Welcome to another episode Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Cowboys & Aliens.
Directed by John Favreau.
Written by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Damon Lindelof, Mark Fergus & Hawk Otsby.
Screen Story by Mark Fergus, Hawk Otsby and Steve Oedekerk.
Based on the Platimun Studios Comic Book Cowboys & Aliens created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg.
Review #130
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of western and sci-fi action and violence, some partial nudity and a brief crude reference.
Runtime: 118 min
Cast
Daniel Craig ... Jake Lonergan
Harrison Ford ... Woodrow Dolarhyde
Walton Goggins ... Hunt
Abigail Spencer ... Alice
Buck Taylor ... Wes Claiborne
Matthew Taylor ... Luke Claiborne
Clancy Brown ... Meacham
Paul Dano ... Percy Dolarhyde
Chris Browning ... Jed Parker
Adam Beach ... Nat Colorado
Sam Rockwell ... Doc
Ana de la Reguera ... Maria
Noah Ringer ... Emmett Taggart
Brian Duffy ... Deputy
Olivia Wilde ... Ella Swenson
Keith Carradine ... Sheriff John Taggart
I can imagine what you must be thinking about this film. Aliens invading the wild west??? Well before you pass judgement allow me to toss a couple of nuggets at you.
1) Cowboys & Aliens is based on a comic book/graphic novel. So right there the rules of reality don't apply.
2) Chew on this one. We have all seen alien invasion films before. Independence Day, War of the Worlds, The Day The Earth Stood Still, Battle Los Angeles and Mars Attacks. At the very outset of those films we accepted the plausibility of aliens attacking our world. Why? Because those films were all shown in present day earth or the not too distant future. They were relate able because they took place in a time or place we can all identify. So if that's the thinking of us as an audience, why is it impossible to believe or accept that aliens can't invade another period of history, like the wild west. Now having said that, the blending of genres have to mesh well.
Do they???? Not a snow ball's chance in hell.
Plot
The Old West.. where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear. But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known. Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been.
The biggest problem with this one is the pacing between the wild west and sci fi genres. The first act of the film is a GREAT western. And I HATE westerns. In fact it plays like what a Red Dead Redemption live action film would be. That's a video game by the way and a story that should be brought to celluloid. OK, back on topic. Then the film loses it's ground after the aliens attack. The story becomes very disjointed and underdeveloped. The mystery around Daniel Craig's character plays very well and is cleverly sprinkled throughout the film. You get glimpses of his plight and how he lost his memory and got the bracelet attached to his arm.
Aside from that the character development is a big fat GOOSE EGG! People are being killed and abducted and I couldn't care less. This is a fundamental RULE for films of this ilk. An alien invasion film can't and doesn't work if you care more about the aliens success than the fight in the human race. You MUST be able to care about these people. Cowboys & Aliens failed MISERABLY at this. The end result is even more tragic to the narrative. Due to my apathy towards the cast I couldn't accept the genre splice.
Normally for a film like this I would comment on the special effects but why should I? I've seen much much better. The aliens in this film were not scary. In fact they resembled the alien in Super 8. This is something that has been plaguing alien films since the introduction to the MASTER of alien creature design.
H.R. Giger.
He is the man who created the xenomorphs that scared the holy hell out if us in the Alien quadrilogy. Those creatures are the EPITOME of what an alien should look like. Don't agree? Find another alien that you saw in a film that scared you more if you were Ripley in that dark space ship searching for a way out. Maybe and this is a BIG maybe, the Predator comes to the fore front but he wasn't a sleek, hide in the corner and jump out at you alien. He was more brutish and sophisticated with superior technology. As a result, all other alien films have taken a step back to the wizard of deep space monsters.
Unfortunately it didn't matter what the creatures looked like. It wasn't going to save this aimless, poorly thought out effort.
Bad Jon Favreau! Bad! Bad! Jon Favreau! Stick to the man in the iron suit.
On the 5 star scale. Cowboys & Aliens gets .5 stars with a "Save the Loot" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is Rise of The Planet of The Apes.
Until next episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Captain America: The First Avenger
Welcome to another episode Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Captain America: The First Avenger.
Directed by Joe Johnston.
Written by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely.
Based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America created by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby.
Review #129
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.
Runtime: 125 min
Cast
Chris Evans ... Captain America / Steve Rogers
Hayley Atwell ... Peggy Carter
Sebastian Stan ... James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes
Tommy Lee Jones ... Colonel Chester Phillips
Hugo Weaving ... Johann Schmidt / Red Skull
Dominic Cooper ... Howard Stark
Richard Armitage ... Heinz Kruger
Stanley Tucci ... Dr. Abraham Erskine
Samuel L. Jackson ... Nick Fury
Toby Jones ... Dr. Arnim Zola
Neal McDonough ... Timothy 'Dum Dum' Dugan
Derek Luke ... Gabe Jones
Plot
Based on the Marvel Comics character from World War II. A brave, yet mild-mannered young soldier named Steve Rogers, volunteers to undergo a series of experiments for a US army Super Soldier program. The military succeeds in transforming him into a human weapon, but quickly decide that their Super Soldier is far too expensive a creation to risk in combat. So, they decide to put him to use as an army celebrity and parade him across Europe to boost morale by performing in USO shows for American troops. He is even given a costume that bear the colors of Old Glory for the stage. Then, when a Nazi plot reveals itself Rogers must rise up and and become the First Avenger, in order to save his country. Steve Rogers becomes Captain America and he earns his way into the hearts and souls of every American, bringing hope and justice to a war-weary nation. Later, during a mission to Germany to stop his archenemy - The Red Skull, from launching rockets at the allies.
With 2011 being the summer of the comic book film. Captain America: The First Avenger was going to provide more than introduce audiences to yet another Marvel property to the world. It was going to officially announce to all that listened that The Avengers are full steam ahead in 2012. So we finally got the last installment of the Avengers crossover films. The others being Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man II, and Thor. Sadly, this one it the weakest of the bunch. Not because the story or action was bad. It's weak because of 2 words.
Chris Evans.
When he was announced as the new Cap, I was reserved and VERY skeptical. Then I remembered that Robert Downey Jr. wasn't a good Tony Stark until he became the ONLY man that can and should play him. So I held back my judgements until I saw the final product. I wish I could say I was proven wrong again but I don't feel I was. He's just not Captain America. He doesn't look the part....at least facially. Physically he's a specimen. More importantly he doesn't ACT the part. Captain America was if anything a patriotic HERO. Evans doesn't exude that in any way to inspire trust in his character or performance. It's really too bad because everyone else in the film is top notch. Hugo Weaving was terrific as the Red Skull. His makeup was very cool and lifelike. Tommy Lee Jones was steely as ever and Hayley Atwell played Peggy with just enough balance between tough and mushy girl.
The action in the film is pretty good but also pretty standard. Most of the fighting is grounded in reality until you see Cap in action. When he flings that shield it was pretty cool to watch. This is where Evans excels. Because he's so athletically built and gifted he can carry the power part of Cap's persona. He does get you to believe in him there. He can't say the same everywhere else. The film is also a little draggy in spots. It had the feeling that they were trying to cram too much in to please the fanboys and as a result it got a little murky. The movie doesn't bore, it just gets a little too slow in some areas. A few tweaks and trims in the edit room would have taken care of that.
I'm not really sure what else to say about this one. It's a very lukewarm response to a very lukewarm film. I think if a different actor was cast to play Cap like Brad Pitt, Thomas Jane or Alexander Skarsgard, maybe the film might have been better received by me. Those guys have the better good ol American boy look. They also aren't typecast as playing wise ass characters. Tell me you don't see Johnny Storm when you look at Evans. He was perfect for that role.
Not for this one.
On the 5 star scale. Captain America: The First Avenger gets 3.5 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is Captain America: The First Avenger.
Directed by Joe Johnston.
Written by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely.
Based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America created by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby.
Review #129
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.
Runtime: 125 min
Cast
Chris Evans ... Captain America / Steve Rogers
Hayley Atwell ... Peggy Carter
Sebastian Stan ... James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes
Tommy Lee Jones ... Colonel Chester Phillips
Hugo Weaving ... Johann Schmidt / Red Skull
Dominic Cooper ... Howard Stark
Richard Armitage ... Heinz Kruger
Stanley Tucci ... Dr. Abraham Erskine
Samuel L. Jackson ... Nick Fury
Toby Jones ... Dr. Arnim Zola
Neal McDonough ... Timothy 'Dum Dum' Dugan
Derek Luke ... Gabe Jones
Plot
Based on the Marvel Comics character from World War II. A brave, yet mild-mannered young soldier named Steve Rogers, volunteers to undergo a series of experiments for a US army Super Soldier program. The military succeeds in transforming him into a human weapon, but quickly decide that their Super Soldier is far too expensive a creation to risk in combat. So, they decide to put him to use as an army celebrity and parade him across Europe to boost morale by performing in USO shows for American troops. He is even given a costume that bear the colors of Old Glory for the stage. Then, when a Nazi plot reveals itself Rogers must rise up and and become the First Avenger, in order to save his country. Steve Rogers becomes Captain America and he earns his way into the hearts and souls of every American, bringing hope and justice to a war-weary nation. Later, during a mission to Germany to stop his archenemy - The Red Skull, from launching rockets at the allies.
With 2011 being the summer of the comic book film. Captain America: The First Avenger was going to provide more than introduce audiences to yet another Marvel property to the world. It was going to officially announce to all that listened that The Avengers are full steam ahead in 2012. So we finally got the last installment of the Avengers crossover films. The others being Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man II, and Thor. Sadly, this one it the weakest of the bunch. Not because the story or action was bad. It's weak because of 2 words.
Chris Evans.
When he was announced as the new Cap, I was reserved and VERY skeptical. Then I remembered that Robert Downey Jr. wasn't a good Tony Stark until he became the ONLY man that can and should play him. So I held back my judgements until I saw the final product. I wish I could say I was proven wrong again but I don't feel I was. He's just not Captain America. He doesn't look the part....at least facially. Physically he's a specimen. More importantly he doesn't ACT the part. Captain America was if anything a patriotic HERO. Evans doesn't exude that in any way to inspire trust in his character or performance. It's really too bad because everyone else in the film is top notch. Hugo Weaving was terrific as the Red Skull. His makeup was very cool and lifelike. Tommy Lee Jones was steely as ever and Hayley Atwell played Peggy with just enough balance between tough and mushy girl.
The action in the film is pretty good but also pretty standard. Most of the fighting is grounded in reality until you see Cap in action. When he flings that shield it was pretty cool to watch. This is where Evans excels. Because he's so athletically built and gifted he can carry the power part of Cap's persona. He does get you to believe in him there. He can't say the same everywhere else. The film is also a little draggy in spots. It had the feeling that they were trying to cram too much in to please the fanboys and as a result it got a little murky. The movie doesn't bore, it just gets a little too slow in some areas. A few tweaks and trims in the edit room would have taken care of that.
I'm not really sure what else to say about this one. It's a very lukewarm response to a very lukewarm film. I think if a different actor was cast to play Cap like Brad Pitt, Thomas Jane or Alexander Skarsgard, maybe the film might have been better received by me. Those guys have the better good ol American boy look. They also aren't typecast as playing wise ass characters. Tell me you don't see Johnny Storm when you look at Evans. He was perfect for that role.
Not for this one.
On the 5 star scale. Captain America: The First Avenger gets 3.5 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Horrible Bosses
Welcome to another episode Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Horrible Bosses.
Directed by Seth Gordon.
Written by Michael Markowitz and John Francis Daley & Jonathan M. Goldstein.
Screen Story by Michael Markowitz
Review #128
MPAA Rating: R For crude and sexual content, pervasive language and some drug material.
Runtime: 98 min
Cast
Jason Bateman ... Nick Hendricks
P.J. Byrne ... Kenny Sommerfeld
Kevin Spacey ... Dave Harken
Charlie Day ... Dale Arbus
Jennifer Aniston ... Dr. Julia Harris, D.D.S.
Jason Sudeikis ... Kurt Buckman
Meghan Markle ... Jamie
Donald Sutherland ... Jack Pellit
Colin Farrell ... Bobby Pellitt
Ioan Gruffudd ... Wetwork Man
Jamie Foxx ... Dean 'MF' Jones
Julie Bowen ... Rhonda Harken
We've all had them. We might have them right now. You know what I'm talking about. A horrible boss. Now allow me to defend a boss for a second. It's not an easy position to have. The power, the responsibility of maintaining people under you can be and is a stressful position. It takes a certain kind of person to juggle a staff of underlings while maintaining a level of success that can be seen by their superiors.
Does that mean the boss has to be a complete tool to their employees? It depends on the job but for the most part the answer is a resounding NO! Having said that, if you have ever encountered a boss like that, have you ever enticed thoughts of doing said boss harm physically or professionally? Of course you have. If you haven't then you either are the boss or a liar. =)
Regardless, this movie is for you.
Plot
Nick hates his boss, mostly because he's expected to work from before sunrise to after sunset and his boss, Mr. Harken, calls him out for being a minute late and blackmails him so he can't quit. Dale hates his boss, Dr. Julia Harris, because she makes unwelcome sexual advances when he's about to get married. But Dale is on that pesky list of child offenders so he can't quit. Kurt actually likes his job and his boss, well, up until his boss dies and the boss's coked-out, psychopathic son takes over. But who would be crazy enough to quit their jobs in such poor economic times? Instead Nick, Dale and Kurt drunkenly and hypothetically discuss how to kill their bosses, and before they know it, they've hired a murder consultant to help them pull off the three deeds.
Despite of it's very over the top nature, Horrible Bosses accomplishes one thing very well. It's relate able. The bosses all inspire motives for vengeance and comeuppance. This is presented marvelously by the evil trio of Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston. Spacey is the worst of the bunch. Farrell is the funniest and Aniston is clearly the sexiest. In fact it's her character that I found the most entertaining. Putting her AMAZING beauty aside, her character was so raunchy and nasty that there was a palpable sexual attraction to her harassment. She really made it hard for me to be on Dale's side of the fence.
The performances of the bosses gets a nice boost from the other trio. The three stooges, Nick, Dale and Kurt. In fact the three stooges are a perfect way to categorize them. Nick plays like Moe. Dale is Curly and Kurt is like Larry with a libido on steroids. They play off each other very well. Dale is over the top just enough to keep from being annoying. Nick plays the voice of reason with just a little bit of renegade and Kurt is a blending of the 2. The film does a pretty good job of showcasing the idiocy of these 3. Then for some odd reason it goes south.
Like I mentioned earlier, the premise of Horrible Bosses is over the top at the outset. Unfortunately it gets more over the top when the film transitions from act 2 to 3. It felt like the original ending was scrapped and this is what they came up with on the fly. It's too bad because it wasn't terrible. It just felt a little under developed for my tastes. Aside from that this film was pretty entertaining throughout with some pretty good laughs along the way.
On the 5 star scale. Horrible Bosses gets 3 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is Captain America: The First Avenger.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is Horrible Bosses.
Directed by Seth Gordon.
Written by Michael Markowitz and John Francis Daley & Jonathan M. Goldstein.
Screen Story by Michael Markowitz
Review #128
MPAA Rating: R For crude and sexual content, pervasive language and some drug material.
Runtime: 98 min
Cast
Jason Bateman ... Nick Hendricks
P.J. Byrne ... Kenny Sommerfeld
Kevin Spacey ... Dave Harken
Charlie Day ... Dale Arbus
Jennifer Aniston ... Dr. Julia Harris, D.D.S.
Jason Sudeikis ... Kurt Buckman
Meghan Markle ... Jamie
Donald Sutherland ... Jack Pellit
Colin Farrell ... Bobby Pellitt
Ioan Gruffudd ... Wetwork Man
Jamie Foxx ... Dean 'MF' Jones
Julie Bowen ... Rhonda Harken
We've all had them. We might have them right now. You know what I'm talking about. A horrible boss. Now allow me to defend a boss for a second. It's not an easy position to have. The power, the responsibility of maintaining people under you can be and is a stressful position. It takes a certain kind of person to juggle a staff of underlings while maintaining a level of success that can be seen by their superiors.
Does that mean the boss has to be a complete tool to their employees? It depends on the job but for the most part the answer is a resounding NO! Having said that, if you have ever encountered a boss like that, have you ever enticed thoughts of doing said boss harm physically or professionally? Of course you have. If you haven't then you either are the boss or a liar. =)
Regardless, this movie is for you.
Plot
Nick hates his boss, mostly because he's expected to work from before sunrise to after sunset and his boss, Mr. Harken, calls him out for being a minute late and blackmails him so he can't quit. Dale hates his boss, Dr. Julia Harris, because she makes unwelcome sexual advances when he's about to get married. But Dale is on that pesky list of child offenders so he can't quit. Kurt actually likes his job and his boss, well, up until his boss dies and the boss's coked-out, psychopathic son takes over. But who would be crazy enough to quit their jobs in such poor economic times? Instead Nick, Dale and Kurt drunkenly and hypothetically discuss how to kill their bosses, and before they know it, they've hired a murder consultant to help them pull off the three deeds.
Despite of it's very over the top nature, Horrible Bosses accomplishes one thing very well. It's relate able. The bosses all inspire motives for vengeance and comeuppance. This is presented marvelously by the evil trio of Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and Jennifer Aniston. Spacey is the worst of the bunch. Farrell is the funniest and Aniston is clearly the sexiest. In fact it's her character that I found the most entertaining. Putting her AMAZING beauty aside, her character was so raunchy and nasty that there was a palpable sexual attraction to her harassment. She really made it hard for me to be on Dale's side of the fence.
The performances of the bosses gets a nice boost from the other trio. The three stooges, Nick, Dale and Kurt. In fact the three stooges are a perfect way to categorize them. Nick plays like Moe. Dale is Curly and Kurt is like Larry with a libido on steroids. They play off each other very well. Dale is over the top just enough to keep from being annoying. Nick plays the voice of reason with just a little bit of renegade and Kurt is a blending of the 2. The film does a pretty good job of showcasing the idiocy of these 3. Then for some odd reason it goes south.
Like I mentioned earlier, the premise of Horrible Bosses is over the top at the outset. Unfortunately it gets more over the top when the film transitions from act 2 to 3. It felt like the original ending was scrapped and this is what they came up with on the fly. It's too bad because it wasn't terrible. It just felt a little under developed for my tastes. Aside from that this film was pretty entertaining throughout with some pretty good laughs along the way.
On the 5 star scale. Horrible Bosses gets 3 stars with a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today. Up next is Captain America: The First Avenger.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Cars 2
Welcome to another episode Lights....Camera....Popcorn!
Today's review is Cars 2.
Directed by John Lasseter & Brad Lewis.
Written by Ben Queen.
Screen Story by John Lasseter, Brad Lewis & Dan Fogelman
Review #127
MPAA Rating: G For general audiences.
Runtime: 106 min
Cast
Larry the Cable Guy - Mater
Owen Wilson - Lightning McQueen
Michael Caine - Finn McMissile
Emily Mortimer - Holley Shiftwell
Eddie Izzard - Sir Miles Axlerod
John Turturro - Francesco Bernoulli
Joe Mantegna - Grem
Plot
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.
Cartoons have come a long way haven't they? In doing some research for this review I stumbled on the budget for this film. I was amazed at how much it cost to make this movie. Care to guess how much it was? I'll give you a hint. If I told you it was the budget for Transformers: Dark of the Moon you wouldn't be surprised.
$200,000,000.
Your eyes do not deceive you. Two Hundred Million dollars. And that's an estimate. I had to let that number sink in for a bit and I came to the realization that as astronomical that number may seem for an animated film. The way these films are presented with their unreal animation, lifelike detail, high definition transfer and of course the always awful 3D. The numbers add up.
So the question to ask is....Is Cars 2 worth every penny it cost to make? My answer is No.
But before you freak out on me let me explain myself.
I was not a big fan of Cars so when the sequel was announced I wondered why. I realize that I am in a minority here but Cars reminded me of a weaker version of Toy Story. The world the cars lived in was cool but the story and the characters just didn't do it for me. For Cars 2 they went a different way but showcasing the film around the real name of the franchise.
Mater.
His character is arguably the best in the series thanks to his design and redneck voice provided by Larry the Cable Guy. Putting him at the center of this picture was a pretty cool and funny idea. The problem though is that the film loses it's heart when the cars leave Radiator Springs for the World Grand Prix races. The tone of the film completely changes from a heart warming friends story to an action adventure story that tries to deliver a heartwarming message. The mixture didn't jive for me.
I know it sounds like I hated this movie. I didn't. I was entertained all the way through. The animation was superb and the detail of the environments were stunning. The voice action was also well done but that's what you'd expect from a Pixar film anyway. I just couldn't get on board fully like I have with the other Pixar creations. Cars wasn't my cup of tea and this new film stripped away a lot of the charm it initially had and replaced it with action and adventure.
On the 5 star scale. Cars 2 gets 4 stars. With a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today. I'm not sure what's next on the menu for me. I do however know what's NOT next. I'm sure you all can figure out what I'm talking about.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
Today's review is Cars 2.
Directed by John Lasseter & Brad Lewis.
Written by Ben Queen.
Screen Story by John Lasseter, Brad Lewis & Dan Fogelman
Review #127
MPAA Rating: G For general audiences.
Runtime: 106 min
Cast
Larry the Cable Guy - Mater
Owen Wilson - Lightning McQueen
Michael Caine - Finn McMissile
Emily Mortimer - Holley Shiftwell
Eddie Izzard - Sir Miles Axlerod
John Turturro - Francesco Bernoulli
Joe Mantegna - Grem
Plot
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.
Cartoons have come a long way haven't they? In doing some research for this review I stumbled on the budget for this film. I was amazed at how much it cost to make this movie. Care to guess how much it was? I'll give you a hint. If I told you it was the budget for Transformers: Dark of the Moon you wouldn't be surprised.
$200,000,000.
Your eyes do not deceive you. Two Hundred Million dollars. And that's an estimate. I had to let that number sink in for a bit and I came to the realization that as astronomical that number may seem for an animated film. The way these films are presented with their unreal animation, lifelike detail, high definition transfer and of course the always awful 3D. The numbers add up.
So the question to ask is....Is Cars 2 worth every penny it cost to make? My answer is No.
But before you freak out on me let me explain myself.
I was not a big fan of Cars so when the sequel was announced I wondered why. I realize that I am in a minority here but Cars reminded me of a weaker version of Toy Story. The world the cars lived in was cool but the story and the characters just didn't do it for me. For Cars 2 they went a different way but showcasing the film around the real name of the franchise.
Mater.
His character is arguably the best in the series thanks to his design and redneck voice provided by Larry the Cable Guy. Putting him at the center of this picture was a pretty cool and funny idea. The problem though is that the film loses it's heart when the cars leave Radiator Springs for the World Grand Prix races. The tone of the film completely changes from a heart warming friends story to an action adventure story that tries to deliver a heartwarming message. The mixture didn't jive for me.
I know it sounds like I hated this movie. I didn't. I was entertained all the way through. The animation was superb and the detail of the environments were stunning. The voice action was also well done but that's what you'd expect from a Pixar film anyway. I just couldn't get on board fully like I have with the other Pixar creations. Cars wasn't my cup of tea and this new film stripped away a lot of the charm it initially had and replaced it with action and adventure.
On the 5 star scale. Cars 2 gets 4 stars. With a "Go See It!" recommendation.
That's a wrap for today. I'm not sure what's next on the menu for me. I do however know what's NOT next. I'm sure you all can figure out what I'm talking about.
Until Next Episode...."I'll Save You A Seat!"
"D"
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