If there's any movie that my kids have been counting down the days to see, it's definitely Cars 2, the long awaited sequel to the uber popular Cars movie that was first released when I only had one kid. Since then, we've watched it countless times, collected various iterations of Lightning McQueen and all his Radiator Springs gang, and wondered when are they going to make another one.
Well, wait no more. The sequel is here, in 3D no less, and it's definitely worth the wait.
[don't miss a fun glimpse at the red carpet after the jump]
The movie unfolds with a surprising James Bond-esque action sequence starring new character Finn McMissile, voiced by Michael Caine. Think the suave 007 but as an Italian car, with all sorts of bells and whistles--or rather, guns and rockets-- that come in handy as his secret mission goes awry and he escapes the clutches of the bad guys. Or in this case, bad cars.
You know, lemons.
The scene sets the perfect tone for the entire film, a thrilling worldwide espionage-slash-race movie. The celebrity voice casting is pitch perfect, from John Turturro as Italian race car Francesco Bernoulli, to British agent Holly Shiftwell, played by mom of four Emily Mortimer.
In fact, even though Cars 2 is a sequel, it includes an entirely new cast of characters (in addition to those you already love) and a story line that isn't at all reliant on the first movie. If your kids didn't see the first one, don't worry--they'll be able to catch up in no time.
Parents will be interested to know the movie is tame enough for really young kids, with two small exceptions; the first scene might be a little scary if you have an anxious little movie watcher like I do, and there is one part where the bad guys "kill" a car. Otherwise, even the bad guys aren't really that bad, which is a nice change from the typical over-the-top evil Disney villains we're used to seeing.
I did notice that the dialogue isn't as witty and funny as you may be imagining after Disney releases like Tangled or Toy Story 3. Clearly Cars 2 is all about appealing to action-hungry kiddos (and adults), both boys and girls. Don't get me wrong, my son and I laughed out loud at several parts in this movie, but you're definitely going to be more enthralled by the race sequences (particularly amazing in 3D) than the actual script.
The new characters, like Finn and Holly, are not as "lovable" as the original Radiator Gang, but they definitely hold their own special appeal. Which means prepare to be swimming in Cars 2 merchandise requests before your popcorn is even empty. Disney has never employed so many licensing partners and created so many different products around a single release. So you'll find Cars 2 on everything from clothing to some very cool toys, and even Perdue whole grain chicken nuggets in the shape of lightning bolts and, well, cars.
If my son's reaction is any indication, Cars 2 will definitely be the next Disney classic. Not just because it's a sequel to an already popular movie, but because it alone is exactly what you'd expect from Disney and Pixar. And that's a good thing. -Kristen
You can catch Cars 2 at a theater near you June 24. Find out more on the Cars 2 Facebook page - 3 million fans and counting! Thanks to Disney partner Perdue for including Cool Mom Picks at the red carpet Los Angeles premier where we got to brush elbows with the Beckham family. Yes, he's hot in person. And darnit, so is she. Even pregnant.
Well, wait no more. The sequel is here, in 3D no less, and it's definitely worth the wait.
[don't miss a fun glimpse at the red carpet after the jump]
The movie unfolds with a surprising James Bond-esque action sequence starring new character Finn McMissile, voiced by Michael Caine. Think the suave 007 but as an Italian car, with all sorts of bells and whistles--or rather, guns and rockets-- that come in handy as his secret mission goes awry and he escapes the clutches of the bad guys. Or in this case, bad cars.
You know, lemons.
The scene sets the perfect tone for the entire film, a thrilling worldwide espionage-slash-race movie. The celebrity voice casting is pitch perfect, from John Turturro as Italian race car Francesco Bernoulli, to British agent Holly Shiftwell, played by mom of four Emily Mortimer.
In fact, even though Cars 2 is a sequel, it includes an entirely new cast of characters (in addition to those you already love) and a story line that isn't at all reliant on the first movie. If your kids didn't see the first one, don't worry--they'll be able to catch up in no time.
Parents will be interested to know the movie is tame enough for really young kids, with two small exceptions; the first scene might be a little scary if you have an anxious little movie watcher like I do, and there is one part where the bad guys "kill" a car. Otherwise, even the bad guys aren't really that bad, which is a nice change from the typical over-the-top evil Disney villains we're used to seeing.
I did notice that the dialogue isn't as witty and funny as you may be imagining after Disney releases like Tangled or Toy Story 3. Clearly Cars 2 is all about appealing to action-hungry kiddos (and adults), both boys and girls. Don't get me wrong, my son and I laughed out loud at several parts in this movie, but you're definitely going to be more enthralled by the race sequences (particularly amazing in 3D) than the actual script.
The new characters, like Finn and Holly, are not as "lovable" as the original Radiator Gang, but they definitely hold their own special appeal. Which means prepare to be swimming in Cars 2 merchandise requests before your popcorn is even empty. Disney has never employed so many licensing partners and created so many different products around a single release. So you'll find Cars 2 on everything from clothing to some very cool toys, and even Perdue whole grain chicken nuggets in the shape of lightning bolts and, well, cars.
If my son's reaction is any indication, Cars 2 will definitely be the next Disney classic. Not just because it's a sequel to an already popular movie, but because it alone is exactly what you'd expect from Disney and Pixar. And that's a good thing. -Kristen
You can catch Cars 2 at a theater near you June 24. Find out more on the Cars 2 Facebook page - 3 million fans and counting! Thanks to Disney partner Perdue for including Cool Mom Picks at the red carpet Los Angeles premier where we got to brush elbows with the Beckham family. Yes, he's hot in person. And darnit, so is she. Even pregnant.
