And both will enjoy Mater, the tow truck that gives this story much of its heart and humor. Voiced by Larry the Cable Guy, the truck goes heavy on the rust and "Hee Haw" accent, which helps explain why his name is short for "tomato." An instigator of late-night shenanigans, he's also a great pal to Lightning, teaching the spoiled race car that rusted-out tow trucks are vehicles, too.
But Lightning's learning process lasts too long. Cars includes several moments in which Lightning is told he's a high-performance lout, when the audience already has caught on.
Scenes evoking Radiator Springs' heyday offer reminders of a time when a sense of community created by local businesses outweighed the convenience of freeways and Wal-Marts. Cars evokes a bygone American era while reminding us that it doesn't necessarily need to be bygone.
Offering a level of entertainment value as old-fashioned as its film's messages, Pixar includes a delightful short film, One Man Band, before the feature, as well as some fun scenes that run with the credits. Also included with the credits is a tribute to Cars co-director and co-writer Joe Ranft, the animation-film veteran who died last year in a car crash.
RSS