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This article is about the 2006 Pixar film. For the franchise that started with this film, seeCars(franchise).

Cars
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Lasseter
Screenplay by
Story by
  • John Lasseter
  • Joe Ranft
  • Jorgen Klubien
Produced byDarla K. Anderson
Starring
Cinematography
  • Jeremy Lasky
  • Jean Claude Kalache
Edited byKen Schretzmann
Music byRandy Newman
Production
company
Distributed byBuena Vista Pictures Distribution[a]
Release dates
Running time
117 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$120million[1]
Box office$462million[1]

Carsis a 2006 American animatedsports comedy filmproduced byPixar Animation StudiosforWalt Disney Pictures.The film was directed byJohn Lasseter,co-directed byJoe Ranft,produced byDarla K. Anderson,and written by Lasseter, Ranft,Dan Fogelman,Kiel Murray, Phil Lorin, andJorgen Klubienbased on a story by Lasseter, Ranft, and Klubien. The film stars an ensemble voice cast ofOwen Wilson,Paul Newman(in his final voice acting theatrical film role),Bonnie Hunt,Larry the Cable Guy,Tony Shalhoub,Cheech Marin,Michael Wallis,George Carlin,Paul Dooley,Jenifer Lewis,Guido Quaroni,Michael Keaton,Katherine Helmond,John RatzenbergerandRichard Petty,while race car driversDale Earnhardt Jr.(as "Junior" ),Mario Andretti,Michael Schumacherand car enthusiastJay Leno(as "Jay Limo" ) voice themselves.

Carsis set in a world populated entirely byanthropomorphicvehicles.The film follows a selfish and arrogant young racecar namedLightning McQueenwho, on the way to the most important race of his life, becomes stranded in a forgotten town alongU.S. Route 66calledRadiator Springs,where he learns about friendship and begins to reevaluate his priorities.

Development forCarsstarted in 1998, after finishing the production ofA Bug's Life,with a new script titledThe Yellow Car,which was about an electric car living in a gas-guzzling world with Klubien writing. It was announced that the producers agreed that it could be the next Pixar film afterA Bug's Life,scheduled for a 1999 release, particularly around June 4; the idea was later scrapped in favor ofToy Story 2.Shortly after, production was resumed with major script changes. The film was inspired by Lasseter's experiences on a cross-country road trip.Randy Newmancomposed the film's score, while artists such asSheryl Crow,Rascal Flatts,John MayerandBrad Paisleycontributed to the film's soundtrack.Carsultimately served as the final film independently produced by Pixar after its purchase by Disney in January 2006.

Carspremiered on May 26, 2006, atLowe's Motor SpeedwayinConcord, North Carolinaand was theatrically released in the United States on June 9, to generally positive reviews and commercial success, grossing $462 million worldwide against a budget of $120 million, becoming thesixth-highest-grossing film of 2006.It received two nominations at the79th Academy Awards,includingBest Animated Feature,but lost toHappy Feet(but won both theAnnie Award for Best Animated Featureand theGolden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film). The film was released onDVDon November 7, 2006, onVHSin limited quantities on February 19, 2007, and onBlu-rayon November 6, 2007. It was accompanied by the shortOne Man Bandfor its theatrical and home media releases. The film was dedicated to Ranft, who died in a car crash during the film's production.

The success ofCarslaunched amultimedia franchise,which includes two sequels:Cars 2(2011) andCars 3(2017), as well as two spin-off films produced byDisneytoon Studios:Planes(2013) andPlanes: Fire and Rescue(2014).

Plot

In a world populated by anthropomorphic vehicles, the Dinoco 400 race marks the climax of the Piston Cup season. The event intensifies a rivalry between the retiring seven-time champion, Strip "The King" Weathers, the cunning Chick Hicks, and the talented but overconfident rookie, Lightning McQueen. Desperate to win and gain entry into the prestigious Dinoco team, Lightning struggles with teamwork due to hisself-centeredattitude. During the high-stakes race, Lightning avoids a major collision instigated by Chick, but blows his lead by refusing to take a pit stop, causing his rear tires to blow out before he can win. The race ends in a three-way tie, setting the stage for a decisive race at theLos AngelesInternational Speedway in one week.

After the race, Lightning rushes through the night on the interstate to reachCaliforniainside his transport truck Mack. A mishap leaves Lightning stranded alone in the rundown desert town of Radiator Springs. Here, he inadvertently damages the main road, leading to an unexpectedcommunity serviceassignment: repaving the road under the supervision of the town's judge, Doc Hudson, who is prejudiced against Lightning for being a race car.

Lightning repaves the road shoddily in a rush to leave, and Doc challenges him to a race for his freedom, on the condition that he starts over from scratch if he loses. The overconfident Lightning, having never raced on a dirt road before, spins out on a turn and crashes. Doc, on the other hand, handles the road with no problems. Over time, Lightning warms up to and befriends the town's residents, especially Mater, a rusty tow truck, and Sally, who dreams of reviving Radiator Springs. As he bonds with the locals, Lightning helps rejuvenate Radiator Springs and develops a newfound appreciation for its charm. He discovers the town was once a bustling attraction for drivers onRoute 66,before the construction of the interstate caused them to lose all their business traffic. Lightning also discovers that the bitter Doc, reticent about his past, used to race as the legendary Hudson Hornet until a disastrous crash ended his career. Lightning is dumbfounded that Doc considers his previous Piston Cups worthless junk.

Lightning finishes repairing the road and decides to spend an extra day in Radiator Springs helping the local businesses, but Doc alerts the media to Lightning's location, leading them and Mack to descend on the town and force Lightning to leave in time for the race. Doc immediately regrets his actions after seeing the residents disappointed by his unexpected departure. At the race, Lightning initially struggles but is buoyed by the sudden arrival of his friends from Radiator Springs, who come to his aid in the pit. With Doc now acting as his crew chief, Lightning stages a remarkable comeback. However, Chick employs aPIT maneuverthat intentionally damages the King, rendering him unable to continue. Fearing that the King's career may end as Doc's did, Lightning halts just before the finish line and pushes him across, allowing Chick to win the Piston Cup while ensuring the King's safe finish.

The crowd and media condemn Chick's Piston Cup victory and praise Lightning's integrity. Although offered a sponsorship by Dinoco, Lightning chooses loyalty to his current "small-time" sponsor, Rust-eze bumper ointment. Returning to Radiator Springs, he reunites with Sally and declares his intention to establish his racing headquarters there, revitalizing the town.

Voice cast

See also:List ofCarscharacters

Tom Hanks,Tim Allen,Billy Crystal,John Goodman,Dave FoleyandJohn Ratzenbergerreprise their vocal roles from previous Pixar films during an end-credits sequence featuring automobile spoofs ofToy Story,Monsters, Inc.,andA Bug's Life.[6]Carswas the final Pixar film worked on byJoe Ranftwho died in a crash a year before the film's release, aged 45.[7]The film was the second to be dedicated to his memory, afterCorpse Bride.The memorial showed the roles he had done in the other films directed byJohn Lasseterduring the credits.[8]This is also the last (non-documentary) movie for Paul Newman before his retirement in 2007 and his death in 2008.[9]It turned out to be the highest-grossing film of his career.[9]

Production

Development

Headshot of John Lasseter
Writer and directorJohn Lasseterin 2009

The development ofCarsbegan in 1998, when Pixar finished production ofA Bug's Life.At that time,Jorgen Klubienbegan writing a new script calledThe Yellow Car,which was about an electric car living in a gas-guzzling world inspired byThe Ugly Duckling,an idea triggered by the poor reception his fellow countrymen gave theMini-Elcar.[10]Some of the original drawings and characters were developed in 1998 and the producers agreed thatCarscould be the next Pixar film afterA Bug's Lifeand be released in early 1999, particularly around June 4.[10]However, the idea was scrapped in favor ofToy Story 2.[10]Later, production resumed with major script changes, like giving Mater, Doc and a few other characters bigger parts.[10]

John Lassetersaid that inspiration for the film's story came after he took a cross-country road trip with his wife and five sons in 2000.[11]When he returned to the studio after vacation, he contactedMichael Wallis,a Route 66 historian. Wallis then led eleven Pixar animators in rented white Cadillacs on two different road trips across the route to research the film.[12][13][14]In 2001, the film'sworking titlewasRoute 66(afterU.S. Route 66), but the title was changed toCarsin order to avoid confusion with the 1960stelevision series of the same name.[15]In addition, Lightning McQueen's racing number was originally going to be 57 (a reference to 1957, Lasseter's birth year), but was changed to 95 (a reference to 1995, the year Pixar's first feature filmToy Storywas released).[15]

In 2006, Lasseter spoke about the inspiration for the film, saying: "I have always loved cars. In one vein, I have Disney blood, and in the other, there's motor oil. The notion of combining these two great passions in my life—cars and animation—was irresistible. When Joe (Ranft) and I first started talking about this film in 1998, we knew we wanted to do something with cars as characters. Around that same time, we watched a documentary called 'Divided Highways,' which dealt with the interstate highway and how it affected the small towns along the way. We were so moved by it and began thinking about what it must have been like in these small towns that got bypassed. That's when we started really researching Route 66, but we still hadn't quite figured out what the story for the film was going to be. I used to travel that highway with my family as a child when we visited our family in St. Louis."[11]

Years later in 2013, Klubien said the film was both his best and most bitter experience because he was fired before it premiered and because he feels Lasseter wrote him out of the story of how the film got made.[16]

Animation

A rendered frame from the development of the film

For the cars themselves, Lasseter also visited the design studios of the Big Three Detroit automakers, particularly J Mays of Ford Motor Company.[11]Lasseter learned how real cars were designed.[11]

In 2006, Lasseter spoke about how they worked hard to make the animation believable, saying: "It took many months of trial and error, and practicing test animation, to figure out how each car moves and how their world works. Our supervising animators, Doug Sweetland and Scott Clark, and the directing animators, Bobby Podesta and James Ford Murphy, did an amazing job working with the animation team to determine the unique movements for each character based on its age and the type of car it was. Some cars are like sports cars and they're much tighter in their suspension. Others are older '50s cars that are a lot looser and have more bounce to them. We wanted to get that authenticity in there but also to make sure each car had a unique personality. We also wanted each animator to be able to put some of themself in the character and give it their own spin. Every day in dailies, it was so much fun because we would see things that we had never seen in our lives. The world of cars came alive in a believable and unexpected way."[11]

Unlike most anthropomorphic cars, the eyes of the cars in this film were placed on the windshield (which resembles theTonkaTalking Trucks, the characters fromTex Avery'sOne Cab's Familyshort and Disney's ownSusie the Little Blue Coupe), rather than within the headlights.[11]According toproduction designerBob Pauley, "From the very beginning of this project,John Lasseterhad it in his mind to have the eyes be in the windshield. For one thing, it separates our characters from the more common approach where you have little cartoon eyes in the headlights. For another, he thought that having the eyes down near the mouth at the front end of the car feels more like a snake. With the eyes set in the windshield, the point of view is more human-like, and made it feel like the whole car could be involved in the animation of the character. "[11]This decision was facetiously criticized by automotive blogJalopnik.[17]

In 2006, the supervising animator of the film, Scott Clark, spoke about the challenges of animating car characters, saying: "Getting a full range of performance and emotion from these characters and making them still seem like cars was a tough assignment, but that's what animation does best. You use your imagination, and you make the movements and gestures fit with the design. Our car characters may not have arms and legs, but we can lean the tires in or out to suggest hands opening up or closing in. We can use steering to point a certain direction. We also designed a special eyelid and an eyebrow for the windshield that lets us communicate an expressiveness that cars don't have."[11]Doug Sweetland, who also served as supervising animator, also spoke about the challenges, saying: "It took a different kind of animator to really be able to interpret theCarsmodels, than it did to interpret something likeThe Incrediblesmodels. WithThe Incredibles,the animator could get reference for the characters by shooting himself and watching the footage. But withCars,it departs completely from any reference. Yes they're cars, but no car can do what our characters do. It's pure fantasy. It took a lot of trial and error to get them to look right. "[11]

Lasseter also explained that the film started with pencil and paper designs, saying: "Truth to materials. Starting with pencil-and-paper designs from production designer Bob Pauley, and continuing through the modeling, articulation, and shading of the characters, and finally into animation, the production team worked hard to have the car characters remain true to their origins."[11]Character department manager Jay Ward also explained how they wanted the cars to look as realistic as possible, saying: "John didn't want the cars to seem clay-like or mushy. He insisted on truth to materials. This was a huge thing for him. He told us that steel needs to feel like steel. Glass should feel like glass. These cars need to feel heavy. They weigh three or four thousand pounds. When they move around, they need to have that feel. They shouldn't appear light or overly bouncy to the point where the audience might see them as rubber toys."[11]According to directing animator James Ford Murphy, "Originally, the car models were built so they could basically do anything. John kept reminding us that these characters are made of metal and they weigh several thousand pounds. They can't stretch. He showed us examples of very loose animation to illustrate what not to do."[11]

Character shading supervisor on the film Thomas Jordan explained that chrome and car paint were the main challenges on the film, saying: "Chrome and car paint were our two main challenges on this film. We started out by learning as much as we could. At the local body shop, we watched them paint a car, and we saw the way they mixed the paint and applied the various coats. We tried to dissect what goes into the real paint and recreated it in the computer. We figured out that we needed a base paint, which is where the color comes from, and the clearcoat, which provides the reflection. We were then able to add in things like metallic flake to give it a glittery sparkle, a pearlescent quality that might change color depending on the angle, and even a layer of pin-striping for characters like Ramone."[11]Supervising technical director on the film Eben Ostby explained that the biggest challenge for the technical team was creating the metallic and painted surfaces of the car characters, and the reflections that those surfaces generate, saying: "Given that the stars of our film are made of metal, John had a real desire to see realistic reflections, and more beautiful lighting than we've seen in any of our previous films. In the past, we've mostly used environment maps and other matte-based technology to cheat reflections, but forCarswe added a ray-tracing capability to our existing Renderman program to raise the bar for Pixar. "[11]

Rendering lead Jessica McMackin spoke about the use of ray tracing on the film, saying: "In addition to creating accurate reflections, we used ray tracing to achieve other effects. We were able to use this approach to create accurate shadows, like when there are multiple light sources and you want to get a feathering of shadows at the edges. Or occlusion, which is the absence of ambient light between two surfaces, like a crease in a shirt. A fourth use is irradiance. An example of this would be if you had a piece of red paper and held it up to a white wall, the light would be colored by the paper and cast a red glow on the wall."[11]Character supervisor Tim Milliron explained that the film uses a ground–locking system that kept the cars firmly planted on the road, saying: "The ground-locking system is one of the things I'm most proud of on this film. In the past, characters have never known about their environment in any way. A simulation pass was required if you wanted to make something like that happen. OnCars,this system is built into the models themselves, and as you move the car around, the vehicle sticks to the ground. It was one of those things that we do at Pixar where we knew going in that it had to be done, but we had no idea how to do it. "[11]

Technical director Lisa Forsell explained that to enhance the richness and beauty of the desert landscapes surrounding Radiator Springs, the filmmakers created a department responsible for matte paintings and sky flats, saying: "Digital matte paintings are a way to get a lot of visual complexity without necessarily having to build complex geometry, and write complex shaders. We spent a lot time working on the clouds and their different formations. They tend to be on several layers and they move relative to each other. The clouds do in fact have some character and personality. The notion was that just as people see themselves in the clouds, cars see various car-shaped clouds. It's subtle, but there are definitely some that are shaped like a sedan. And if you look closely, you'll see some that look like tire treads. The fact that so much attention is put on the skies speaks to the visual level of the film. Is there a story point? Not really. There is no pixel on the screen that does not have an extraordinary level of scrutiny and care applied to it. There is nothing that is just throw-away."[11]

Computers used in the development of the film were four times faster than those used inThe Incrediblesand 1,000 times faster than those used inToy Story.To build the cars, the animators used computer platforms similar to those used in the design of real-world automobiles.[18]

Soundtrack

Main article:Cars (soundtrack)

TheCarssoundtrackwas released byWalt Disney Recordson June 6, 2006.[19]Nine tracks on the soundtrack are by popular artists, while the remaining eleven are score cues byRandy Newman.[19]It has two versions of the classicBobby Troupjazz standard "Route 66"(popularized byNat King Cole), one byChuck Berryand a new version recorded specifically for the film's credits performed byJohn Mayer.[19]Brad Paisleycontributed two of the nine tracks to the album, one being "Find Yourself" used for the end credits.[19]

Release

Carswas originally going to be released on November 4, 2005, but on December 7, 2004, its release date was moved to June 9, 2006.[20]Analysts looked at the release date change as a sign from Pixar that they were preparing for the pending end of the Disney distribution contract by either preparing non-Disney materials to present to other studios or they were buying time to see what happened withMichael Eisner's situation at Disney.[21]When Pixar's chief executiveSteve Jobsmade the release date announcement, he stated that the reasoning was due to wanting to put all Pixar films on a summer release schedule with DVD sales occurring during the holiday shopping season.[20]

Home media

Carswas released on DVD, in both its original theatrical 2.39:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio and anopen matte1:33.1 fullscreen edition, on November 7, 2006, in the United States and Canada. This DVD was also released on October 25, 2006, inAustraliaandNew Zealandand on November 27, 2006, in theUnited Kingdom.[22]The release includes the DVD-exclusive short filmMater and the Ghostlightand the film's theatrical shortOne Man Bandas well as a 16-minute-long documentary about the film entitledInspiration for Cars,which features directorJohn Lasseter.[22]ThisTHXcertified release also features anEaster eggin the main menu, which is a 45-second clip showing aCarsversion ofBoundin'.[23]A VHS was released on February 19, 2007, to members of Disney's home video club.[24]

According to the Walt Disney Company, fivemillion copies of the DVD were sold the first two days it was available.[25]The first week, it sold 6,250,856 units and 15,370,791 in total ($246,198,859).[26]Unlike previous Pixar DVD releases, there is no two-disc special edition, and no plans to release one in the future. According to Sara Maher, DVD Production Manager at Pixar, John Lasseter and Pixar were preoccupied with productions likeRatatouille.[27]

In the US and Canada, there were bonus discs available with the purchase of the film atWal-Martand atTarget.[28]The former featured aGeared-Up Bonus DVD Discthat focused on the music of the film, including the music video to "Life Is A Highway",The Making of "Life Is A Highway",Cars: The Making of the Music,andUnder The Hood,a special that originally aired on theABC Familycable channel.[29]The latter's bonus was aRev'd Up DVD Discthat featured material mostly already released as part of the officialCarspodcastand focused on the inspiration and production of the movie.[30]

Carswas also released onBlu-ray Discon November 6, 2007, one year after the DVD release. It was the first Pixar film to be released on Blu-ray (alongsideRatatouilleandPixar Short Films Collection, Volume 1),[31]and was re-released as aBlu-ray Discand DVD combo pack and DVD only edition in April 2011. The film was released for the first time in 3D on October 29, 2013, as part ofCars: Ultimate Collector's Edition,which included the releases on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and DVD.[32]In 2019,Carswas released on4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.[33][34]

Reception

Box office

In its opening weekend,Carsearned $60 million in 3,985 theaters in the United States, ranking number one at the box office.[35]For three years, it would hold the record for having the highest opening weekend for any car-oriented film until it was surpassed byFast & Furiousin 2009.[36]In the United States, the film held onto the number one spot for two weeks before being surpassed byClickand then bySuperman Returnsthe following weekend.[37][38][39]The film then earned $33.7 million during its second weekend while competing againstThe Fast and the Furious: Tokyo DriftandNacho Libre.[40]Later on,Carswould team up with another Disney film,Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest,which was released a month later. Around this time, it had approached the $200 million mark, becoming the third film of the year to do so, followingX-Men: The Last StandandThe Da Vinci Code.[41]It went on to gross $462 million worldwide and $244 million in the United States.[42]Carswas the second-highest-grossing animated film of 2006, behindIce Age: The Meltdown.[43]

Critical response

OnRotten Tomatoes,the film has an approval rating of 75% based on 204 reviews and an average rating of 6.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Carsoffers visual treats that more than compensate for its somewhat thinly written story, adding up to a satisfying diversion for younger viewers. "[44]OnMetacritic,the film has a score of 73 out of 100 based on 39 critics reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[45]Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[46]

William Arnold of theSeattle Post-Intelligencerpraised it as "one of Pixar's most imaginative and thoroughly appealing movies ever,"[47]and Lisa Schwarzbaum ofEntertainment Weeklycalled it "a work of American art as classic as it is modern."[48]Roger Ebertof theChicago Sun-Timesgave the film three out of four stars, saying that it "tells a bright and cheery story, and then has a little something profound lurking around the edges. In this case, it's a sense of loss."[49]Peter TraversofRolling Stonegave the film three and a half stars out of four, saying, "Fueled with plenty of humor, action, heartfelt drama, and amazing new technical feats,Carsis a high octane delight for moviegoers of all ages. "[50]Richard Corliss ofTimegave the film a positive review, saying, "Existing both in turbo-charged today and the gentler '50s, straddling the realms of Pixar styling and old Disney heart, this new-modelCarsis an instant classic. "[51]Brian Lowry ofVarietygave the film a negative review, saying, "Despite representing another impressive technical achievement, it's the least visually interesting of the computer-animation boutique's movies, and—in an ironic twist for a story about auto racing—drifts slowly through its semi-arid midsection."[52]Robert Wilonsky ofThe Village Voicegave the film a positive review, saying, "What ultimately redeemsCarsfrom turning out a total lemon is its soul. Lasseter loves these animated inanimate objects as though they were kin, and it shows in every beautifully rendered frame. "[53]Ella Taylor ofL.A. Weeklygave the film a positive review, saying, "Carscheerfully hitches cutting-edge animation to a folksy narrative plugging friendship, community and aLudditemistrust of high tech. "[54]

Gene Seymour ofNewsdaygave the film three out of four stars, saying, "And as pop flies go,Carsis pretty to watch, even as it loops, drifts and, at times, looks as if it's just hanging in midair. "[55]Colin Covert of theStar Tribunegave the film a positive review, saying, "It takes everything that's made Pixar shorthand for animation excellence—strong characters, tight pacing, spot-on voice casting, a warm sense of humor and visuals that are pure, pixilated bliss—and carries them to the next stage."[56]Kenneth Turan of theLos Angeles Timesgave the film four out of five stars, saying, "What's surprising about this supremely engaging film is the source of its curb appeal: It has heart."[57]Stephen Hunter ofThe Washington Postgave the film a positive review, saying, "It's the latest concoction from the geniuses at Pixar, probably the most inventive of the Computer Generated Imagery shop—and the film's great fun, if well under the level of the firstToy Story."[58]Jessica Reaves of theChicago Tribunegave the film two and a half stars out of four, saying, "While it's a technically perfect movie, its tone is too manic, its characters too jaded and, in the end, its story too empty to stand up to expectations."[59]James BerardinelliofReelViewsgave the film three out of four stars, saying, "WhileCarsmay cross the finish line ahead of any of 2006's other animated films, it's several laps behind its Pixar siblings. "[60]Lisa Kennedy ofThe Denver Postgave the film three out of four stars, saying, "Carsidles at times. And it's not until its final laps that the movie gains the emotional traction we've come to expect from theToy Storyand Nemo crews. "[61]Amy Biancolli of theHouston Chroniclegave the film three out of four stars, saying, "It thunders ahead with breezy abandon, scoring big grins on its way."[62]

Claudia Puig ofUSA Todaygave the film a positive review, saying, "The animation is stunningly rendered. But the story is always the critical element in Pixar movies, andCars'story is heartfelt with a clear and unabashed moral. "[63]David Edelstein ofNew York Magazinegave the film a positive review, saying, "Like theToy Storyfilms,Carsis a state-of-the-computer-art plea on behalf of outmoded, wholesome fifties technology, with a dash ofZenby way ofGeorge Lucas."[64]Moira MacDonald ofThe Seattle Timesgave the film three and a half stars out of four, saying, "Though the central idea of nostalgia for a quieter, small-town life may well be lost on this movie's young audience—Carsfinds a pleasant and often sparkling groove. "[65]Mick LaSalle of theSan Francisco Chroniclegave the film two out of five stars, saying, "Carsmight get us into car world as a gimmick, but it doesn't get us into car world as a state of mind. Thus, the animation, rather than seeming like an expression of the movie's deeper truth, becomes an impediment to it. "[66]Derek Adams ofTime Outgave the film a positive review, saying, "There are many other brilliant scenes, some just as funny but there are just as many occasions where you feel the film's struggling to fire on all cylinders. Still, it's a Pixar film, right? And they're always worth a gander no matter what anyone says."[67]

Accolades

Main article:List of awards and nominations received by Cars

Carshad a highly successful run during the 2006 awards season. Many film critic associations such as theBroadcast Film Critics Associationand theNational Board of Reviewnamed it the best Animated Feature Film of 2006.[68]Carsalso received the title of Best Reviewed Animated Feature of 2006 fromRotten Tomatoes.[68]Randy NewmanandJames Taylorreceived aGrammy Awardfor the song "Our Town", which later went on to be nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Original Song(an award it lost to "I Need to Wake Up" fromAn Inconvenient Truth).[68]The film also earned an Oscar nomination forBest Animated FeaturealongsideMonster House,but both films lost toHappy Feet.[68]Carswas also selected as the Favorite Family Movie at the33rd People's Choice Awards.[68]The most prestigious award thatCarsreceived was the inauguralGolden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film.[68]Carsalso won the highest award for animation in 2006, the Best Animated FeatureAnnie Award.[68]In 2008, theAmerican Film Institutenominated this film for itsTop 10 Animation Films list.[69]

Video game

Main article:Cars (video game)

A video game of the same name was released on June 6, 2006, forGame Boy Advance,Microsoft Windows,Nintendo DS,GameCube,PlayStation 2,PlayStation Portable,andXbox.[70]It was also released on October 23, 2006, forXbox 360and November 16, 2006, forWii.[70]Much like the film, the video game got mainly positive reviews.GameSpotgave 7.0 out of 10 for Xbox 360, Wii, and PlayStation 2 versions, 7.6 out of 10 for the GameCube and Xbox versions, and 7.4 out of 10 for the PSP version.[71]Metacriticgave 65 out of 100 for the Wii version,[72]54 out of 100 for the DS version,[73]73 out of 100 for the PC version,[74]71 out of 100 for the PlayStation 2 version,[75]and 70 out of 100 for the PSP version.[76]

Similar films

Marco Aurélio Canônico ofFolha de S.PaulodescribedThe Little Carsseries (Os CarrinhosinPortuguese), a Brazilian computer graphics film series byVídeo Brinquedo,as a derivative ofCars.Canônico discussed whether lawsuits from Pixar would appear. The BrazilianMinistry of Cultureposted Marcus Aurelius Canônico's article on its website.[77]

It has also been noted that the plot ofCarsmirrors that ofDoc Hollywood,a 1991romantic comedywhich starsMichael J. Foxas a hotshot young doctor who eventually acquires an appreciation for small town values and falls in love with a local law student as result of being sentenced to work at the town hospital after causing a traffic collision in a small town.[78]Some have gone so far as to say that the makers ofCarsplagiarizedthe script ofDoc Hollywood.[79]

Literature

  • 2006: CARS:The Junior Novelization,RH/Disney,ISBN978-0736422918

Expanded franchise

Main article:Cars (franchise)

Sequels

Main articles:Cars 2andCars 3

The first sequel, titledCars 2,was released on June 24, 2011.[80]It was directed again by John Lasseter, who was inspired for the film while traveling around the world promoting the first film.[81]In the sequel, Lightning McQueen and Mater head to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix, but Mater becomes sidetracked with international espionage.[80]

The second sequel, titledCars 3,was released on June 16, 2017.[82]Directed byBrian Fee,the film focuses on Lightning McQueen, now a veteran racer, who after being overshadowed by a new generation of racecars, gets help from Cruz Ramirez, a young performancecoupe,to instruct him for the increasingly high-tech world and defeat his new rival Jackson Storm.[83]

Spin-offs

Main articles:Planes (film)andPlanes: Fire and Rescue

An animated feature film spin-off calledPlanes,produced byDisneyToon Studios,[84]was released on August 9, 2013.[85]A sequel toPlanes,titledPlanes: Fire & Rescue,was released on July 18, 2014.[86]

Television series

Carshas also spawned a television series of short films titledCars Toons,which ran from October 27, 2008, to June 5, 2012 (asMater's Tall Tales) and March 22, 2013, to May 20, 2014 (asTales from Radiator Springs). ADisney+streaming series, titledCars on the Road,premiered on September 8, 2022.

See also

Notes

  1. ^Distributed byBuena Vista Pictures Distributionthrough theWalt Disney Picturesbanner.

References

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