Pixar's latest, I still had trouble deciding why they would go in so many various directions all at once. The core audience is going to have a blast, there is little doubt. If you have a young boy, and you collect those little cars, you have a lot more to deal with and it will be shoved down your throat starting with this gorgeous, often funny package. But these days, I expect more from Pixar. My review after the jump.

The first Cars gave a lot of people problems because it was the first from the do-no-wrong company that didn't have the same emotional story. Something was missing, although there was a powerful underlying storyline about a town left in the dust of a super highway. Pixar has always felt like they enjoyed being that scenic route. Something different. Cars 2 feels like it is just another stretch on the super highway. There's nothing wrong with it because it gets you where you're going, but I miss the small details and the sheer enjoyment of something a little different that I don't find at many other places.

When I see Luxo Jr. bounce across the screen, I feel confident that what I am about to enjoy is not only full of humor but a blend of heart-warming story as well. I can smile appreciatively at the multitude of jokes that hit with kids barely able to spell, on through the generations. Pixar has felt like they understood that if they aimed just for kids, parents would not enjoy their time in the theater. Why not cater to both young and old; after all, these are grown adults making these films, so they have to try and enjoy what they make at the end of the day. These are family films, and they realized that didn't mean only the lowest common denominator mattered. Yet Cars 2 feels like they lost that edge. That spark that said, “Let's be more than just disposable entertainment that you laugh at and forget the next day.” Cars 2 has nearly every staple that you look for in a Pixar film; gorgeous animation, grand scope, tons of humor, and memorable characters. But this time around they seem to have forgotten that heart-felt story. Oh, it's there, but it's a whimper instead of a nail through the ticker and there is a troubling amount of darkness within a film that feels so lighthearted everywhere else.

Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) has been conquering the Piston Cup for four straight years and is finally taking a break from the action. His first stop, of course, is to see his best friend Tow Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and the Radiator Springs crew. However, McQueen's happy vacation is put on hold when he stands up for his friend and accepts the challenge of Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro) to compete in billionaire oil tycoon-turned-environmentalist Sir Miles Axlerod's (Eddie Izzard) World Grand Prix. During the trip, McQueen's patience with Mater is tested and the two have a falling out that propels them in different directions. While McQueen tries to focus on defeating his rival in three international races, Mater is unwittingly sucked into the perilous world of espionage. Secret agents Finn McMissile (Sir Michael Caine) and Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) help Mater in their quest to discover who is behind a dangerous plot to sabotage the races. With the stakes rising as each new discovery is made, Mater will have to take an unlikely stand and show he is skillful in his own way.

John Lasseter returns to co-direct the film, joining Brad Lewis this time around in giving life to Ben Queen's screenplay. The film starts off flexing it's spy film muscle, following McMissile as he discovers a cornucopia of hidden oil rigs. That's when we learn the unfortunate demise of the first car in the film. This is the first hint that the sequel has a dark tinge to it that might get a fairly large reaction. Nothing is shown, but the devastating results are clear in the end result. Yet the film doesn't leave that as the only instance of permanent devastation. Another key part of the opening sequence is that the film's chase sequences show the flair that Pixar puts into the action sequences. Everything is choreographed in a harmonious dance of destruction and intensity that keeps the action in focus and your head above water. Sometimes you find yourself jarred by the simple fact that these are cars performing the sequences and not human or human-like creatures with legs. The planning that had to go into the chase scenes and the film as a whole makes one wonder if a few staff members ever stopped and thought why they couldn't have simply done the film with humans instead.

But the thrill of the Cars franchise is seeing these anthropomorphic vehicles perform as if they were as nimble as cats. Which brings me to another one of my problems. As fun as they have working on the chase sequences, the races themselves feel like a tease. They set them up, and show you glimpses of the action. For long stretches, you might even forget a race is going on in the background. The caveat here is that motor sports have built in drama if you can appreciate the precision and skill of the drivers merely navigating a course close to perfection, and the sense of danger that comes with pushing a vehicle to its limits. Without crashes or excessive passing that would feel overly fake, it's hard to make a cartoon race thrilling. The other reason the races are mere diversions is because the film takes the focus away from McQueen and puts it squarely on Mater. Immediate grumbles may arise, and I'm right there with you. Mater is a sideshow, and not someone I want to follow around for an entire film. He is aggravatingly stupid and if they hadn't partnered him with McMissile and Shiftwell, it would have been a real chore to sit through the film.

The other drawback to placing the focus on Mater is that McQueen and Bernoulli's sparring of words never gets the treatment it beckons. Turturro may have turned in some of his best work in years here, and his over-the-top Italian accent and demeanor brought a constant smile to my face. He owns the scenes he is in and has some of the best lines in the film. Turturro seems to relish the jabbing and back and forth head games that goes on in real life racing at times. In addition, the constant reference to his open wheel platform is a creative touch that is played up to its full potential. This is one of those moments where the writers honed in on a joke and pounce, repeatedly, and I'm still left wondering what it even parallels to our own world yet have to acknowledge that it works. In fact, the entire Italian cast of cars is a delight. McQueen's pit crew from Radiator Springs joins him, and Guido and Luigi ham it up and have some of the best moments in the film. Additionally, Mortimer and Caine are also worthy additions to the franchise, though their long-term inclusion is vague. Both play their roles straight as can be, which helps bring a balance to Mater's antics at times. McMissile's numerous gadgets are also a fun touch that serve practical and impractical purposes.

While those gadgets harken back to the great spy films of yore, the danger and results feel odd in this silly film. There is no grounding storyline that makes the film feel like more than a diversion but it doesn't stop the inclusion of truly dark moments. To have a torture scene ultimately culminate in the demise of a car seen slightly out of focus in a reflection feels far too heavy for this sort of film. Weren't we just laughing about Mater eating a hefty amount of wasabi that he thought was pistachio ice cream? Didn't he just have a lengthy bathroom stall joke go on while a bone-crunching fight with obvious repercussions occurs outside? All of these juxtapositions are jarring. There is no happy thought about them still surviving; these characters are clearly gone. Working on that same theme, one of the highlights of the original film was Doc Hudson, voiced by the late Paul Newman. Pixar shows true class by giving his character an honor in the film that doesn't ring hollow in the slightest. Smart and poignant, it makes a lasting change in the Cars franchise that only those old enough to know will recognize.

One aspect that hasn't changed is the meticulous level of detail that the world and the cars have. Dynamic reflections as the cars move their mouths can be clearly seen and the sheer diversity of vehicles this time around is mind-boggling. If you are a fan of automobiles, Cars 2 is a treat to the eyes. Many silhouettes are instantly recognizable, even if they don't badge the cars or name them properly. There is even a fun running theme that many of the older generation will likely enjoy quite a bit. For those Pixar buffs that love to find the hidden cameos, there are quite a few Easter eggs hidden within. As for the 3D, the film cranks up the colors this time around and the glasses don't seem to hinder the brightness of the animation. Everything is crisp and the animation is given tremendous depth and detail at times. There are even flying scenes that pronounce the depth of field, but the film may be a little too busy at times to truly reward those that spring for the extra dimension. If you're into 3D, go for it. If you are still one of the many holdouts, even on animation, there isn't much to convince you otherwise. Additionally, the score by Michael Giacchino lacks a focused, recognizable theme. There are moments that shine, especially during the espionage moments where the combination of the pulse-pounding drama and his feel for tone are synergistic. Giacchino may be a victim of his own excellent record; the score is less than what is expected.

So often, Pixar delivers on more than just entertainment. Cars 2 has plenty to enjoy. There are at least a dozen laughs that had then entire theater rolling, and the film is definitely funny. Most of it is low-brow humor and slapstick, but some of it is a home run no matter your age. If Mater's sense of humor rubs you wrong, you will live for the moments he isn't on screen—which are few and far between. On the plus side, the final twist is hidden well and caught me off guard. I hardly ever try to figure out a film's ending before it comes, so your results may vary. There are also running themes of friendship and alternative fuel, and while the former attempts to be the staple of the movie, the latter is never given any real bite. Mater has a complete character arc and it's nice to see him play something more than just the fool, but none of this really had a lasting effect. You will remember the explosions, the chase sequences, and the hilarious Bernoulli. You might even remember the darker moments, which definitely stuck with me. But the film is ultimately disposable entertainment. In it's own right, it manages to best many of its competitors, but placed next to Pixar's stunning cache of films to date, it feels like a short bloated into 118 minutes. And speaking of shorts, Hawaiian Vacation showcases the ease Pixar has with the Toy Story brand. Ken and Barbie are the focal points, and it might be the funniest short to date though it is too early to tell where it will place in my ranking of their shorts for pure enjoyment.

I would love nothing more than to say that Pixar has done it again. That they delivered a film that has heart and entertainment and surpasses the original. Cars 2 is funnier and the scope is enormous, but for me the two films will still jockey for position at the bottom tier of this illustrious company's catalog. Where the original merely nudged a storyline along and failed to capitalize on a true heart-breaking story of Route 66, Cars 2 feels like they were simply focused on more action, more laughs, and more cars. There are worthy additions to the lineup of characters, but the old Radiator Springs gang are often relegated to second stage. This is Mater's film, and he is the ultimate deciding factor in how much you will take away from the film. The grimmer portions of the film feel like too much, but the ride is still enjoyable. What you expect and what you want from Pixar is how the film will play for you. The company is celebrating its 25 th anniversary, and I just can't help but feel this is a step backwards when they have been known for making so many dramatic leaps forward.

Movie review: ‘Cars 2’

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It’s Pixar Animation’s 25th anniversary, and the studio has kicked back and given a present to itself and its ever-expanding audience with the genially entertaining “Cars 2.”

A movie that loves autos and doesn’t care who knows it, “Cars 2” is so close to the heart of John Lasseter that he carved out time from being the creative czar of both Pixar and Disney animation to direct it himself, the first time Lasseter’s done that since, well, the original “Cars” five years ago.

But to expect simply a revisiting of the gang from Radiator Springs is to underestimate the Pixar philosophy. “Cars 2” takes the studio into unexpected new territory by bringing its familiar characters to a “Bourne Identity”-type spy thriller complete with secret weapons, sinister villains and clandestine agents calling frantically for backup.

Though it spends time in familiar Carburetor County, “Cars 2” also goes far afield geographically, unleashing racing whiz Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) and his best pal, Tow Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), on the rest of the world as Lightning travels to Paris and competes in the World Grand Prix in Tokyo, London and the fictional Italian Riviera town of Porto Corsa.

More than visiting these metropolises, “Cars 2” is able to do what Pixar calls “car-ify” them. It reimagines these places in a remarkably detailed way, as if cars (the film boasts 145 unique car characters) were the people who built and lived in these cities, putting “car-goyles” on Notre Dame and turning London’s Big Ben into “Big Bentley,” complete with Bentley grills and hood ornaments.

“Cars 2” also makes entertaining and inventive use of 3-D technology. With a plot that includes life-and-death action sequences, thrilling auto races and panoramic scenic vistas, the opportunities for enhanced perspective are considerable and the Pixar team makes better use of them than most live-action films.

Despite all these technological wonders, “Cars 2” never forgets the heartfelt sensibility that is its dramatic heritage. Written by Ben Queen (the creator of Fox TV’s “Drive”) from a story by Lasseter and Brad Lewis, “Cars 2” teaches gentle kid-friendly lessons about the importance of friendship and being yourself and introduces some great new characters in its parallel spy drama and auto racing plots.

“Cars 2” opens in the middle of its spy drama and introduces suave, sophisticated secret agent Finn McMissile. Impeccably voiced by Michael Caine, McMissile is totally unflappable in all situations, even being pursued on the top of an oil platform by the dreaded Professor Z (Thomas Kretschmann) and his merciless automotive minions.

Back in Radiator Springs, Lightning McQueen is looking forward to spending an off-season kicking back with best friend Mater and best girl Sally (Bonnie Hunt). But he gets drawn into that World Grand Prix, the creation of billionaire Sir Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard), a reformed oil tycoon who now is pushing an alternative fuel called Allinol.

Also a factor in McQueen’s decision to race is his irritation at the sky-high smugness of his chief rival, Italian Formula One car Francesco Bernoulli, hilariously voiced by John Turturro as a self-involved individual given to saying things like, “when I want to go to sleep, I watch one of McQueen’s races.”

At the instigation of Sally, McQueen takes Mater along on the world tour, and the clueless tow truck’s bumbling, irrepressible innocence proves to be a problem from stop one in Tokyo, where he mistakes a dish of red-hot wasabi for a helping of pistachio ice cream.

Things get even more complicated when, in a “North by Northwest” case of mistaken identity, everyone, including McMissile and his inexperienced colleague Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer), not to mention the nefarious bad guys, assume Mater is an ace secret agent with one heck of a cover. As if.

With engaging characters, a plot that ensures energy, and such a wealth of auto references (it even features a song originally performed by the Cars — “You Might Think,” done here by Weezer), “Cars 2” has a smooth, easy way about it. These creations have become like family to Lasseter as well as to each other, and they never fail to make us smile.

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MPAA rating: G

Running time: 1 hour, 46 minutes

Playing: In general release

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Screen Rant's Ben Kendrick reviews Cars 2

It’s been five years since the original Cars film debuted in theaters - and now director John Lasseter is back (with help from co-director Brad Lewis) for a second lap with Cars 2 . The original Cars film was a commercial success and an enormous franchise-building hit with younger audiences; however, reaction from non-parents was (for the most part) mixed – especially for a Pixar film. While the anthropomorphic Cars may have captivated children, in terms of story (and merchandising), the film was pretty limited – and featured some of the most one-note or least-likable Pixar characters to date.

Despite the mixed reaction from older moviegoers, there’s no doubt that Cars is one of the more popular Pixar brands when it comes to children, so it wasn’t surprising when Cars 2 was announced back in 2008. The film was slated with a summer 2012 release date – and then bumped forward without an explanation. To combat the criticisms of its predecessor, Lasseter and Lewis made sure that Cars 2 would offer-up a larger adventure – not to mention one that would appeal to a wider audience beyond children and racing fans.

Unfortunately, despite some decent additions to the cast and a slightly more interesting central plot, Cars 2 still leans on a number of problems established in the first film - specifically the series’ leading men, Lightning McQueen and Mater (Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy, respectively). Sure, the film is designed for kids, but with a growing number of Pixar films that feature mature subject matter (the opening scene in UP ) as well as sophisticated characters ( Wall-E ), the slapstick humor, shallow relationships, and flat-out bizarre thematic take-aways in Cars 2 seem like a significant step backward for Pixar. Though, given the unparalleled success of the studio, a step backward means that instead of a great film , Cars 2 is just a mediocre film.

If you’re unfamiliar with the basic premise of the Cars sequel, the story focuses on the continued odd-ball paring of “best friends” Lightning McQueen and Mater the tow truck, as McQueen enters the World Grand Prix (a series of races sponsored by the creator of a new alternative fuel). Following the events of the first film, McQueen has become the premiere racecar in the world, which has put stress on him and Mater's relationship, since Mater isn’t as refined as many of McQueen’s friends in the industry. When Mater’s hijinks cause McQueen to lose an important race in Tokyo, the tow truck decides to return home to Radiator Springs. However, before he can board a flight back to the states, Mater is mistaken for a CIA agent in deep cover, and is subsequently swept-up in an international tale of espionage and mystery that not only threatens the immediate Grand Prix racers – but the fate of every single Car in existence.

The Cars 2 story somewhat shifts protagonist duties to Mater this round – with Lightning McQueen serving in a supporting role and nearly every other returning Cars character sitting in the pits: i.e. Sally, Ramon, Flo, Mack, etc. Shoving all the prior characters aside leaves very little room for McQueen to do anything but react to Mater - despite the sense that the larger story arc of the film expects the two to be on equal footing. Cars 2 is partly about the evolving relationship between the central characters; unfortunately, the film does very little to make McQueen a particularly likable character (a problem that carries-over from the first installment) and is only compounded by a heavy thematic focus on the ups and downs of “best friendship” – even though McQueen seems to only tolerate Mater (not actually enjoy his company).

At the same time, it’s hard to fault McQueen: Mater is an obnoxious and out-of-control character ninety-percent of the time, making it difficult to reconcile the film’s other take away message: be yourself. Of course children, who are under constant pressure to fit-in, should be encouraged to embrace their passions and sense of self – regardless of how others might see them. However, it’s hard to connect this mantra with Mater, who spends most of his time acting out: tipping cows, disrupting other cars, and failing to listen to the instructions and/or needs of others. Admittedly, Mater’s slapstick hijinks will be a hit with kids; however, given Pixar’s ability to create films that also convey mature themes to older audience members, it’s hard to not be disappointed by the lack of evolution and depth in the main Cars characters.

Aside from a convoluted lesson about "Big Oil" (no matter which side of the issue you champion), Lasseter brings in a number of fresh grills and improved story ideas that make the film a bit more enjoyable for anyone who isn’t sold on the McQueen/Mater combo. John Turturro is great as McQueen’s World Grand Prix rival, Francesco Bernoulli, adding a little fun and heart to the less-engaging race storyline. While the relationship between Mater and Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) is forced, even for a CGI cartoon, at least the character has more to offer the film than McQueen’s love interest, Sally, had in Cars (and subsequently Cars 2 ).

Michael Caine as Finn McMissile in Cars 2

Additionally, Michael Caine voices one of Pixar’s most enjoyable (albeit flat) creations to date – British secret agent, Finn McMissile. Not only does the character (and subsequent story) mix-up the Cars franchise formula, but watching McMissile, as well as the evil Professor Zündapp (Thomas Kretschmann) and his henchmen, in action provide the film's best moments. Pixar still manages to surprise with some creative set-pieces that showcase how an anthropomorphic car could easily hang with some of Hollywood’s best human secret agents.

This is Pixar, so the technical aspects of the film are, as always, extremely well done. Cinephiles looking for great, albeit cartoony, visuals will definitely walk away with some memorable impressions – note: the ocean water in the opening scene is especially impressive. Since the film is entirely computer animated, the implementation of 3D is competent compared to most 3D offerings – however, unlike UP , audience members wouldn’t be missing much if they decided to pass on the ticket upgrade and see Cars 2 in 2D instead.

In general, Cars 2 is pulled down by the shortcomings of the prior installment – and, at times, seems like two films of differing quality interwoven together. Sequences that feature McMissile are somewhat compelling – with exciting action and clever references to a number of famous spy films, whereas the more traditional racing story arcs seem forced into Cars 2 simply to present a familiar experience to fans of the original. As mentioned, fans of the first film will likely enjoy both the World Grand Prix as well as the international car of mystery plotlines – however, older moviegoers who felt as if Cars may not have been one of Pixar’s finer hours will be equally unenthusiastic about Cars 2 .

If you're still on the fence about Cars 2 , check out the trailer below:

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Follow me on Twitter @ benkendrick — and let us know what you thought of the film below.

Cars 2 is now playing in 2D and 3D theaters.

Hesher is a drama film directed by Spencer Susser, featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the titular character. The film follows a troubled young boy named T.J., portrayed by Devin Brochu, who encounters Hesher, an anarchistic and unpredictable squatter. As Hesher unexpectedly integrates into T.J.'s life, the family, still grieving the loss of T.J.’s mother, begins to confront their emotional pain and turmoil. The film also stars Natalie Portman and Rainn Wilson.

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Cars 2 Movie Review - Owen Wilson

After sampling the exotic South American wonders of fictional Paradise Falls in Up , Pixar explorers must have felt that returning to Cars ‘ make-believe town of Radiator Springs — located in the imaginary West off historic Route 66 — was too been-there-done-that. Besides, without the great Paul Newman around anymore as the voice of Radiator Springs’ doctor, judge, and racing legend Doc Hudson, the place was a little too quiet. That’s my theory, anyway, as to why Cars 2 leaves the town so far behind, so quickly, for most of this very busy globe-trotting sequel. At some point in the years since champion race car Lightning McQueen (voiced once again by Owen Wilson with his trademark hotdog drawl) settled down in Radiator Springs, Cars 2 director John Lasseter got a notion: For the follow-up to 2006’s Cars , he’d graft the appeal of the nostalgic American road-trip values and automotive pride established in the first movie onto the foreign-accent high jinks of an international spy caper. He’d get no more kicks from Route 66; he’d see the world!

The resulting sequel is as forced and overloaded as the premise suggests — a rare display of narrative and tonal struggle on the part of Pixarians, famous for their attention to the nuances of story line and character development. But at least Cars 2 looks as expertly sleek and sturdy as audiences have come to expect from the standard-setting animation company, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Now a celebrity and revved up to snag the title of world’s fastest car, Lightning McQueen sets off to race in the World Grand Prix, a multicontinent-spanning competition that takes him to Tokyo, London, and fictional Porto Corsa, Italy. McQueen had no plans to include his Radiator Springs helpful-hick friend Mater in his traveling pit crew, since Mater is an unsophisticated tow truck with a heart as bulgy as that of human hayseed Kenneth ? the Page on 30 Rock . Still, long story short, Mater makes the cut. And away from home, his accidentally effective, made-in-America naïveté attracts the attention of the James Bond-ish British spy vehicle Finn McMissile (Michael Caine, at the ready) and sidekick Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer), who are on a complicated undercover mission of their own. Convinced that Mater must surely be dumb like an undercover fox rather than just an American idiot, they rope him into their spy operation. (Lucky truck, he gets to go to Paris, too.) McQueen, meanwhile, runs his races, facing off against a world-class Italian rival voiced with full bologna by John Turturro.

As an animated cartoon travelogue, Cars 2 features the usual sights and cultural differences: Tokyo, for instance, is a welter of neon Hello Kitty sensibility, with capsule hotels for cars. (At a buffet reception, Mater makes the grabby Western mistake of shoving a mound of sinus-stinging green wasabi horseradish into his grill, mistaking it for a free mound of pistachio ice cream.) In Italy, families eat-a and dance-a the night away. I’m trying hard to forget the scene in which German automotive meanies, on the side of the bad guys in the spy portion of all this entertainment, round Mater up in a cargo truck and gas him. (To quote Seth Meyers on SNL: Really?! )

Not to get all Dorothy about it, but when it comes to Cars , there’s no place like home. The emotional punch of the original is inextricably rooted in the movie’s appreciation of off-the-beaten-track America, and all that homegrown vintage car culture signifies. Abroad on a tourist visa in Cars 2 , Lightning McQueen, Mater, and the rest of the fleet do their tricks and, as responsible corporate citizens of Pixar, do them well, assisted by the voices of a lot of famous actors. But they’re really just spinning their wheels. B?

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In Theaters

June 24, 2011
Voices of Larry the Cable Guy as Mater; Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen; Michael Caine as Finn McMissile; Emily Mortimer as Holley Shiftwell; John Turturro as Francesco Bernoulli

Home Release Date

November 1, 2011
John Lasseter, Brad Lewis

Distributor

Walt Disney

Movie Review

The name’s McMissile. Finn McMissile.

In a world populated by living, breathing cars, this suave British Aston Martin is grill and fenders above the rest. He’s on one of the biggest cases of his top secret spy career. And it’s kept him busy zigging, zagging and outgunning the minions of the mysterious, monocled Professor Z. (Of course, they were only Gremlins and Pacers, so what chance did they have?) Next stop: Tokyo.

Meanwhile, an old friend of ours is headed to the Far East as well. Four-time Piston Cup winner Lightning McQueen has been invited to compete in the World Grand Prix against the arrogant Italian Formula Racer champion Francesco Bernoulli. It’s a special three-country touring race starting in Tokyo and sponsored by an alternate-fuel mogul. And being the friendly guy he is, Lightning invites his best buddy, Mater, the buck-toothed tow truck from Radiator Springs, to tag along.

The big Japanese city, however, is really no place for a small-town rustbucket like Mater. Besides embarrassing Lightning to no end with his silly antics, the goofy tow truck is mistaken by McMissile as his American spy contact. The British roadster thinks Mater’s down-home persona is nothing more than a well-oiled front. And a brilliant one, no less.

So while Lightning is busy with the race, Mater finds himself towed into the middle of an international conspiracy to sabotage the big event. He cluelessly putters along, dishing out his drawling, homespun wisdom here and there.

But as the nefarious plot to destroy every racer on the track (including Lighting) begins to play out, it turns out that only one character can possibly save the day: Mater. Tow Mater.

Positive Elements

Although McQueen defends his pal against a rival’s insults early on, Lightning and Mater have something of a falling out during the first race because of Mater’s seemingly brainless actions. Mater feels useless, and Lightning soon realizes that he was wrong for yelling, that he shouldn’t try to change his friend. He apologizes and says that the things that made them friends in the first place are the things that make Mater such a sincere and likable guy. Later, Lightning trusts another friend’s judgment because he doesn’t want to repeat his mistake with Mater.

An older Italian man reinforces that sentiment, saying, “Fighting is OK. But you gotta make up fast. No fight is more important than friendship.” Someone else chimes in, “Whoever finds a friend, finds a treasure.”

Rather than have his dents smoothed out, Mater elects to keep the imperfections because each reminds him of an event from his past, many of which he shared with Lightning. Later in the film, another dented car is inspired to follow his lead. The message is clear: The bumps and bruises of life make us who we are, and it’s better to embrace them than wish them away.

When called into action by the British spies, Mater repeatedly tells them, “But I’m just a tow truck.” Still, Mater rises to the occasion, demonstrating that courage, honesty and availability are more important than formal training or a fancy title. In fact, it’s Mater’s intellect and experience with the inner workings of automobiles that ultimately saves the day—not bad for a rustbucket others considered simple and naive. In fact, McMissile eventually says that Mater is one of the “smartest and most honest chaps we’ve ever met.”

As Mater tows a clunker who has a habit of breaking down, the needy vehicle tells his rescuer, “You’re the only one who’s nice to lemons like me.” Later, Mater gets a chance to tell other “lemons” to be proud of who they are. Indeed, not everyone can be a fancy race car or a tricked-out spy vehicle, and those made for different purposes should simply be themselves.

Finally, Mater puts his life on the line to save Lightning and foil the plot’s dastardly architect. Near the end of the film, many of Mater’s friends from Radiator Springs come to his aid.

Spiritual Elements

In Italy, we see the papal-hatted Popemobile riding inside his … Popemobile.

Sexual Content

Mater gets stars in his eyes and butterflies in his carburetor when he mistakes the spy-motivated conversation of Finn McMissile’s swoopy sidekick, Holly Shiftwell, as romantic interest. Indeed, he’s quite taken with her “purty” sheet metal. There are references to a female car needing coolant after she gets an eyeful of the fenderless Francesco, who, we come to realize, has enjoyed the company of quite a few female cars along the road. Two vehicles roll grill to grill for a metallic smooch.

Violent Content

Cars are outfitted with machine guns, rockets and other spy-weapon paraphernalia, resulting in numerous bullet-riddled and explosion-peppered chase scenes. Cars frequently crash and smash into the scenery and often crumble on impact. One spy, for instance, gets killed, and his body shows up as a cube of crushed metal.

In what’s easily the film’s most suggestively disturbing scene, a vehicle is tortured as his engine is revved and his internal fluids are slowly set to boiling. The victim begins smoking and reacting in pain and eventually blows up (offscreen). Elsewhere, some racers get nailed by an electromagnetic pulse that causes them to crash and their engines to erupt in flames, resulting in a multicar pileup.

When Mater gets cornered and captured by the bad guys, they use knock-out gas to subdue him. Mater, McMissile and Holly are bound to a giant mechanism set to crush them. Later, Mater realizes he has a ticking time bomb strapped to his engine. Holly shocks a car with an electrode gun.

Crude or Profane Language

Mater is quite fond of saying “dadgum” and “gee.” He also repeatedly mentions his propensity to “screw things up.” Put downs include “idiot” and “jerk!”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Cars in a club are served cocktail glasses full of iced oil. Mater chugs someone else’s drink, then balks at the taste and spits it back in the glass.

Other Negative Elements

Mater has several exaggerated and unpleasant water-spraying encounters with a Japanese toilet. An embarrassing public oil leak stands in for leaking bodily fluid. A speeding car splash-lands in the brown goop of an airport Lavatory Services tanker truck. Mater gobbles a plate of wasabi, which leads to a series of obnoxious outbursts as he overreacts to the famously fiery food. Mater backfires in flatulent fashion, then pardons himself and blames his recent diet.

Cars gamble at a Riviera hotel casino.

When Cars drove onscreen in 2006, it captured the nostalgic, small-town essence of a bygone America along Route 66. It was a sweet reminder—from its sentimental soundtrack to its charmingly humanized clunkers—that we shouldn’t speed too quickly past the precious things of life. It proved that even with anthropomorphized hunks of steel and rubber, Pixar could still hammer out an emotionally involving tale.

Those themes aren’t much in evidence this time around. Instead, Cars 2 shifts gears and amps up the action in a decidedly more cosmopolitan, world-hopping homage to classic spy movie motifs. And some of those new twists and turns force families to bounce over a few potholes.

For one thing, the secret-agent, fender-crumpling, crash-boom additions to the Cars universe import some violent imagery that goes too far for this reviewer, most notably the torture scene that ends in an unfortunate car’s pain … and death. Now, given the film’s animated nature, some might suggest I’m making too much of that scene. But when you give an inanimate object a face and then make its innards painfully boil and smoke, that’s pretty problematic stuff in a film intentionally aimed at very young audiences.

Speaking of kids, I’m sure plenty of them will cotton to Tow Mater’s nonstop, over-the-top, slapstick antics. But do you want them to? Beyond his hillbilly bumpkin shtick starting to feel gratingly one-dimensional in this sequel, he opens the door for more toilet humor than your typical Pixar pic—or even this film’s predecessor, for that matter. It’s a lowbrow streak that makes it a little difficult to warm up to the movie’s overarching “love your friends for who they are” message. (And some adults might be put off by the filmmakers’ obvious attempt to vilify “big oil” and stump for alternative energy sources.)

There’s still a lot to appreciate here, of course. The animation sparkles with typical Pixar pride and precision. Car-lingo one-liners once again cater to the racing crowd, while gentle world-culture lampooning is cute and plentiful. Solid examples of honesty, sincerity and committed friendship are on frequent display.

That said, I can’t help lamenting that much of the original’s emotional oomph feels like it was left on the hydraulic lift back in Radiator Springs.

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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Lightning McQueen and Mater race away from an explosion in Cars 2

This weekend marked the 78th Golden Globe Awards, an historic ceremony not only for it having been the first to take place in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic but for those whose work was recognized . Chloé Zhao became the first Asian woman to win the Golden Globe for best director for the Frances McDormand-led drama Nomadland , Chadwick Boseman was posthumously rewarded Best Drama Performance for his role in George C. Wolfe’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom , and Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari was rewarded with the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language film following the controversial (and frankly bizarre) odyssey in the lead up to its nomination .

Aside from the Awards however, there were a ton of movies and films available via streaming for the Polygon team to choose from. Here are a few of the movies we enjoyed over the weekend, and what you might enjoy watching throughout the week as well.

Finn McMissile, Mater, and Lightning McQueen in Cars 2

I want to formally rescind every critical comment I’ve ever made on the behalf of Cars 2 .

This weekend, I enjoyed a double feature of Cars and Cars 2 . It’s been years since I’ve watched either of them, and I was pretty confident in my assessment that while the original Cars was Just Fine, Thank You Very Much, Cars 2 was just a bunch of dumb jokes that did not make canonical sense in the greater Cars mythos. But upon this rewatch, I learned that I was wrong. So very, very wrong.

The original Cars put me to sleep, but I found myself enthralled by Cars 2 . The first Cars doesn’t quite work for me is because it is too rooted in reality. I found myself questioning every little world-building detail: If you are born a truck, is your destiny just to ferry cars around inside your body till the end of time? Why do cars lock themselves if their insides are their organs? Why are there restaurants and cafes if all they consume is oil?

But with Cars 2 , there is so much chaos and unbelievable plot elements that I can safely just tuck all the aforementioned overarching world-building questions in the back of my mind and just relish in its absurdity. The setup of Cars 2 already lends itself to humor: after accompanying racer Lightning McQueen on an international racing tour, goofy Mater finds himself caught up in a James Bond-esque spy mission, where suave agent Finn McMissle believes Mater to be an American spy in deep, deep undercover. Cue the hijinks, cue the hilarity, cue the really cool action sequences.

It’s all the delight of a spy movie, but with the added fact of Oh right, they’re all cars! This means that Finn McMissile launches wires from his tires in order to suspend himself over a secret meeting on a far off oil rig! That the cars have giant guns built somewhere into their bodies! That the car chase sequences are honestly the best car chase sequences I’ve seen in action movies, because the stakes are so much higher! Yes, there is a Pope, which once again raises questions about the greater Cars universe, but Agent Holley Shiftwell just sprouted wings and a jet engine, so I’m more focused on how cool that is.

I am going on record to say that Cars 2 is the superior Cars movie. It might not make you think deeply like Pixar films often do, but it will help you embrace your inner child’s boundless imagination. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride (ha). — Petrana Radulovic

Cars 2 is streaming on Disney Plus .

And everything else we’re watching...

John Travolta as Jack in Brian De Palma and John G. Fox’s Blow Out

Writer-director Brian De Palma replaces the curious eye of a swingin’ ‘60s fashion photographer for the tuned ear of a B-movie sound designer in this loose remake of Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1966 film, Blowup . The choice turns an average mystery it one of the essential thrillers of the 1980s.

With more in common with Klute and The Parallax View than the Hitchcockian riffs that De Palma became known for, Blow Out finds a young John Travolta in over his head when a night out with his microphone leads him to witness and record the assassination of a rumored presidential candidate. The police think the car wreck was an accident; proof on Travolta’s magnetic sound tape, which he plays and replays and reconstructs with meticulous strain, suggests a hidden gunman was behind the death. Teaming up with a prostitute who was in the car at the time, and while being hunted by the shadowy figure behind the murder, the sound engineer jumps through hoops to substantiate his sonic evidence. Through it all, De Palma uses long-360-degree camerawork, God’s eye views, split-diopter lenses, and eye-popping color to crank up the suspense. — Matt Patches

Blow Out is streaming on Showtime Anytime and available to rent on Amazon and Apple .

The Dark and the Wicked

The Dark and the Wicked is the latest release from Shudder and follows a family as an otherworldly evil takes over their farm and tries to take over their near-comatose father. It’s a pretty standard horror movie premise, but where The Dark and the Wicked really sets itself apart is in its relentless desire to scare you. This is a movie operating on a scares-per-minute quota that it always meets.

Unlike most normal possession movies, which would rely on careful set ups and long drawn out tension, The Dark and the Wicked starts its frights early and never slows down. There are haunting shapes lurking in dark shadows, loud sheep, glass bottle windchimes, a haunted diary, spiders, gore, and the actual devil. And that’s only the first half hour.

None of the movie’s scares are entirely unique, but that’s never really a problem. It feels more like director Bryan Bertino ( The Strangers ) is pulling them from a horror-movie thesaurus, but each one is perfect for its moment and is exceptionally well executed.

It’s hard to imagine a better pairing of streaming service and movie than this one too. Bertino is both mining the depths of horror-movie history, while actively working against the genre’s conventional pacing and rhythms, which makes it perfect for Shudder’s horror-movie paradise. The Dark and the Wicked isn’t the scariest movie I’ve ever seen, but it’s a great way to spend 90 minutes and exactly the kind of movie I come to Shudder for. —Austen Goslin

The Dark and the Wicked is currently streaming on Shudder and available to rent on Amazon .

Jürgen Prochnow as Capt.-Lt. Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock in 1981’s Das Boot

My twice-a-month friend movie club decided to stick with movies that came out in 1982 for this next round of picks, hence Das Boot , which none of us had seen. (It originally released in Germany in ‘81, and arrived in the States in ‘82.) The Director’s Cut comes in at 3.5 hours, so I was bracing for a bit of a slog.

But, as it turns out, I found it massively compelling and not remotely indulgent. The characters are well fleshed out, and by the end I was fully enraptured by their intense journey. If you’re into Band of Brothers , this is tonally very similar, and the 3.5 hours can easily be broken into three separate viewings for a more episodic delivery mechanism. It’s easily one of the best war movies I’ve seen. — Russ Frushtick

Das Boot is available for rent on Amazon and Apple .

The Eisenhorn Trilogy

Gregor Eisenhorn, in art for the Black Library book trilogy starring him.

Back when they first came out in 2006, I gobbled up Dan Abnett’s Horus Heresy books with relish. They were my gateway into Games Workshop’s Black Library of Warhammer 40,000 novelizations, but I fell off of the series around Descent of Angels: Loyalty and Honour and began skipping around. That’s how I came to entirely miss the tremendous Eisenhorn trilogy.

Set during the 42nd millennium — effectively the current timeline of the 40K universe — there are three books in the series, titled Xenos , Malleus , and Hereticus . They tell the story of inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn and his colorful band of companions. Together, they show a completely different side of the 40K universe. Rather than focusing on tales of epic battles and planetary bombardments (although there are a few), Abnett focuses on a far more intimate storyline filled with intrigue, suspicion, and political machinations. It’s far from Shakespeare, but they’re excellent fun.

Rather than read them in paperback, for the last month or so I’ve been banging away at them via Audible , where they’re read by the excellent Toby Longworth. I’m not really accustomed to listening to audio books, but Longworth’s presentation made for some excellent long-distance drives and plenty of hobby time with the Warhammer 40,000 Indomitus boxed set.

It might be a good time to get caught up yourself, especially considering that Amazon has made it known they plan to produce a live-action television series based on these novels . Big Light Productions — the folks responsible for Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle — are signed on to the production. —Charlie Hall

The Man From Nowhere

A man in a black suit (Won Bin) with blood on his face and hands trains the sights of a pistol at an off-screen target.

Lee Jeong-beom’s 2010 action thriller The Man From Nowhere feels like a direct spiritual precursor to Derek Kolstad’s John Wick series, albeit more subdued and emotionally driven. Won Bin plays Cha Tae-sik, a mysterious widower-turned-pawnshop keeper who despite living in self-imposed seclusion forms an unlikely bond with So-mi (Sae-ron Kim), a young girl who lives in the same apartment complex. When So-mi mother’s steals a package of heroin from a ruthless gang of human traffickers and she and her daughter are abducted in an attempt to recover it, Cha Tae-sik embarks on a bloody campaign to exact revenge on them and rescue So-Mi, all while a team of South Korean DEA agents attempts to unravel the mystery of his elusive past and bring both him and the traffickers to justice.

The film is a methodical slow burn that explosively culminates in one of the most breathtaking knife fight showdowns I’ve ever seen in an action film. Won Bin’s raw and terse performance is magnetic, drawing the audience through the screen while propelling the action forward. The fact that he has yet to appear in a single film since only adds to the allure and mystique of his presence here. Sae-ron Kim is terrific here as well, delivering a speech here towards the tail end of the first act that’s beautiful and devastating in its emotional appeal. Considering recent reports that John Wick director Chad Stahelski and Derek Kolstad are currently attached to develop a forthcoming American adaptation , now is the perfect time to check out Lee’s original if you haven’t seen it already. From its stirring performances, don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it action sequences, and engrossing score courtesy of Oldboy composer Hyun-jung Shim, The Man From Nowhere is a tremendously gratifying action flick for anyone hungering for a more emotionally driven thrill ride. — Toussaint Egan

The Man From Nowhere is streaming on Amazon .

In the Mood for Love

When you see one Wong Kar-wai film, you immediately want to see all of them, but not at once: They’re movies best enjoyed as chance encounters, like beguiling strangers you spend two hours with at a bar or on a train before continuing on your way. I can’t tell you how long I’ve had In the Mood for Love unwatched on my shelf for, but last Saturday was the evening we finally crossed paths. The movie is about neighbors Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-shen who begin to suspect their spouses are having an affair with each other, and slowly start to develop a relationship of their own. It’s an achingly beautiful movie, full of deep reds and tight, lonely spaces, one of those stories where nothing and everything happens all at once. Which is kind of how it goes, when two people begin to understand what they want only when they realize what they lack. —Joshua Rivera

In the Mood for Love is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel .

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'Cars 2' better than the first - Movie Review

By Pixar’s own standards, “Cars,” the scenic animated amble on the backroads of the Roadrunner’s desert Southwest, was the company’s worst film. Laugh-starved, lacking much in the line of action, it was a triumph of toy sales and product tie-in (NASCAR) over motion picture.

“Cars 2” overcompensates for those “Get off the fast track” mid-life crisis musings, but does so in an often funny and action-packed “James Bond goes racing” comedy. They turn more of the story over to the comic relief, the dopey tow truck Tow Mater, and get a sillier, more kid-friendly movie out of it.

In a Bond-style “opening gambit,” we see a scheme involving deep sea oil rigs, a mystery pursued by Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Agent Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) drags the inexperienced Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer, Caine’s “Harry Brown” co-star) along on the chase.

Mater (amusingly voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) is still in Radiator Springs, longing for those occasional visits from his stock car racer pal, Lightning McQueen. He’s a drawling hick of an embarrassment to McQueen (Owen Wilson), but at least he goads the Piston Cup champ into entering a world grand prix race series sponsored by Sir Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard), who is promoting his new alternative fuel “Allinol.”

But as McQueen and his road crew get into the racing and into a feud with a snotty Formula 1 champ (John Turturro, doing his broadest-funniest Italian accent), Mater is mistaken for a fallen American agent and sucked into intrigues with the Brits.

“You obviously have plenty of experience in the field,” McMissile observes.

“Well, I do live right next to one,” Mater drawls back.

Somebody is plotting to ruin this racing series, and at every turn, infamously ugly “lemons” from the automotive past (AMC Gremlins and Pacers, Yugos called “Hugos” here) are car-napping our heroes and causing wrecks in “Tow-kyo,” Italy and London. What might their motives be, and who could be their boss?

Bad guys must be foiled, Mater must figure out where his competence lies and Lightning has to realize that “Whoever finds a friend, finds a treasure.” Vintage Pixar messages.

And as in the first “Cars,” “Cars 2” is jammed with homages to vintage motoring — from Mini Coopers to Fiats, a Rolls Royce to a NASCAR Monte Carlo. This is a cartoon for the “Top Gear” dad to drag the kids to. But unlike the first “Cars,” the kids won’t mind this time. This Pixar product is better than the toys they sell along with it.

“Cars 2” is rated G. Running time: 104 minutes. Three stars out of four.

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This is the best thing thats ever happened to me

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Too violent for a toddler, not bad movie overall..

Too much violence

More violence than the original

Many violent deaths and alcohol.

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Cars 2 Movie Review By Logan Strohl

Too violent for preschoolers, otherwise love it, good representation of country hick culture, so, so violent..

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A Quiet Place: Day One

A woman named Sam finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing. A woman named Sam finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing. A woman named Sam finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing.

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Cars 2 movie review & film summary (2011)
The original film was an elegy to a past when America spun out along Route 66 and now-classic cars occupied an iconic role in American lives. The cars in "Cars 2" have developed an array of new bells and whistles; they extrude so many wires, spikes, weapons and gimmicks they must really be shape-shifters, and Mater in particular is expert at ...
Cars 2
Rated 1/5 Stars • Rated 1 out of 5 stars 06/16/24 Full Review Josue M Whatever people say that Cars 2 is bad, I do like the movie Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/07/24 Full ...
Cars 2 Movie Review
Mater is a loving, selfless friend. He's willi. Parents need to know that Cars 2 is the fast-paced sequel to Pixar's hit movie Cars that's more like a kid-friendly James Bond action thriller than the original movie's fish-out-of-water adventure. There are more high-speed chases here than in the original and a surprising amount of gun….
Cars 2
Full Review | Original Score: C | Feb 21, 2019. Abbie Bernstein Assignment X. There's a fine line between being healthily assertive in joining the conversation and being rude, however ...
Cars 2 (2011)
Cars 2 The sequel to Pixar's success movie about one car's journey to achieve his dreams follows the same premise; however it's Mater turn in the fast lane, this time. When Lightning McQueen brings his best friend along to a world cup racing championship, based in Tokyo, Mater finds himself caught up in serious matters concerning spy cars and ...
Cars 2: Film Review
Movies; Movie Reviews; Cars 2: Film Review. Cooler cars and more action follow Lightning and Mater as they mix it up with spies and Formula 1 racers in yet another Pixar winner, writes Todd ...
Cars 2 (2011)
Cars 2: Directed by John Lasseter, Bradford Lewis. With Larry the Cable Guy, Owen Wilson, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer. Star race car Lightning McQueen and his pal Mater head overseas to compete in the World Grand Prix race. But the road to the championship becomes rocky as Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.
Pixar's 'Cars 2,' With Larry the Cable Guy and Owen Wilson
Directed by John Lasseter (with Brad Lewis credited as co-director) from a script by Ben Queen, "Cars 2" lavishes scrupulous imaginative attention on its cosmopolitan settings. The Tokyo ...
'Cars 2'
Movies; Movie Reviews 'Cars 2' FILM REVIEW: Lightning McQueen and Mater mix it up with spies and Formula 1 in yet another Pixar winner. By Todd McCarthy. Plus Icon. Todd McCarthy
Cars 2 Review
The cars don't just race in this movie, they battle. They climb, swim, fight, dangle, soar and cause all sorts of mayhem and mischief. If there's one thing people will notice about this film, it's ...
Cars 2 Review
Cars 2 Review. Superstar race car Lightning McQueen (Wilson) is cajoled by his tow truck buddy Mater (The Cable Guy) to compete in the World Grand Prix, a tripartite tournament across Japan, Italy ...
CARS 2 Review
CARS 2 Review. Owen Wilson, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, and Larry the Cable Guy voice a few of the cars in Cars 2, set in Japan and Europe.
Movie review: 'Cars 2'
Movie review: 'Cars 2'. It's Pixar Animation's 25th anniversary, and the studio has kicked back and given a present to itself and its ever-expanding audience with the genially entertaining ...
'Cars 2' Review
Screen Rant's Ben Kendrick reviews Cars 2. It's been five years since the original Cars film debuted in theaters - and now director John Lasseter is back (with help from co-director Brad Lewis) for a second lap with Cars 2.The original Cars film was a commercial success and an enormous franchise-building hit with younger audiences; however, reaction from non-parents was (for the most part ...
Cars 2 Movie Review
He'd get no more kicks from Route 66; he'd see the world! The resulting sequel is as forced and overloaded as the premise suggests — a rare display of narrative and tonal struggle on the ...
Cars 2
Star racecar Lightning McQueen and the incomparable tow truck Mater take their friendship to exciting new places in "Cars 2" when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world's fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own ...
Cars 2
When Mater gets cornered and captured by the bad guys, they use knock-out gas to subdue him. Mater, McMissile and Holly are bound to a giant mechanism set to crush them. Later, Mater realizes he has a ticking time bomb strapped to his engine. Holly shocks a car with an electrode gun.
Cars 2
Cars 2 is a 2011 American animated spy comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures.It is the sequel to Cars (2006), the second film in the Cars franchise, and the 12th animated film from the studio.The film was directed by John Lasseter (in his final outing as director of a Pixar film to date), co-directed by Brad Lewis, produced by Denise Ream, and written by Ben ...
Cars 2 is the best Cars movie and truly underrated Pixar
Cars 2 is the best Cars movie and most underrated Pixar film. Here's why, plus why you should be streaming Brian de Palma's Blow Out, The Man From Nowhere, Das Boot, and In the Mood for Love ...
'Cars 2' better than the first
0:02. 0:59. By Pixar's own standards, "Cars," the scenic animated amble on the backroads of the Roadrunner's desert Southwest, was the company's worst film. Laugh-starved, lacking much ...
Parent reviews for Cars 2
BE WARNED: This movie is FULL of violent and graphic deaths, innuendos, alcohol, smoking, and more. It is a fine movie but it is pretty violent including but not limited to , cars be tormented and burned alive, crushed cars, guns, knives, drowning, and explosions. It also includes multiple depictions of alcohol (beer, wine, cocktails) and cigars.
Cars 2 movie review
Pixar releases "Cars 2". The sequel to the Pixar movie "Cars" which has arguably the most mixed feedback of any Pixar movie. And Jeremy lets you know what yo...
The Worst Cars Movie Set Up The Best Spinoff Copying A $7.8 ...
Cars 2 is the worst Cars film in the series, but for all its flaws, it has the potential to set up the best spin-off that would follow a $7.8 billion franchise.Cars 2 is not only the worst film of ...
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
A Quiet Place: Day One: Directed by Michael Sarnoski. With Joseph Quinn, Lupita Nyong'o, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou. A woman named Sam finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing.

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The Dark and the Wicked

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In the Mood for Love

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