Cars 2 - A Mixed Bag?

"You keep talking to yourself, people are going to think you're crazy!" -Lizzie

We are somewhat experts round here on all things Pixar Cars. After going to Cars 2 for the second time recently, I feel compelled to give my opinion on it.

It seems there has been mixed reactions out there.

Here's my own breakdown.

Things I Liked About Cars 2
-The visual scenery was amazing! So bright, so colorful. Complete eye candy. Breathtaking.



-All of the different world destinations (Tokyo, Paris, Italy, England) were represented with fascinating detail. It was fun to have an international theme. I love it when I get to feel like a whole lot more exists out there than my own country, and I like for my child to learn about that too.






-The racing scenes are always my favorite. I wanted more, more, more racing scenes!

-As with the first Cars, the music was fun. I love the song that comes on when the characters first arrive in Tokyo. "You might think I'm crazy. All I want is you!" By none other than the music group, Cars. Awesome.

-Watching my sons reactions. When Mater almost flies into a building and has a parachute on, my son put his hands to his cheeks like the Culkin kid in Home Alone. At the beginning of the movie, after the Cars 2 logo was created in metal, my son burst out in enthusiastic clapping. When Holly Shiftwell flies, he gave a loud, "Wow!"

-Francesco's ribbing and teasing with McQueen was much more lovable and fun than Chick Hicks. Chick Hicks was nasty.



-Woot Woot for the first female Cars racer! Carla - how adorable is she? (and not a dash of pink on her)



Things I Did Not Like About Cars 2
-Too much gun action. It was a little much. It starts right out the gate with guns, guns, guns. I was a little shocked



-It is too long. Really, people, when creating a movie geared for young children, you do not need to be pushing the 2 hour and beyond mark. Really.

-There is so much spy talk and story behind the spy stuff that I don't know if any child under the age of 12 even knows what the heck is going on for a lot of the movie. More racing, please!



-Finn McMissile is really cool and all; he's a suave guy. However, he just does not measure up to the moral substance and relationship that Doc provided in Cars. The life lessons and grandfatherly figure of Doc was sorely missed.

So there you have it. My run-down on Cars 2. Overall, I liked it. I had some complaints, but I think the good outweighed the bad. It was entertaining. Thank god. I know I'll be watching it many, many, many more times. Whether I like it or not.

Ka-Chow, people. Hope that was the best damn Cars 2 review you've read.

I'd Mom Date Toy Story's Mom

If you are like me and have seen almost every single Pixar or Dreamworks movie at least 8,673,259 times (a rough estimate), then you can relate to some of the following:

-Noticing little details so that you are a Pixar-connoisseur of sorts. For example, the "flies" that buzz around in Cars are VW Bugs.

-Actually quoting movies in meetings at work. I have blurted out in a meeting once (in the style of Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story 1), "WHAT are you talking about?"

-Deeply appreciating (only the first 561 times) the fact that the people who created the movies are adults and must know that parents are desperate for adult humor to be part of all kid movies (e.g., any Shrek movie, Barbie saying to Ken in Toy Story 3, "Nice Ass-cot.").

But, I actually had a NEW thought tonight while watching a Pixar great. The Toy Story mom seems like a rockin' chick. I'd like to kick back a few with her. She's thinking, "Andy's at Cowboy Camp. Time for a garage sale!" She's all, "Andy's going to college! CLEAN the room out!"

photo from here

So then I got to thinking, what about other, seemingly minor, characters in these movies?

Who are the hidden gems?

-The three friends at the beginning of the movie Monsters Vs. Aliens. You know the ones: the inhaler girl, the coffee girl, and the camera girl. What are they all about? I sense entire lost footage which these three.

-The east coast pigeons on Bolt. What a riot!

photo from here

-Talk about a character - how about the dentist's daughter on Finding Nemo? Imagine what the teachers say at school about that one. I love her shirt. The details make the funny.

photo from here

-EDNA! On the Incredibles. LUV her. She's a superhero fashion designer, testing bullet proof suits on crawling babies.

-I think Lightning McQueen's agent, Harv, has some stories to tell. He could spill the beans on all the slutty Mini Coopers and Mustangs that he works for in Hollywood.

-Frank, the combine bull in Cars, is a well-loved character in our home. He was a treasure that I was able to find online and order for Christmas last year. My family could not believe how excited my son was to have Frank. They didn't even know who he was! He is quite an angry dude. I don't know what his story is, but I'm sure it involves a troubled past.

photo from here

What about you? Any characters out there lurking in the shadows of the movies you watch? Or, am I, as I have always suspected, a whack job with an over-active imagination? Don't leave me hanging...

Bang Head Here

One of the many things I did not expect when I became a mom was boredom. Don’t get me wrong, the day is certainly filled. Filled to the brim. It is a very different kind of boredom that seeps in here and there.

Allow me to explain.

Cars is playing on our TV for the effing one-thousand-millionth-billionth-kill-me-now boring-ass-time. (Right now I will apologize to my parents for all the times they sat through Annie and Grease because of me. I’m sorry.).

Before Parker, I loved spending empty moments scrapbooking, knitting, or sewing. Scrapbooking time is now a disaster (stickers + glue + scissors + 2 year old = disaster). Knitting needles resemble very tantalizing sticks that must be had NOW by said 2 year old. I have to admit, I have been able to get away with sewing. That is probably because I have told him that the needles are like “shots at the doctor’s office, so watch out!” I’m just kidding. I’m not that demented. But the more I think about it, it sounds like a good idea.

Because I cannot do some of my favorite things when I would like to without steeling myself to withstand THE FIT, I am sometimes captive to another rousing look at Cars Look & Find book or, you know, the TWO-HOUR-length Cars movie.

Even just now, I stopped writing for a little while to play with Parker and his Cars race track (while watching Cars) because I could tell he needed some attention. This was a perfect time for reflecting on what I just wrote. Please, don’t get me wrong. I love spending time with my boy. There are many times a day we have lots of fun playing and playing and playing, and, yes, watching Cars and any activity having to do with Cars. But, you know what?? It’s OK to be bored with some of it. An adult mind can play in a 2 year old world for only so long before it gets a little boring. Don’t let the NY Times tell you any different. That is why I love my friends, and writing, and wine at 5 o’clock on a Friday. A little escape. OK, my time’s up. Time to PLAY!

I Love My Bub!

Over at Krista’s blog, Picture Imperfect, Krista wrote 10 Things that made her happy and recommended that others do the same. Krista’s blog is highly recommended, full of beautiful photography and musings. She is also valiantly quitting smoking and deserves some major kudos for the success she has had with it so far!

So, I have decided to do 10 Little Things I Love About My Bub so that I can prove to all of you out there that I truly love my little maniac deeply from the bottom of my heart, and I really do not think he can be an asshole (well, let’s just be honest, I guess I’ve thought that a couple of times).

Ok, feel the luuuuuv, baby!

1. My bub says “Thank you” in a way that melts people’s hearts. Actually, he says, “Tank you!” in his cute little voice, and he says it all the time! I kiss him on the cheek, and he says, “Tank you!” I put him in his crib and put the blanket over him, and he says, “Tank you!” I wipe his nose, and he says, “Tank you!” Sometimes, he will be having so much fun with a particular toy that he will look up at me in the middle of playing and say, “Tank you!” Ohhhh, precious.

2. If I catch his eye in the rearview mirror, he bursts into this big smile and laughs like a goof.

3. When I drive on an on-ramp to the freeway, Parker loves the speed. He shouts exuberantly, “Go, Go, Go!” We get on the freeway and yell, “Woo, hoo!”

4. Almost every slightly-odd behavior can eventually be linked back to his Cars obsession. Every once in a while, Parker will (with great excitement) completely lick the side of my face or my husband’s. Then, I saw the tractors (on the movie Cars) licking Mator and realized where that came from. The daycare lady says that Parker acts like a “monster” and chases everyone growling. I had to clarify, “No, he is acting like Frank. The combine. In Cars.” Now that some speech is more understandable, we realize that he is saying, “Dinoco’s all mine!” instead of thinking he is simply grabbing his toys and saying “All mine!” Well, I could go on and on.

5. Parker is full of the dance! It is great. As soon as any kind of music comes on – whether you start singing, or the TV plays music – Parker just starts DANCING. He puts his shoulder into it and everything. If it is hip-hop type music, he gets on the floor and acts like he is break dancing. If ballet dancers are on Sesame Street, he glides around like them. He has even been known to naked flashdance! (Check out my January 2010 Naked Flashdance post).

6. Sometimes when you pick him up, he will put his head on your shoulder and pat your back like he is consoling you.

7. Out in public, Parker is very social. He likes saying hi to people and checking things out. I see this as a sign that he has a go-getter type personality, jumps into life, and doesn’t have much fear. I have been embarrassed many a time when I realize that I am STARING at a mother or father and their child - WHO IS JUST STANDING THERE WITH THEM. If Parker is not contained, he is ON THE MOVE, running, checking things out, grabbing things, talking to people.

8. Parker calls all fish his “babies” (fish in a tank, play/plastic fish, pictures of fish). I do not know where this came from. But it is damn cute. My husband and I just giggle when we hear this because it is nothing but just really adorable.

9. So far, Parker seems to respond well to discipline, behaves very well at daycare, and with some sleep training sleeps through the night and takes reliable naps. These types of things are very important to parents, and so even when I’m totally frustrated by picky eating, normal whining, and tantrums, I know I am lucky and grateful for the fact that he’s not a TOTAL freak and he sleeps well.

10. Parker seems to be pretty artistic all around. At a very early age, he loved coloring. His fine motor skills are great for a boy his age. He loves music and dancing. AND! He ACTS! Yes, he is an actor too. He is a triple threat. He lays down at the bottom of the stairs and goes, “Oh, oh!” He acts like he fell down the stairs. He acts like he has fallen off the bed too! He lays at the bottom of it and does the same thing! Oh, he is so silly.


He is a silly, silly guy. Now do you believe I don’t think he’s an asshole (all the time)? Geesh!