Watch: Time Travel Mater

The latest Cars Toon, Time Travel Mater - the redesigned version of the formerly planned Backwards to the Fowards - which aired a few weeks ago on ABC, is now online! Perhaps not as chaotic or fun as the early boards for the story made it seem, it is very funny, very sentimental and focuses a bit more on characters besides Lightning and Mater. Check it out embedded above.

I also really enjoyed the Disney reference towards the start of the short, declaring it a "Pixar Laugh-O-Gram", paying homage to Walt Disney's early days in animation.


No word yet on when or if we can expect another Cars Toon; although we've still got 5 more Toy Story Toons on the way!

Via Pixar Post.

Cars 2 - One Year On

Pixar's thirteenth feature film, Brave, is opening in US theatres this Friday, 22nd June, and the embargo has been lifted, thus reviews are flooding onto the Internet, and they're a mixed bag. There are none that I've seen that cite Brave as a bad film, nearly all of them say, in fact, that it is very good, that it is gorgeously animated, has a wonderful score and great characters, but that the story is unoriginal - more Disney than Pixar. The most balanced and reasonable review I've read is that of Bryko from Upcoming Pixar, who says:

"Ultimately, one has to question: if a film makes you laugh, shed a tear, and stay on the edge of your seat, is it really at fault for lacking originality? Even if it’s not Pixar’s best movie to date, does it really matter? The film will undoubtedly be a hit with audiences worldwide with its boundless appeal and beauty; even with a fairly predictable story, Brave is a winner."

So, despite some quibbles, general consensus is that Brave is still a good film, even if it's not Pixar's finest. We've been down this road before though, and much criticism was directed, last year, at Cars 2. The sequel that nobody was particularly clamouring for, Cars 2 was often maligned as being "the first bad Pixar film"; this is simply not the case. I watched Cars 2 again yesterday, and thought I'd offer up my thoughts, in hindsight, one year on.

New Cars Toon Coming Very Soon

So, it turns out Air Mater wasn't the final Cars Toon after all. Following on from the news that we can expect 3 new Toy Story Toons yesterday, today, via Disney Parks Blog, we get a clip from the eleventh Cars Toon (above), titled Time Travel Mater.

The short film lets the audience "travel back in time with Mater to the beginning of Radiator Springs", and every time Mater drives backwards, he travels back in time. If this concept sounds familiar to you, it's entirely possible it's because you watched the 'Unmade Tales' clips on the Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales DVD. When watching the 'Unmade Tale' of this story (below), then titled Backwards to the Forwards, I was very disappointed that nothing came of it - it looked great! So, I'm very glad to see it's been picked up again and I can't wait to see it.



The short will be playing stateside on, Disney owned channel, ABC along with the feature film Cars, both playing from 8 - 11 PM (EST) on 16th June. The three hour bill also features a video tour of the newly opening Cars Land by the voice of Mater, Larry the Cable Guy. Time Travel Mater will premiere, though, on 15th June, the opening day of Cars Land, at Disney California Adventure. No word as to when fans outside of the US can expect to see it; I'd presume on Disney Channel or Disney Cinemagic sometime in the near future.

Via Pixar Post.

Cars 2 Review - It's Got a Lot More "Vroom" to it Than Most Reviews Say

Cars 2, the latest release from famed Pixar Animation Studios and the follow up to the 2006 original, has been received by very mixed reviews, which, for a Pixar film, is an incredibly negative response. If fans thought that the reviews of Cars 1 were below the usual lofty heights of Pixar films, reviews of Cars 2 have surely been shocking. Many critics cited that the spy theme was too complex, that the refocusing on the sidekick of Cars 1, Mater, was a mistake, even that he is Pixar's Jar Jar Binks, and that it is Pixar's first bad film - or certainly the closest thing from Pixar to being bad -, the box office run for Cars 2 seems to reflect these mixed reviews, certainly looking like it's on track to be one one Pixar's weaker films commercially. However, believe me, after just seeing the film which opened here in the UK today, all of these criticisms are unfounded, Cars 2 is not only NOT a bad film, it's a very good one!

Pixar at IGN

The film, game and more, news and reviews website, IGN, has posted a couple of interviews with Cars 2 director, John Lasseter. The animation pioneer shares details about the hidden details of Pixar films (above), such as the Pizza Planet Truck and A113 (which this blog is named after) and tells you what you should keep your eyes out for in Cars 2 (which opens here in the UK on Friday).

Secondly, Lasseter shares details about the progress of the film (below) and how it became a spy film in the first place (based on a scrapped drive-in movie scene from Cars 1), as well as the huge scope and scale of the film.



Both of these interviews are very interesting and are getting me incredibly hyped for the film's UK debut on Friday, keep your eyes out for my review shortly thereafter.

Cars 2: The App Review - A High Speed, High Octane Blast

Cars 2, Pixar's latest feature film, has been received to very mixed reviews from critics, however, it's holding it's own on the Box Office front. Cars merchandise has always sold like wildfire, as such games dedicated to it are inevitable, however, film tie-in games are notoriously shoddy and poor quality. However, Cars 2 - The App, released by Disney Mobile, is a surprisingly good and fun game.

First Cars 2 Reviews Surface

With just under a week to go until the North American release of Cars 2 (all of us in the UK will, unfortunately, have to wait until July), the first reviews are beginning to surface, and they, generally, seem good.

Two reviews in particular that seem to be very positive in view of the film are from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. Variety cites Cars 2 as "The rare sequel that not only improves on but retroactively justifies its predecessor", claiming "If "Cars" was perhaps the least engaging of Pixar's hugely successful animated features, John Lasseter and his team have hit the creative accelerator with the unexpectedly delightful "Cars 2."" This review sounds very promising and you can read the full, but spoiler heavy, review here.

THR seems to be similarly impressed, saying that Cars 2 features "cooler cars and more action than Fast Five", but also says that "Cars 2 is notably less refined and more rambunctious than Pixar’s recent run of artistic gems". Again, you can read THR's full review of Pixar's latest film here.

From  what I can glean from reviews (there's also a few over at Rotten Tomatoes), the general consensus, so far at least, seems to be that this still isn't Pixar's strongest effort, but most seem to agree that it is leaps and bounds better than the original Cars.

Update

Reviews are now looking decidedly less promising, as Cars 2, currently holds a 55%, Rotten, rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This certainly doesn't look good for Pixar and it could very well be there first Rotten film, however things can always change when the film opens on Friday.

Fingers crossed.

Update No. 2

Be worried. Only one day away from its North American release, Cars 2 has plummeted to 38%. This seems to be an incredibly negative response, however, reading some of the reviews, I believe Cars 2 isn't getting a fair looking. Cars 2 seems to be being reviewed, not on its merits as an animated film, but against other Pixar films; of course it's going to suffer by this comparison. However, there is a very positive sounding review from arguably one of the most influential reviewers on the planet, Roger Ebert, who gave the film as 3.5 out of 4.
Things aren't looking a lot better on review aggregator, Metacritic, which currently holds Cars 2 at 60.

The Art of Cars 2 Review - A Work of Art

The first thing I have to say is that I’m insanely grateful to Abrams&Chronicle for the free copy; however, it won’t influence my review in any way shape or form. Now this is not to say that it needs the help; the book is fantastic and another great addition to the already strong ‘Art of’ range. The book is written by Ben Queen (the Cars 2 screenwriter) and Karen Paik (who wrote the Art of Ratatouille book) and they’re previous professional writing experience shines though, as they do a great job of it. I’m still inclined to say the Art of Toy Story 3 is better, as it felt more special, like a legacy of the franchise of Toy Story, whereas this book deals specifically with Cars 2, not the original Cars. The book is also decidedly less wordy for the aforementioned reasons; however this is somewhat of a good thing, as it brings more attention to the fantastic artwork. The book is still extraordinarily detailed and is just a bit easier to get into, whereas with the previous instalment, you had to sit and read it for a while, whereas here you can dip in and out, yet you will still want to commit to it, which is to be commended.

Final Cars 2 Trailer

The final trailer (above) for Disney and Pixar's upcoming high-octane sequel, Cars 2, has just recently debuted on the Internet, courtesy of Apple Movie Trailers. The trailer showcases a lot of new footage as well as reiterating a lot of the great footage we've seen in previous trailers. The trailer also does a fantastic job of showing the worldwide feel of the film. Also, I'm loving Francesco Bernoulli!

This trailer just proves that Disney sure can handle advertising, I can't wait for Cars 2. Roll on July!

New Cars 2 Still - Mater and Holley

Above we have a new still from Pixar's upcoming sequel, Cars 2. The picture shows the 2 characters that we understand will form the romantic aspect of the film, Mater and spy-in-training, Holley Shiftwell. Remember, the film is set to focus more on Mater than on Lightning McQueen, and this image is a testament to that.

Image courtesy of Stitch Kingdom.

International Poster A-thon

We've been treated to a whole new smorgasbord of international posters for 2 of the animated sequels coming up this year. Firstly we have the above poster, which is the newest French poster for DreamWorks' upcoming Kung Fu Panda 2 (which is personally my favourite poster for it so far) and is a very bright and appealing one.

Secondly, below you'll find 3 of my favourite new Russian Cars 2 posters (you can view all 7 of them at Daily Blam), they are also amongst my favourite posters for the film and are all just great, while the other 4 are also okay, these are my favourites.

Keep your eye out for both of these films later in the year. All posters courtesy of Daily Blam.

Cars 2 Tidbits

This past week has brought a tonne of new Cars 2 stuff; characters and posters galore. Firstly, above we have a huge new Cars 2 Triptych poster courtesy of Apple and it showcases pretty much all of the characters we have previously met and a few new ones (Double Decker buses anyone?).

We've also been introduced to 4 new Japanese Cars 2 characters (below):

Kingpin Nobunaga

Official Description: As a professional Sumo wrestler at an arena in Tokyo, Japan, Kingpin Nobunaga is a gold-painted micro van who fights his fiercest matches when he’s wearing his lucky purple mawashi.

Pinion Tanaka

Official Description: Pinion Tanaka is a gold-painted micro van and a professional Sumo wrestler from Tokyo, Japan, who’s always a menacing sight in the ring in his signature teal mawashi.

Okuni

Official Description: Okuni is a micro car Kabuki dancer who dons the traditional white-painted face and an exquisite colorful kimono for her performances at the Kabuki theater in Tokyo, Japan.

Zen Master

Official Description: A master in the art of sculpting the serene zen rock garden at the Tokyo museum, Zen Master wears his old woven reed hat and uses his antique wood rake to create mesmerizing patterns in the garden’s sand.

Finally, we have 3 new Cars 2 Retro Posters (below):

More Monsters University Details

Following the announcement that Monsters University - the prequel to Monsters, Inc. - had been delayed to 2013 and that it was to be directed by Mater and the Ghostlight director, Dan Scanlon, we get some more details.

We now know that Scott Clark will be the film's supervising animator. Scott announced this via Twitter today and he has past experience with the film's director Dan Scanlon, as he worked alongside him (with both of them in these roles) on Mater and the Ghostlight.  Clark also served as supervising animator on Up and the original Cars.

Sounds like the team is really shaping up for Monsters University.



New Cars 2 Characters: Gorvette and Cartrip

We have recently been treated to 2 new Cars 2 characters, based on (in a similar vein to John Lassetire) real life celebrities. These are Jeff Gorvette (based on and voiced by NASCAR star, Jeff Gordon) and Darrell Cartrip returns (based on and voiced by announcer, Darrell Waltrip), below are the official descriptions, character images and turntables:

Jeff Gorvette

Official Description: Jeff Gorvette is one of the greatest American racecars alive today. Donning the stars and stripes of his country’s flag, the #24 Corvette C6.R has proven his ability to succeed on the big ovals and the road courses of the Grand Touring Sports circuits. Having moved from his hometown of Vallejo, California to Indiana to be closer to the racing world, Gorvette’s ability to accelerate at such a young age has turned hoods wherever he competes. His championships and number of victories are unmatched, making him a respected competitor-and legitimate threat-at the World Grand Prix.

Darrell Cartrip



Official Description: Darrell Cartrip is a legendary multi-Piston Cup champion turned beloved racing announcer. The Kentucky-born #17 Chevrolet Monte Carlo is known for his wild color commentary, delighting Piston Cup fans with his humor, charisma and signature catch phrases—"Boogity, Boogity, Boogity! Let's go racin' boys!" He’s spent years on the track, in the pits and in the grease, and he’ll tell you all about it. This American Southern gentleman knows what it takes to win, and plans to bring that fervent expertise to calling the World Grand Prix.

We also have the two awesome new posters for Cars 2 (below).

New Cars 2 Stuff: New Trailer and Stills

Once again we are treated to a cornucopia of Cars 2 stuff, namely the third official trailer (above), which is a mix of previously seen footage from the Cars 2 Daytona 500 TV Spot and some previously unseen (yet awesomely action-packed) footage. We also have 4 new Cars 2 stills courtesy of Stitch Kingdom (below).

New Cars 2 Image - Arrivals

Courtesy of Stitch Kingdom and The Pixar Blog we have a new picture from Pixar's upcoming animated sequel, Cars 2. The picture appears to be Lightning McQueen, Mater, Luigi, Guido, Filmore and Sarge (presumably Lightning's Pit Crew) getting off the plane after travelling to the World Grand Prix.

Not long now until we can see the full film, roll on July.

New Cars 2 Characters Unveiled

As The Pixar Times have previously reported, Disney and Pixar have added a Cars 2 Showcase Tab to the Cars 2 Facebook page listing and detailing all of the characters for Cars 2, with silhouettes for the yet to be unveiled ones.

Today, Disney and Pixar have revealed three new Cars 2 Characters (above) who will likely be competitors for Lightning McQueen in the World Grand Prix. These new characters are Brazilian, Carla Veloso, French, Raoul ÇaRoule and Japanese, Shu Todoroki.

No descriptions are yet provided but will likely be unveiled soon. I'm not personally a fan of Facebook and as such don't have an account and will likely miss updates on these characters, so I advise you to keep an eye on The Pixar Times, as they alerted me to this update.

Also, remember to vote in the poll to the right, as there isn't long left now.

Holley Shiftwell Turntable

In the latest of the Cars 2 turntables, we are given a 360 degree look at the new female character Holley Shiftwell (voiced by Emily Mortimer).

After being treated to several turntables over the last few weeks, including Lightning, Mater and Finn McMissile (finally uploaded on Disney/Pixar's YouTube channel in HD), we get the fourth one and the first in depth look at what is understood to be a main character in Pixar's upcoing sequel.

You can view all of these turntable videos in HD on my YouTube Channel as well.

New Cars 2 Image

Mere hours after we were given a still from Cars 2, we were given another shot from Pixar's upcoming sequel. The image (above) shows Mater and new characters, Holley Shiftwell and Finn McMissile, in (what I assume) is a plane, which raises several questions: are the planes alive like the cars, I guess the film will answer all questions.

The image comes from the Australian Herald Sun and is accompanied by an article about Cars 2 and the new characters.

Cars 2 Goes to Japan

Following on from their massive win at the Golden Globes yesterday, Disney and Pixar look ahead to June and to Cars 2 and continue their massive stream of Cars 2 updates with the above image.

The main and overriding thought when looking at this is awe, it is astonishing how much better the animation looks here than in Cars after just 5 years, it's breathtaking.

Thanks to The Pixar Times to alerting me to this.

Also, remember you only have a week left to vote in the poll to the right to determine what film YOU think will make the biggest impact in 2011.