'Soul' Review

Nominated For: Best Animated Feature, Best Sound, and Best Original Score.

Won: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score.

Synopsis: Joe Gardner is a middle-school teacher with a love for jazz music. After a successful gig at the Half Note Club, he suddenly gets into an accident that separates his soul from his body and is transported to the You Seminar, a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child. Joe must enlist help from the other souls-in-training, like 22, a soul who has spent eons in the You Seminar, in order to get back to Earth. 

Runtime: 100 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG (for thematic elements and some language)

Who should see it? Families and fans of Pixar.

Joining Pixar's catalog, Soul is the twenty-third feature from the eclectic animation studio. This year, Pixar released two of their first original films since Coco after a recent string of sequels. Unfortunately, both had their box office hopes dashed by the ongoing pandemic. Onward's theatrical run was cut short by theater closures, only for it to be fast-tracked to VOD and Disney+, while Soul forewent a theatrical release altogether and was released exclusively on Disney+ for Christmas. Release circumstances withstanding, Soul was co-directed by Kemp Powers and Pete Docter with a story and screenplay by Powers, Docter, and Mike Jones. Of this year's two Pixar releases, Soul was the one I was most anticipating for a few reasons. For one, it seemed to offer a more innovative premise and a unique animation style based on trailers. Secondly, the film had an exciting blend of creative voices behind the scenes. 

Soul is Powers's directorial debut and stands as the fourth feature credit for Docter. Pete Docter's involvement stuck out as he previously co-directed Monsters, Inc., Up, and Inside Out, three films I rank among Pixar's very best. Docter also happens to be Pixar's Chief Creative Officer, so I found it fascinating that this story compelled him to jump back in the trenches and shepherd a budding filmmaker. Pixar's filmography continually covers complex topics in an easy-to-digest manner, entertaining and moving audiences of all ages. You'd think this creative well might run dry after twenty-five years of storytelling... Well, think again because Soul is Pixar at its most imaginative, emotional, and existential. 

Central to Soul are universal musings over life's meaning and the blurred line between passion and unhealthy obsession. Ultimately, Docter and Powers implore the viewer to take a deep breath and enjoy the little things. Fixating on one's purpose and self-worth is simply not good for the soul. Though, Soul has much more to offer than resonant messaging. It's gorgeously animated with a tremendous amount of detail and vibrancy. The world-building is also well worth mentioning, as "The Great Before" and "The Great Beyond" are fascinating, fleshed-out locales for the audience to explore. Even New York feels fully realized as an environment with a personality of its own, true to life. While awe-inspiring, the settings never overtake the story, as Docter, Powers, and Jones are careful not to get lost in the vast world they've created. The cohesive element holding everything together, though, is the soundtrack featuring jazz compositions and arrangements by Jon Batiste as well as an original score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. 

It only makes sense for music to play a pivotal role in a movie about a musician. And the music featured in Soul is incredibly varied, ranging from upbeat jazz riffs to a soothing, ethereal synth to melancholy melodies. While Docter, Powers, Jones, and the animators establish the framework for a sincere story with breathtaking visuals, Batiste, Reznor, and Ross make it sing. Their soundtrack is seriously transcendent at times, and an ear-worm for sure!

Leading the gifted voice cast, Jamie Foxx lends dweebish, impassioned qualities to Joe Gardner, while Tina Fey's 22 is a mischievous and stubborn source of comic relief. Their dynamic brings plenty of heart and levity to the proceedings. They're also backed by a host of compelling supporting characters in the human and soul worlds, voiced by Graham Norton, Phylicia Rashad, Angela Bassett, Donnell Rawlings, Daveed Diggs, and Questlove, respectively. Within the soul world, there are abstract constructs called Counselor Jerry(s), portrayed by Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Wes Studi, Fortune Feimster, and Zenobia Shroff. Rachel House's Terry is a colleague of theirs who seeks to keep things in order, obsessing over ensuring the correct count of souls enters "The Great Beyond."

The first ballad between Docter and Powers stirs the soul, occupies the mind, and unfastens the tear ducts. Soul rivals the beauty and sincerity of Pixar's most cherished work and will resonate even more in the years to come. As someone who's loved quite a few Pixar releases since Toy Story 3, I don't say this lightly... Soul is, without a doubt, the best film released by the studio in the last decade. It's such a shame it had to debut on Disney+ because this would have been incredible to experience in theaters. However, I take solace, knowing it will be safely seen by audiences of all ages. 

Film Assessment: A+

'Toy Story 4' Review

Apologies for the delay on this review. I was out of town last week and have been preoccupied since returning. However, I've now seen Toy Story 4, Child's Play (2019), and
Yesterday (2019), and anticipate reviewing those films this weekend in addition to Spider-Man: Far From Home and Midsommar early next week.

'Toy Story 4' Review

Nominated For: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song "I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away" (written by Randy Newman).
Won: Best Animated Feature.

Synopsis: Woody and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy named Forky. The adventurous journey turns into an unexpected reunion as Woody's detour leads him to his long lost friend Bo Peep. As Woody and Bo realize they're worlds apart when it comes to life as a toy, they soon find that's the least of their worries.

Runtime: 100 minutes

MPAA Rating: G

Who should see it? Fans of Pixar and the Toy Story franchise.

Toy Story 4 exists as the fourth entry in a nearly twenty-five-year-old Pixar franchise and director Josh Cooley's first feature film. Throughout its development, various screenwriters were charged with reviving the series, but the screenplay ultimately was penned by Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom with story credits shared between John Lasseter, Valerie LaPointe, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, and Martin Hynes as well as Cooley, Stanton, and Folsom. It would be an understatement to say I was skeptical about a continuation of Pixar's touchstone franchise. 

Though unwise to underestimate Pixar, Toy Story 4 seemed to be an unnecessary series extension, and the marketing material didn't inspire confidence. Pixar's recent sequel craze has resulted in a series of entertaining, but fairly forgettable franchise additions and I was worried Toy Story 4 may fall victim to that, tarnishing the legacy of what I consider a perfect trilogy. The ending of Toy Story 3 carried a bitter-sweet sense of finality, and I doubted the premiere animation studio could justify another installment. Thankfully, I was proven wrong. Toy Story 4 is an ideal epilogue to one of the greatest cinematic trilogies which maintains the series' sense of hilarity, heart, and adventure. 

Every Toy Story installment grapples with what it means to be a toy, exploring that existential thematic ground through a different perspective, time and time again. Though Toy Story 3 seemingly resolved the toy's connection with Andy, Woody requires further closure. Woody' fulfilled his life purpose, so what now? That's the question at the core of Toy Story 4, which can be interpreted as meta-commentary about the franchise itself. This story ended with the third one, right? Why continue? Are creatives and audiences willing to say goodbye to these iconic animated characters? These are questions many will ask concerning this fourth chapter, and they're deeply embedded in the narrative.

As audiences expect from a Pixar production, Toy Story 4 features phenomenal photo-realistic animation with exquisite attention to detail. The textured porcelain, plastic, vinyl, felt, and fabric toy components are particularly well-rendered while character motion is authentically articulated. Beneath it all, Randy Newman's music is the beating heart and soul behind the toy's latest adventure. "You've Got a Friend in Me" is incorporated in a nostalgic montage while "I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away" and "The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy" are charming, old-fashioned earworms. Regarding the score, Newman peppers in familiar franchise motifs along with some excellent new arrangements. 

Carrying over from the previous films, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Joan Cusack, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Blake Clark, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Jeff Pidgeon, Bonnie Hunt, Kristen Schaal, and Jeff Garlin reprise their respective roles of Woody, Buzz, Bo Peep, and the rest of the gang. Meanwhile, Tony Hale, Keanu Reeves, Keegan-Michael Key, and Jordan Peele are charming, scene-stealing additions to the cast as Forky, Duke Kaboom, Ducky, and Bunny while Christina Hendricks' Gabby Gabby turned out to be a more layered antagonist than expected. The entire voice cast offers ideal interpretations of these characters, but Hanks turns in one of his best vocal performances yet as Woody finds closure amidst whacky shenanigans in an RV, carnival, and antique shop.

One quibble I have is that the original grouping of toys were mostly sidelined in favor of the new characters. Toy Story 4 is Woody's story first and foremost, so this is a logical storytelling choice, but I wish Buzz, Jessie, and the gang were more involved. Otherwise, there were a few gags which quickly wore thin and were a little too repetitive for my liking.

Against all the odds, Toy Story 4 managed to be just as charming, hilarious, and heartfelt as its predecessors. Whether Toy Story 4 concludes the Toy Story series or not, I'm willing to follow this franchise to infinity and beyond.

Film Assessment: A

'Coco' Review

[This review was originally written in November 2017 and is now being published that my internship is over. For an explanation of this, visit my Fall 2017 Important Update post.] 

Nominated For: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song "Remember Me" (written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez).
Won: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song "Remember Me" (written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez).

Coco strums alongside a young, aspiring musician, Miguel, who aims to make it big like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, despite the fact music is forbidden within his family. When Miguel tries to prove himself, he winds up in the surprisingly lively Land of the Dead. Miguel then sets off on a journey to learn the values and truth behind his heritage so he can retrieve his great, great grandfather's blessing and return to the Land of the Living.

Coco is Pixar's nineteenth feature length animated film, and their first original project since The Good Dinosaur two years ago, but it easily positions itself as the most emotional entry since Inside Out. The ending brought on a wealth of waterworks as I probably cried around three-to-four times, and thankfully, each and every single tear is earned on account of the filmmakers' astounding achievements interwoven throughout the film's sentimental storytelling.

Coco is brimming with vibrant visuals, compelling characters, and a heartfelt story comparable with the likes of Pixar's best and brightest, so it's not too surprising that the film's co-directors, Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, are previous Pixar collaborators. Between the two of them, they've worked on quite a few of Pixar's prestigious projects, including the likes of Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, Toy Story 3, Ratatouille, and The Good Dinosaur. 

Now while I'm obviously not incredibly familiar with Mexican culture, I took three Spanish courses in high school so I have a passing understanding of Día de los Muertos, and it seems that Pixar spent plenty of time ensuring an accurate and respectful portrayal of Mexican tradition. The animators stock Miguel's village and the Land of the Dead with the various decorations commonly associated with Día de los Muertos such as ofrendas (altar-like offerings paying tribute to lost family/friends), orange marigold petals bridging the two worlds, and even alebrijes (florescent piñata-patterned animal-like spirit guides) to great effect, making Coco one of Pixar's most colorful animated features yet!

The animation is of course exceptional, as I'd expect nothing less from this premier studio, and Pixar's talented animators once again show a keen eye to seemingly insignificant details ranging from the colorful, culturally appropriate surroundings of the sprightly spirit world to the subtle guitar strumming (which was apparently one of the most challenging elements to animate authentically). The animation strikes a sweet balance between the look of their photorealistic projects and their more cartoonish ventures.

The directing duo's familiarity with Pixar's process is especially evident in Coco's story structure. If you were worried for whatever reason that Coco might be lacking in regards to the studio's celebrated stirring storytelling, don't be. As I mentioned earlier, the film works to earn every tear you'll shed in the auditorium (because let's be honest, you're GONNA cry). Really my only criticisms lie with the plot's derivative nature and one predictable plot-twist, although I was only able to put a few pieces of the plot's puzzle together ahead of time. Trust me though, Coco will still have plenty of surprises in store for you aside from the one insignificant detail I'm referring to. Otherwise, the screenplay penned by Molina and Matthew Aldrich is filled with inspired heart and humor that will move audiences young and old. 

In the music department, Coco strikes a sweet chord with the versatile ballad "Remember Me," written by Frozen songwriters Kristen and Robert Lopez, that's sure to earn a Best Original Song nomination. Elsewhere, Michael Giacchino's sumptuous score swells as a pleasant, culturally appropriate undercurrent for the film.

Last but not least, Coco's all Latino voice cast doesn't disappoint as they each successfully breathe life into an array of charismatic characters. Anthony Gonzalez, in particular, imbues Miguel with abundant ambition and a beating heart to invest audiences while Gael García Bernal's straying spirit Hector turns out to be a surprisingly endearing addition. 

Meanwhile, Benjamin Bratt is perfectly pompous in the larger-than-life role of Ernesto de la Cruz and Miguel's enormous family is voiced by the likes of Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor, Jaime Camil, Alfonso Arau, Herbert Siguenza, Ana Ofelia Murguía, and Edward James Olmos, who all do an excellent job.

Of course this wouldn't be a Pixar release without an animal sidekick, and Dante certainly proves to be a cute companion who's as charming as he is scraggily so don't discount the Xolo just yet!

As always, be sure and keep your eyes peeled for usual easter eggs like the Pizza Planet truck and the number sequence A113, but also watch out for a skeletal Michael Giacchino and past Pixar characters.

To strum strings up (Yes, the wording is intentional for the purposes of a pun as a play on words of "to sum things up"), Coco is one of Pixar’s best original works because of its ability to pluck the audience’s heartstrings while paying proper tribute to Mexican culture and telling an endearing, entertaining story along the way. 

Film Assessment: A

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Ratatouille'

Sorry for the delay on this review, as it was supposed to be published on Thanksgiving. I watched the film on Thanksgiving, but only recently had a chance to sit down and write about it. Anyways, I'm reviewing Ratatouille to coincide with the most recent Pixar release, Coco. I felt Ratatouille was the perfect choice because it's a Pixar film about a foreign culture (France), and since it's all about cooking, it ties into the food motif of Thanksgiving! The Throwback Thursday Reviews I have scheduled through the end of the year include Pitch Perfect, The Room, Looper, and Jumanji (1995) to go along with Pitch Perfect 3, The Disaster Artist, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. I'm also well aware that I've yet to publish the last two Throwback Thursday Reviews in addition to all the other significantly delayed ones. I haven't had a chance to sit down and watch any of them yet, but I will get them out there!

'Ratatouille' Review

Nominated For: Best Animated Feature, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Original Score.
Won: Best Animated Feature.

Ratatouille scampers alongside the remarkable rat Remy, whose heightened sense of smell and passion for cooking cultivate a foolish fantasy that he may one day become a world class chef. As fate would have it, Remy unexpectedly winds up underneath one of France's most exclusive restaurants, which happens to also be the restaurant popularized by Remy's culinary idol, Auguste Gusteau. When the garbage boy, Linguini, discovers the rodent and bears witness to Remy's unique expertise, the two strike a peculiar partnership in hopes of rising through the restaurant's ranks.

Ratatouille was cooked up concurrently by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava, who co-directed the feature and developed the story with Jim Capobianco while Bird was the sole screenwriter. Like the vast majority of Pixar's work, the film is still stirring thanks to exceptional animation, worthwhile themes, and a reluctance to adhere to any formula. However, despite its shared characteristics, Ratatouille always seems to be one of the forgotten films among Pixar's nineteen animated features. I'd daresay it's one of their more underrated entries in the grand scheme of things.

Ratatouille's unique flavor is derived from the ingenuity of its masterful storytelling. The emphasis remains on character and servicing the story in spite of all the entrées presented to the viewer. There's never a wasted moment, and a deft balance of humor and seriousness is successfully achieved in Bird's script. 

Ratatouille even offers ample meta commentary on criticism through the Anton Ego character by pointing out the humble origins of a critic's subjective perspective. Bird walks the tightrope between satirizing critics and glorifying them quite well in presenting an honest outlook of the profession.

And of course the animators ensure kitchen utensils, food ingredients, rat fur, and human hair are all as intricately detailed as any of the incredible animation to be found in Pixar's other offerings! Elsewhere, Michael Giacchino's swell score encompasses an extraordinary assortment of compositions ranging from pleasant and deliberate to swift and lively, but each one stands out as an inviting accompaniment underneath the ongoing events. 

Tossed to the forefront, Patton Oswalt's pleasant personality strictly suits Remy's delightful disposition and Lou Romano grants Linguini an apprehensive aptitude fitting of the character's aloof clumsiness.

Ian Holm chews the scenery as Gusteau's fiendish head chef Skinner, Brad Garrett brings a light-heartedness and compassionate nature to Gusteau, but Peter O'Toole's seemingly cynical food critic Ego is perhaps one of the standout supporting characters. Sprinkled throughout the animated ensemble, Brian Dennehy, Peter Sohn, Janeane Garofalo, Will Arnett, and John Ratzenberger can all be found voicing Remy's doubting dad Django, Remy's amiable brother Emile, cunning female chef Colette, mysterious German sous-chef Horst, and worried waiter Mustafa.

Ratatouille remains a bold, original recipe thanks to its inspired mixture of seasoned storytelling, charming characters, outstanding animation, and pinch of heart. When it's all over, you won't be able to resist the urge for a second helping. 

Film Assessment: A-

'Cars 3' Review

Cars 3 speeds by Lightning McQueen at the tail-end of his career as a new generation of racers emerge and McQueen winds up in a crippling crash that ejects him for the season. Determined to get back in the game and decide when he's done racing, McQueen heads out to a training facility to work with trainer Cruz Ramirez in hopes of getting back out on the racetrack again.

After the unfortunate critical crash of Cars 2, fresh face Brian Fee takes the steering wheel as director of Cars 3 and reroutes back towards the racing roots of Cars. Fee focuses on an aged athlete arc to drive the story forward, making matters more adult-oriented opposed to the go-getter goofiness of Cars 2. This time around Cars 3 almost seems self-referential to audiences perspective of the Cars franchise by detailing that McQueen just isn't the racer he used to be and paralleling the consensus that Pixar may have fallen behind in the animated arena.

Cars 3 also features relatively recent additions in regards to scripting with a story treatment from Fee, Ben Queen, Eyal Podell, and Jonathon E. Stewart in addition to the screenplay penned by Kiel Murray, Bob Peterson, and Mike Rich. This team of screenwriters clearly put her ears to the ground and acknowledged common complaints about Cars 2 since they position Mater as an ancillary automotive this time around. For the matter, the events of Cars 2 were never referenced and it's almost as through it never happened (similarly to how Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales handled the stink of On Stranger Tides).

Lightning McQueen leads this tertiary lap with a desire to finish his career on his terms. McQueen was never one of Pixar's greatest characters but he's significantly more sympathetic this time around and it's incredible how much I care for the car when viewing through a different lens. I think one of Pixar's strengths is how they craft their subsequent sequels grow with the viewer. Just look to Monster University, which was released when the children who saw Monsters Inc. were headed off to college and Pixar pulled off a similar tactic for Toy Story 3 effortlessly.

The writers extract meaningful messages about mentorship, leaving a legacy, and getting older that will resonate with more mature audiences while incorporating riveting races and a daunting demolition derby for younger viewers. I was impressed with just how well Cars 3 tied in with Cars, essentially bringing McQueens' story full circle in a satisfying manner.

Pixar has always been quite adept at translating a quality story with rich thematic significance from paper to screen but it's only enhanced by the animation. The visual storytelling on display is masterful with one example being a sequence that phased out the older racers with the young, chipper cars, leaving practically only McQueen left. This sequence managed to make it seem like Lightning actually had a long winded career as opposed to the few races showcased in Cars and Cars 2. It not only sold that aspect of the story but the fact McQueen and his buddies were being edged out by rookies that's a natural occurrence with any sport.

The animation itself though was outstanding as you'd expect from Pixar with photorealistic environments and an intense color palette. While Cars 3 may take a few pit stops, I was engrossed from start-to-finish with Lightning's quest. Elsewhere, Randy Newman composes a sumptuous score, there's plenty of trademark Pixar easter eggs to look out for, and the vocal talent offers some pristine performances.

Owen Wilson discovers dramatic depth within Lightning McQueen that carries his character arc to fruition while Cristela Alonzo convincingly communicates Cruz Ramirez's spunk and determination. McQueen and Ramirez are an interesting pairing and their friendship was without a doubt one of Cars 3's highlights. Armie Hammer and Nathan Fillion each make the most of their limited screen time as Sterling and Jackson Storm but both are confined to slight two dimensional caricatures as a stingy sponsor and the hotshot rival rookie. 

Along the way Smokey, River Scott, Louise Nash, and Junior Moon are all drawn into the mix to serve as elderly advisers, voiced by Chris Cooper, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, and Junior Johnson respectively. They each fill out their roles well and help fill the void Paul Newman's Doc Hudson left behind after Newman passed. Meanwhile, Larry The Cable Guy proves Mater is sufficient in small doses as the dorky tow truck moseys around with the rest of Radiator Springs' residents including Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, Tony Shalhoub, Guido Quaroni, Jenifer Lewis, Paul Dooley, Michael Wallis, George Carlin, and Katherine Helmond as Sally, Ramone, Luigi, Guido, Flo, Sarge, Sheriff, Filmore, and Lizzie.

  

So were the new bells and whistles enough to bring the Cars franchise up to speed? Surprisingly, yes. Pixar really revved up their creative engine so that Cars 3 could cross the franchise finish line, qualify for trilogy consideration, and launch the anthropomorphized automobiles to record high speeds.

Film Assessment: B+

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Cars 2'

Sorry for the slight delay on this review but this week I'm racing through the remainder of the Cars trilogy with a Throwback Thursday Review over Cars 2 and a review for Cars 3 coming soon. However, I do feel it's worth noting that I'm going out of town this Saturday and am not quite sure I will get the Cars 3 review completed before I leave (I'll see what I can do about publishing while I'm gone). Therefore, I apologize in advance for what I suspect will be late reviews over Cars 3, Transformers: Age of Extinction, and Transformers: The Last Knight. But in the next week and a half I plan to publish all of those and wrap up my thoughts on both the Cars and Transformers franchises for the time being. Reviews that remain to be seen for the month of June include a Throwback Thursday Review over Despicable Me 2 and reviews of new releases Baby Driver and Despicable Me 3.

'Cars 2' Review

Cars 2 races alongside Lightning McQueen, now a four time Piston Cup champ, and his silly tow truck pal Mater as they traverse the world for McQueen to compete in the World Grand Prix. After an elaborate series of events, 007-esque automotives Finn McMissile and Holly Shiftwell mistake Mater as an American agent and Mater becomes embroiled in a globetrotting spy adventure. 

There's no way to dance around the elephant in the room. Cars 2 is easily the worst received animated feature film from Pixar to date. It didn't make as much as its predecessor did domestically, although it did outgross Cars internationally with a whopping $562.11 M worldwide gross ($370.658 M coming from foreign territories). It even still has some skid marks all over the hood from critics who decided to run it over mercilessly. However, I think Cars 2 gets a bad wrap because it's only the worst Pixar movie by default, on account of the many masterpieces put out by the premiere animation studio. When you take into account that Cars 2 was created to entertain children and it's made for children, you'll find it's actually not as bad as you thought and surprisingly fares better than many other animated films. 

Most of the criticism derives from the fact people don't feel a sequel was justified and adult audiences would have rather seen sequels to Pixar's other works like The Incredibles, Ratatouille, or even maybe Monsters Inc. While it may not seem like it, there's a quick and easy explanation behind franchising Cars. Children LOVE it! The merchandise sold incredibly well because kids simply adore these animated auto-motives. 

Pixar heavyweights John Lasseter and Brad Lewis co-directed the second auto-outing in addition to paving a story Cars 2 to traverse with the help of Dan Fogelman. From the outset, Cars 2 clearly homages anything involving 007, Mission: Impossible, and even Man from U.N.C.L.E. with a wink of the ocular windshield and a blink of the headlights. The creators must have been enormous Bond fans for granting McMissile the guise of 007's trademark Aston Martin and essentially fan casting Micheal Caine as Pixar's James Bond.

Lasseter and Lewis maintain a heightened sense of adventure amidst all the action, delivering a serviceable story to accompany the senseless spectacle. Elsewhere, the animation is on par with Pixar's other accomplished aesthetics so there's no slouching there and Michael Giacchino provides sufficient scoring as per usual.

The areas where Cars 2 starts to shows its rust lie in the script and standard storytelling. Ben Queen penned the screenplay with an unconventional idea to focus around Mater rather than Lightning. The idea of centering around a supporting standout has actually become somewhat evident in Pixar's sequel/prequel model (ie. Monsters Inc. & Monsters University along with Finding Nemo & Finding Dory).

Mater is a charming character in his own right, who works well in small doses, but shifting all attention towards him wears the viewer down. Mater's slapstick charades grow increasingly more tiring with him at the franchise's steering wheel. Cars 2 is notably very scatter-brained with a racing story on the outside lane and a spy adventure fueling the engine. It's not that these elements don't work together, just that the agent antics seem to come out of nowhere. Cars 2's messages about being yourself and sticking by friends are worthwhile notions but they're conveyed haphazardly. 

This subject matter had been traversed time and time again in what seems like an infinite number of animated features over the years. The techniques utilized to express this central theme also put McQueen's character arc in reverse. McQueen started out in Cars as a cocky, surefire rookie that discovered his humility and became a better race car for it. However, Cars 2 puts McQueen in the precarious situation of constantly being embarrassed of being friends with Mater (this is resolved of course but seemed like backward storytelling to me). While this is a natural story element, Cars 2 stretches it a little too far in execution. Thankfully, the vocal performances somewhat elevate the material. 

Larry The Cable Guy expresses an over-the-top absurdity in Mater, that even rivals Mickey's pal Goofy, and finds a more emotionally vulnerable place for Mater to explore towards the film's finale. By Mater's side, Michael Caine's Finn McMissile exhibits all the qualities of a suave gentleman spy while Emily Mortimer projects an innate intelligence and a touch of heart to Holly Shiftwell.

Racing on the outer lanes, Owen Wilson's back as Lightning McQueen with all the vigor and dedication he previously showcased in Cars and John Turturro voices Francesco Bernouli as an arrogant, open wheeled Ferrari that plays as an adequate rival for McQueen. Returning Radiator Springs inhabitants include Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, Tony Shalhoub, Guido Quaroni, Jenifer Lewis, Paul Dooley, Michael Wallis, George Carlin, and Katherine Helmond as Sally, Ramone, Luigi, Guido, Flo, Sarge, Sheriff, Filmore, and Lizzie respectively.

Despite its fast pace, the creators of Cars 2 went into cruise control for the second lap around Pixar's world of anthropomorphized automobiles and delivered a passable installment opposed to their outstanding original works.

Film Assessment: C