What’s better — life in the fast lane or
enjoying it at a slower pace? And can you get where you’re going by
going it alone? Don’t expect any surprise answers in Cars, Pixar’s delightful
story of a young racecar who learns important life lessons on the way to
the big race. Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) has an ego
the size of the NASCAR circuit itself. His motto is “I’m a
one-man show” — and he’s made it to the top without a
regular pit crew. But this foolish strategy gets him into trouble: At the
end of the season, he’s in a three-way tie with the King (Richard
Petty), a quiet, solid veteran; and Chick Hicks (Michael Keaton), who only
competes for the money and glory. The only solution is a match race a week hence in
California, a destination Lightning is eager to get to so he can take some
practice laps. He presses his transport, Mack (John Ratzenberger), through
the night, a mistake that gets him stuck in Radiator Springs, a forgotten
town along old Route 66. Lightning, used to traveling at more than 200 mph,
destroys the town’s main drag, Sentenced to community service by Doc
Hudson (Paul Newman), he’s forced to pull Bessie the paving machine
until the road is fixed. Though he’s anxious to get to the big race,
Lightning meets a tight-knit group of vehicles who become his friends. The thing I like most about the Pixar films is the
attention to detail, from the way the landscape incorporates the shape of
old hood ornaments to the clever names for towns seen only in passing.
Indeed, the entire film is evocative of the era when American cars were
king, the Mother Road was the lifeline of the nation, and people
weren’t in such a hurry. Like most youngsters, Lightning doesn’t realize
that this way of life existed not so long ago and that what it had to offer
was far more important than speed and convenience. He learns that by
slowing down, it’ll get you a lot further in the long run.
Also in theaters this week. . . The Break-Up [PG-13]
Breaking up is hard to do especially if the couple shares a precious condo.
ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
The Da Vinci Code [PG-13]
The suspenseful tale of a death in the Louvre and a symbolic conundrum
linked to a mysterious group with a secret that could shake the foundation
of Christianity. ShowPlace West, ShowPlace
East, Route 66 Drive-In
The Omen [R] A remake of the classic horror
film, in which a couple comes to the sad realization their son is the
devil. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
Over the Hedge [PG] RJ, a
fast-talking shady raccoon, persuades a community of critters living on the
outskirts of suburbia to steal food from humans. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
A Prairie Home Companion [PG-13]
A fictionalized account of Garrison Keillor’s beloved radio show,
featuring crooning cowboys, a country music diva, and others. ShowPlace West
R.V. [PG] The Munro
family attempts to have an old-fashioned camping trip to the Rockies, but a
group of cracked campers beat them to the punch. ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East, Route 66 Drive-In
X-Men: The Last Stand [PG-13] A new cure that reverses
mutations causes tempers to flare in this third and final installment of
the X-Men tale. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
This article appears in Jun 8-14, 2006.
