“CARS 3” (Blu-ray/DVD Written Review & Trailer)

 

 

 

 

 

Review by John Delia, Sr.

Speeding down the track Disney PIXAR’s Cars 3 crosses the finish line on home video. It’s a winner for kids and families. As usual PIXAR goes straight for the heart and delivers an uplifting tale of friendship, determination and good values with which the children can aspire.

Winningest racer Lightning McQueen (voice Owen Wilson) has been burning up the track taking all the glory from the field of top notch competitors. But, that’s about to change when Jackson Storm (voice Armie Hammer) crosses the finish line with a high powered car that seems unbeatable. After several losses, the press are saying that McQueen is washed up and predicting he will retire.

Heading back to Radiator Springs after a wreck that nearly destroyed his car, McQueen wants to sort it out and find a way to beat the high powered competition. He gets word that his sponsor Rusteze wants him to train at a new facility in Florida. There he meets Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo) a wiz at training cars to increase their speed and agility. Cruz feels she has McQueen under control, until he loses his ambition to return to the track.

Director Brian Fee knows a lot about Cars as he has been the storyboard artist for PIXAR since the first of the series in 2006. Here he ups the game with a lot of action, comedy and important principles to which most all children can relate. He brings on a flashy new set of cars that are raring to beat McQueen and upend the king of racing with a story that’s inspiring and even a little romantic. It’s one of the better of the Cars series and the ending actually shows hope for a future 4th edition.

All the main characters voices are back and a few have been added that make Cars 3 familiar to the kids and adults who have become fans of the animated adventure. Lightning McQueen (voice Owen Wilson), Doc Hudson (voice Paul Newman), Mater (voice Larry the Cable Guy), The King (voice Richard Petty), Sally Carrera (voice Bonnie Hunt,) Mack (voice John Ratzenberger), Ramone (voice Cheech Marin), Luigi (voice Tony Shalhoub) and more. Newcomers include Armie Hammer as Jackson Storm, Nathan Fillion as Sterling, Chris Cooper as Smokey and Cristela Alonzo as Cruz Ramirez.

BONUS FEATURES:

There a lot of extras on the 2 disc Blu-ray that can be purchased as a combo pack with the DVD.

“Miss Fritter’s Racing Skoool” (Exclusive new mini-movie) – Enjoy blindsided testimonials from the Crazy 8’s, touting the transformative impact Miss Fritter’s Racing School has had in reshaping the direction of their lives.
“Theatrical Short: “Lou” – When a toy-stealing bully ruins recess for a playground full of kids, only one thing stands in his way: the “Lost and Found” box.
“Let’s. Get. Crazy.” – Get schooled in the world of demolition derby, the “rules” of figure 8 racing, and how Pixar puts the crazy in the Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 race. This piece is hosted by Lea DeLaria.
“Legendary” – Get a close, historical look at the racing legends Wendell Scott and Louise Smith, whose tenacity and perseverance got them into the race even when they weren’t invited.
“Ready for the Race” – Disney Channel’s Olivia Rodrigo and NASCAR Racer William Byron check out the Hendrick Motorsports campus to showcase how real-world race training influenced the filmmakers.
“World’s Fastest Billboard” – Blink and you will miss all of the graphics and “car-ified” advertisements created by Pixar’s Art team to make the ”Cars 3” world as believable as possible.
“Cruz Ramirez: The Yellow Car That Could” – Join Cristela Alonzo and the filmmakers on their journey to create a race-car trainer turned champion racer.
“Generations: The Story of Cars 3” – For the story team, creating Lightning McQueen’s next chapter didn’t involve just a tune-up, but a complete overhaul.
“My First Car” – A collection of illustrated first-car stories as narrated by members of the “Cars 3” cast and crew. “A Green Car on the Red Carpet with Kerry Washington,” “Old Blue,” and “Still in the Family.”
“5 Deleted Scenes” – Each deleted scene is set up with an introduction as to why it was removed from the film. Deleted scenes include “The Boogie Woogie,” “The Jars of Dirt,” “Lugnut,” “The Bolt,” and “More Than New Paint.”
“Cars To Die(cast) For” – Take a look at the phenomenon of die-cast toy collecting and the more than 1,000 unique designs that exist in the Cars universe.
“Commentary” – Brian Fee (Director), Kevin Reher (Producer), Andrea Warren (Co-Producer) and Jay Ward (Creative Director)

Cars 3 has been rated G for everyone by the MPAA. With the advent of the character Cruz Ramirez voiced by Cristela Alonzo, even the young ladies should enjoy this nicely crafted adventure. The home video has the cartoon LOU about a troubled youth that should bring a heartwarming glow to family viewers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack is a new mini-movie starring the school bus

FINAL ANALYSIS: Cars 3: A cool fast and exciting racing film for kids. (4.5 out to 5 stars), PIXAR Shorts “LOU” (5 out of 5 stars) Miss Fritter’s Racing Skoool (4 out of 5).

Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Larry the Cable Guy, Paul Newman, Cheech Marin, John Ratzenberger, Nathan Fillion, Chris Cooper and a bevy of returning voices
Directed by: Brian Fee
Genre: Family, Adventure, Kids, Sports, Animation
MPAA Rating: G
Running Time: 1 hr. 49 min.
Original Theatrical Release Date: June16, 2017
Video Release Date: November 7, 2017
Language: English (changeable to Spanish or French)
Reviewed Format: Blu-ray (also available on DVD)
Audio: 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish
Number of Discs: Blu-ray/DVD combo includes 3 discs, + HD download
Distributed by: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Released in: Blu-ray, DVD, 4K