We caught “Cars” last Friday evening. While I’ve read some really bad reviews, it worked for us.
Maybe not quite “Toy Story” or “The Incredibles.” Maybe not even “Bug’s Life.” But Pixar is still creative and still knows how to add heart. The nostalgic longing for the Route-66 world, the emptiness of fame and success, and the deep joy of friends — that’s enough to carry this one for me.
If you go, be sure you don’t leave too early. The spoof on earlier Pixar films is worth the price of admission.
Great fun at Fenway last night (well, except for the three obscene, aggressive drunks behind us who had to be hauled off by security in the 8th inning while five rows of people sang “nah-nah-nah-nah, hey-hey, goodbye!”). Except for the luxury boxes, it looked like every single seat must have been taken. We thought we’d heard the crowd really loud until Manny hit one out — way out . . . probably on the roof of the Cask and Flagon — in the 8th.
Brought to you by John Lasseter who grew up in the c of C and who’s parents still attend the Whittier (South Painter) Church of Christ. Years ago (during Toy Story) we had a film festival of his films at church.
While cleaning my Mom’s garage last week we found pictures of my Dad in his Fresno Cardinals uniform, so as I get a chance I will post it.
Mike, if I had to rank my favorite Pixar movies, it would be as followed:
1. Finding Nemo
2. The Incredibles
3. A Bug’s Life
4. Monster’s Inc.
5. Toy Story
6. Toy Story 2
Of course, I want to see Cars and make a truly complete list of seven movies, haha. Now all I need to do is find a movie theatre showing Cars in English!
Or should I have said, “it would be as follows” ?
And isn’t it “Monsters Inc” without an apostrophe? Oh dear, I’m not sure. (Can you tell I’ve been reading Lynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots & Leaves?)
A major league ball game just wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t have drunks getting wild and rowdy. “Thank’s for the memories.”
Fenway is the most incredible place to catch a game in all of baseball, in my opinion. In 1990, I saw The Rocket beat the O’s with 16 K’s (3 on Ripken). That crowd was incredible-I couldn’t imagine it now after winning a World Series and contending for one this year. We sat right over the 1st base dugout for that game but I’ve also been a Bleacher Creature-great stuff.
Baseball at Fenway. Forgive me Lord, for I am jealous. Very jealous.
I thought Cars was getting rave reviews? I’ll watch it…someday. Look for Les Hunter’s name in the credits somewhere. There is some incredible ACU talent in Hollywood - and more coming from what I gather.
We liked Cars. IT gave us a talking point with our 5 and 3 y/o kiddos about selfishness versus helping others, and how Jesus would have been proud of Lightening at the end of the big race (I’m trying not to give the spoiler away!).
I guess any kids movie that can open up discussions like that in our home is a winner…more so than say, Chicken Little.
My wife and I will be worshipping in the sanctuary tomorrow night (Wed). Our pew seats are on first base side between the dugout and home plate. Our hands will be raised, we’ll partake of the meal, and we’ll pray for a win.
Mike, hope you can make it to Mike’s Pastry shop in the North End before you depart (if you haven’t already eaten there). That place is almost as good as a Fenway frank.
We absolutely loved Cars. Not as good as The Incredibles, but better than Finding Nemo (IMO). Larry the Cable Guy’s character (Mater) is hilarious.
I’m not a big movie-goer, but I will go see anything from Pixar.
Already been to Mike’s Pastry, Paul. Can you actually DO the Freedom Trail without stopping for a choc chip cannoli at Mike’s? (Thanks to Steve and Chrissy for the suggestion when we met them yesterday.)
Ed, I think you’re right. No better place to watch a game than Fenway. The love for the Red Sox and the hatred for the Yankees has a unifying effect.
I am a huge NASCAR fan, so I relate to both the enjoyment of the movie CARS, and dealing with agressive drunks being hauled off by security [you know how those Jr fans can get...
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Great game to catch. Great that you got tickets! You didn’t mention how you got them — or how much you had to mortgage your house for to be able to pay for them.
What is more fun than having people hauled away while people are singing “hey, hey, goodbye?” 
It certainly makes for a great story. I’m sure there were no empty seats and I know first-hand how frenzied “WE” can get!
Being down in Alabama, we don’t see many games — EXCEPT, of course, we saw all the Braves games (although, we only saw the 3rd one in its entirety — the new grand-baby created some distractions!
HAVE FUN!!
No time for movies here!
As I am wearing my YankeesHater hat, I cannot help but be envious of those who get to go to Boston for a Red Sox game.
Mike…and the best thing about Mike’s is that they will ship. A little italian pastry eaten in Abilene for Christmas is the way to go! Hey, grab some seafood at either No Name restaurant on the warf, Legal Seafood is the usual top notch faire, or one of the best bowls of clam chowda in the world can be consumed at Union Oyster House (right on the Freedom Trail, as you know).
Ahhh, Boston. The best big little town in America! Sounds like great fun for a few days. Enoy!
I think people overrate The Incredibles and underrate Monsters, Inc. Finding Nemo is the best of them all, though. I liked Cars. There were several moments during the movie when my wife and I both thought that the scenery was real, especially during the landscape scenes. Pixar is absolutely the best.
Glad you grabbed a Mike’s pastry yesterday. Did you have the cannoli? Tiramisu? I’m pretty sure I committed gluttony, lust, and idolatry, all in one sitting when I ate Mike’s tiramisu, made the “right way,” if you know what I mean. It was drippingly tasty.
Great to see you and your family yesterday, Mike.
Baseball in Modesto is a treat. Watching up and coming future stars playing their hearts out on a “field of dreams”. Our team name is unique. We are the Modesto Nuts. Mascots names are Wally, Al and Pea. My five year likes the mascots at the games better than the game itself. Unless the visiting team brings their mascots which usually scares him. Boston sounds fun. Enjoy!
We enjoyed “Cars” to the extent that you can look back with good feelings on a movie that inspired your 5-year-old to walk around for a week saying, “Dadgum!”
I got to see Pedro pitch at Fenway in 2000. The crowd is invested in every pitch. Quite different from baseball in southern Cal where they show up in the third, leave in the seventh, and chat in between.
from one of the token Christian-yankee fans. I would love to go to a game at Fenway. Stayed in a hotel right beside it once but have never been to a game. My favorite of all time is a game at old Cominskee (sp?) the year before they tore it down.
I had heard so much good about Cars it was a little bit of a let down. But still good. Our three boys loved it!
Sorry my friends and I were so disruptive last night. The whole getting-escorted-out-by-security thing was pretty embarrassing. Next time we’ll just stick to Diet Coke.
We took our kiddos to “Cars” on Father’s Day. I thought it was so clever! Someone commented how real the landscapes looked… how do they do that? Amazing! I had even read somewhere that is was boring and didn’t have a meaningful message– both untrue. It was exciting and the message about the importance of having good friends and being a good friend were awesome talking points for our family.
No comment about your Sox game… still bitter…. We are going to the Rangers game tomorrow…
Amy!!
“We are going to the Rangers game tomorrow… ” Hush ya mouth!
That’s the PADRES!!/ Rangers game! :o)
Give a shout of thanks to all Rangers fans for Adrian Gonzalez and Chris Young. They’re more than welcome in San Diego! :O)
CARS I haven’t seen. My kids loved it.
Having much to learn but still appreciating aesthetics, I’m impressed with LUTHER. It wasn’t the box-office smash of PASSION OF THE CHRIST, partly because the two came out simultaneously and had overlapping potential audiences. On balance LUTHER is neither pro-Luther nor anti-Luther, or, to put that another way, it is BOTH pro-Luther and anti-Luther. The directors chose not to go into topics such as anti-Semitism, which existed on both sides of the Reformation, but rather to use the film’s 124 minutes to highlight the contrast between Luther and the abuses he was protesting. Common Catholics are portrayed as devout believers manipulated by corrupt officials, who, as the story progresses, come to realize the church is in a mess, they have gotten her that way, and they must cleanse their own sanctuary.
On minor points the film misses the target. Luther cites chapter-verse in opposing the Petrine theory, but the chapter-verse breaks weren’t there until after Luther died. Some scenes need different staging; if a 5-second distraction turns your head, you’ll miss the 95 theses, the renowned nailing coming across as daft, with few spectators (historical accuracy perhaps, just not gripping drama). The repetitious background music would more effectively incorporate themes popularly identified with Luther, particularly “Ein’ Feste Burg” (”A Mighty Fortress”), the Reformation’s default anthem. Some carnage scenes are too graphic for unaccompanied children—thus the PG-13 rating.
Nonetheless, in general the largely European cast and directors have done a superb job of making an authentic but spell-binding documentary. LUTHER was the last film in which Sir Peter Ustinov appeared before his death, and he does a masterful job of playing the Duke of Wittenburg. The film is overall awesome. The episode in which Luther makes his “Here I stand” statement could not possibly be better done. Whether you agree with Luther or not, you will see leadership, conviction, pathos, relationships between ideas and consequences, noble traits and evil traits in the human nature which Christ came to remake and save. This film causes you to think. There’s even some fitting comic relief, as when nuns, escaping a convent, pop out of a wagonload of “herring” barrels. Presto Luther’s happy wedding to the lead mutineer, Katherina von Bora.
Highly recommended, including for congregational viewing and discussion.
Now back to CARS . . . .
Okay, back to CARS, but first -
Rangers 5 My PADRES!! 6
Thank you very much!!!!
After watching “Cars” with the kids and grandkids, Steve started talking about Route 66 and Neosho and Joplin. I thought it was very well done and the part after the credits is hilarious. Still like the Toy Stories ones the best. Buzz drinking darjeeling with Marie Antoinette and her little sister cracks me up every time.
A’s!!!
Tigers: 48-25 record, best in the major leagues.
GO RANGERS!!!!!
Sorry about that, Scott!
Rangers 2 MY PADRES!! 3 :>)
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