Movie - Cars 3
Director - Brian Fee
Cast - Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Chris Cooper, Nathan Fillion, Larry the Cable Guy, Karry Washington, Paul Newman, Lewis Hamilton
What's it about -
The shining red speedster, Lightning McQueen, is on top of the fame bell curve when we see him for the first time in the third instalment of the Disney-Pixar franchise. He is pally with his rivals, has a good rapport with his sponsors and merry friends, girlfriend back at Radiator Springs. One day, a rookie sensation, a concept McQueen is too familiar with, Jackson Storm beats him at his game by using cutting edge technology and inbuilt cunning brain.
McQueen now has to get back in the game. He misses his deceased mentor Doc Hudson. But Doc's memories inspire him to beat his opponents, naysayers around him and bid goodbye to the game on his own terms. On this journey, McQueen meets Cruz Ramirez, a race car trainer and an ardent fan of Lightning McQueen. The duo gets together for the red revver's quest of getting his mojo back and end up finding their true purpose in life, respectively.
What's good -
It's an inspiring story of reinventing yourself to live the life on your terms. It is also a story about respecting the learning process, the mentors that help you through it, and then passing on the baton when the time is right. Director Brian Fee's movie is an open love letter to Paul Newman and his character Doc Hudson aka The Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Doc keeps making flashback entries, dream sequence appearances, becomes a motivational voice in McQueen's head. The other mentor-student relationship, between McQueen and Ramirez, keeps you rooting for them to emerge as a pair of winners. They are like sparring partners, interchanging the mentor and the mentee role as the need be.
Animation and colours popping through the frames are spectacular and true to the Pixar tradition. Dialogues like the following ones are gems -
1. Lightning McQueen: Life is a 'beach.' And then you drive.
2. Cruz Ramirez: The 'beach' ate me.
3. Cruz Ramirez to McQueen: I am so excited to train you. I like a challenge. I call you, my senior project.
What's not -
Cars 3 takes time developing the McQueen-Ramirez story arc. But it does not allow enough space for Jackson Storm to come out as a true villain. He does come from behind to take over the racing circuit, a sweet talking smarmpot. But to a practical viewer, he will come across as a racer trying to be his best and win every race. Very much like McQueen in his early days or Doc Hudson before him. Disney-Pixar's by-the-book story forgets the textbook villain characteristics.
It also does a bit of injustice to Ramirez with respect to deepening the self-doubt of a girl racing car in the world of all-male speedsters. So when the girl-power message comes with an amazing twist in the end, it lacks the punch to bedazzle everyone.
What's that -
Make sure you are in your seat before the movie starts. You do not want to miss the Pixar short, Lou. It's an adorable story of a creature, Lou, living in a Lost & Found box of a school. Lou decides to teach JJ, a bully, a lesson and that ensures some carefully crafted hijinks.
Also, pay close attention to Ramirez's AI assistant Hamilton. Current Formula One champ Lewis Hamilton returns to voice the personal assistant after being part of Cars 2 in 2011.
What to do -
It's a movie made for the fans of the franchise. Carefully packaged to give the feeling of satisfaction but nothing more. Spending 109 minutes to smile is not a great price to pay. Go for it.
‘Cars 3’, ‘Despicable Me 3’, ‘Phullu’ this week in run-up to ‘Tubelight’
New Delhi: The run-up to Salman Khan’s anticipated Eid outing Tubelight, which arrives in theatres next week, is littered with small movie releases.
Sharib Hashmi-starrer Phullu, directed by Abhishek Saxena, over-emphasizes everything with straightforward lines mouthed by amateur actors who pause for effect as the melodramatic background score kicks in, says The Times Of India. The social stigmas attached with menstruation and men’s ignorance of the subject provide ample fodder for a clever comedy. The jokes should practically write themselves. But the ones that writer Shaheen Iqbal includes here are laboured and crass. The writing also does a disservice to the characters; they are weirdly naive about certain issues but could beat experts with their in-depth knowledge of certain others.
Koimoi.com calls it a socially relevant film brought down by a poor script and dialogues. While Hashmi is brilliant, the movie moves at a slow and relaxed pace, ending abruptly.
For Hollywood fans, animation comedy Cars 3, directed by Brian Fee featuring the voices of Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo and Armie Hammer, comes to India this week. Varietymagazine calls it a friendly, rollicking movie made with warmth and dash, and to the extent that it taps our primal affection for this series, it more than gets the job done. Yet in many ways it’s the tasteful version of a straight-to-DVD (or streaming) sequel. The audience should come out satisfied, and in satisfying numbers, but the upshot is that this year’s Pixar film is a finely executed product rather than an inspiring work of animated artistry.
In the wake of the noisy misfire that was 2011’s Cars 2, the Pixar pit crew ran the diagnostics and were able to pinpoint the winning formula of humour, heart and action that made the 2006 original such a sweet ride, says The Hollywood Reporter. They all make a welcome return in Cars 3, but, while visually dynamic, Lightning McQueen’s newest challenge still feels out of alignment with a languid end result that lacks sufficient forward momentum. Despite its many winning characters and good intentions, Cars 3 functions mainly as a tenderly rendered, wish-you-were-here picture postcard to Paul Newman, whose absence, while affectionately noted, ultimately serves as a reminder why Lightning can never truly strike twice.
Animation comedy Despicable Me 3, directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, and co-directed by Eric Guillon, featuring the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig and Trey Parker, repeats a formula that worked like gangbusters in the last instalment while offering more of the same, says The Hollywood Reporter. It’s an if-it-ain’t-broke-then-don’t-fix-it approach that works just fine if you’re simply looking to take another ride on the rollercoaster. This rather clever, breakneck-paced cartoon gives fans exactly what they want: Like the new nemesis voiced by Trey Parker, it shoots machine-gun bursts of bubblegum at the audience, asking them to chew and enjoy.
Variety magazine calls it an amusing but over-stuffed sequel to Illumination’s hit franchise. It is unwieldy, but it mostly works, as the co-directors never lose sight of the film’s emotional centre, packing the rest with as much humour as they can manage. The jokes come so fast and furious, the movie can hardly find room for Heitor Pereira’s funky score. Where the first Despicable Me movie seemed to be winking at the audience in open acknowledgement of what it was stealing from other sources, this third instalment is all but rolling its eyes at us.
Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Super Singh, directed by Anurag Singh, is a tedious watch, thanks to a predictable storyline and stereotypical villains, says Gulf News. The concept that Sikhs are selflessly benevolent and eager to help the distressed is reinforced with sickening intensity. While it’s sweet at first, it gets cloyingly virtuous toward the second half. At 170 minutes, the superhero film is long and would have benefitted from some tight editing.
For Tamil film Peechaankai starring R.S Karthiik and Anjali Rao, directed by Ashok, writing is a big strength and the audience feels connected to characters for the most part, says behindwoods.com. The film isn’t very strong on the technical front but debutant actor Karthiik pulls his role off effortlessly.
Several releases this week haven’t inspired any reviews yet. These include Bank Chor, starring Riteish Deshmukh and Vivek Oberoi, Haryanvi film G Kutta Se, Tamil comedy thriller Adhagappattathu Magajanangalay, Tamil action thriller Veruli, Tamil fantasy adventure comedy Maragadha Naanayam, Telugu film Arjun Reddy and Marathi movie Tujha Tu Majha Mi.
Director: Brian Lee
Cast: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Daniel Lawrence Whitney, Bonnie Hunt, Nathan Fillion, Kerry Washington and Lea DeLaria
“Faster than fast. Quicker than quick. I am speed,” an aging Lightening McQueen (Owen Wilson) reiterates his self-imposed philosophy as a gen next racer Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) threatens his career as the fastest racer in the world.
Defeated by age & technology and desperate to redeem his status, McQueen goes back to where it all started- dirt race track and the teachings of his mentor Hudson Hornet. This third installment of ‘Cars’ by Brian Lee lacks the element of intrigue that had kept us on the edge of our seats in ‘Cars 2’. Unlike the previous part, there isn’t any strong sub-plot and mostly revolves around the central character, who goes to painful extents to defy age and cope up with new-technology cars. While the shift from tow truck best friend Mater to McQueen himself is interesting, and much needed for a strong pull, the ending is both a shocker and a tad bit dispiriting.
But then, some films are all heart, aren’t they?
With unconditional support from his teammates, McQueen does indulge in rigorous training, only to be told that his days of glory are over and that he should contemplate retiring. A self-assured, almost former race king, McQueen, says to himself- I get to decide when I retire- but sluggishly makes his way back to the top and bang! The tides turn.
Now if we go back in time and reminisce the 2006 ‘Cars’ inaugural film and its subsequent extension ‘Cars 2’, then you do know that mind-boggling twists & turns are really Brian Lee’s thing. Yes, the ending could have had a more logical warp but that does not take away from the fact that it is a treat to watch.
Light-hearted, built on the principle of friendship and sticking to its basics, an ever-pleasant Owen Wilson aka Lightening McQueen, ‘Cars 3’ justifies the noise it had made before and after its trailer release. Wilson is relatable and can be empathised with and has stayed true to the nuances of his character. Kerry Washington as the omniscient statistics girl is hilarious and gives a mild heartache every time she popped up on screen (you will find out why). Mater’s character took a backseat this time around but is just as clingy, which works. Armie Hammer is obnoxious, snobbish and puffed with pride- just what his character demanded of him. A stern trainer beaming with positivity, Cristela Alonzo is so brilliant. Her transition in the film is smooth and comes with a box full of surprises.
'Cars 3' is more than what meets the eyes; it has a message to convey, a lesson to preach and emotions to stir.
Sadly, the greatest athletes pan all professional sports have met a very gloomy end to their careers and settled for either commentating or product endorsements. When you watch the film, you get an insight into the heads of your favourite sporting stars and how they must have felt to hit rockbottom at their game. Quite literally.
Post a Comment