Joseph Kleiman of Jim Hill Media, which has reported plenty of juicy inside info about Disney and Pixar in recent months, was at the “Cars” screening a few days ago in Las Vegas. Read the whole thing, but this part is worth excerpting:
“Cars,” in terms of character animation, art direction, and story is Pixar at its finest. The animation is absolutely incredible. When close up, backgrounds are realistic. At a distance, they take on the air of an old 1940s painted postcard of southwestern vistas. The characters (I.E. all cars and aircraft) look like the Micro Machines line of toy cars from the 1980s, but with fine detailing and texture. As for the story, the late Joe Ranft, to whom this film is dedicated, has been given on-screen credit as co-director with Lasseter, and the film shows why. Equal parts humor – there’s references to everything from the anti-establishment disobedience of the 1960s to newer pop culture standards like “The Fast and the Furious” – and tenderness, the packed house openly combined laughter with tears. During a very touching scene about how the interstate highway system decimated towns along Route 66, there was barely a dry eye in the house. You heard me right. Looking around, I could see grown men sobbing (though I’m a bit modest to admit to anything myself). The scene was reminiscent and on a par with the scene where Jessie is thrown away in “Toy Story 2.” (my emphasis)
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This is such a multilayered film that ultimately I can only make one recommendation on the film: If you can only see one film this summer, go see “Cars.” If you can see two films, go see “Cars” twice.
As one exhibitor sitting next to me said: “Not only might this be the biggest film of the summer, but this is the best CARtoon ever.” I have to agree.
Wow.
By the way, Kleiman reports that former Walt Disney Studios boss and current DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg attended the screening. Sounds like new Disney boss Robert Iger has been mending fences.