As we've come to expect of Pixar titles, the quality of the high definition picture and sound on the Blu-ray is perfect. This includes the accompanying shorts as well.
Besides Toy Story Toon Hawaiian Vacation, all editions of Cars 2 include the brand-new Cars Toon Air Mater, which is the first short from Pixar Canada in Vancouver.
Air Mater is one of the most enjoyable Cars Toons yet. It's very appealing visually and there are a few humorous moments here and there. It ends with a fun wink at DisneyToon Studios' Planes.
That's about it for extras on the 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. Besides the shorts, there is only the audio director's commentary, exactly like on the 1-disc DVD.
All other bonus features are found only on the 5-disc combo pack, which bundles the film on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD, and digital copy, and the 11-disc Cars Director's Edition set. (Since I received the 2-disc for review, I can't comment on these.)
Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Toy Story 3 are available separately and as a Complete 3D Toy Story Collection.
If you've got a 3-D-capable system and want just the 3-D versions, you'll want to go with the collection. It's a much better value since you don't pay for the multiple 2-D versions (Blu-ray/DVD/digital copy).
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34 comments:
3D is just too expensive, however, the Toy Story movies had some of the best moments in 3D that I experienced.
Cars, on the other hand. Blah. I was looking forward to what they would create, Air Mater? Sounds awful. People should wait for the single DVD release of Cars 2, buy it for the short, rip the short, and throw the rest of that movie away. Because Cars 2 deserves to be thrown into a trash can.
Couldn't agree more with the previous comment!!
First Pixar movie I won't be picking up.
I already had the normal DVD pre-ordered on Amazon because I don't have a Blu-ray player.
But I want one someday!
I've pretty much disliked all the Mater's Tall Tales I've seen, but I thought that Cars 2 was surprisingly good. The Toy Story short, on the other hand, I found utterly forgettable.
When will the Cars 2 news cycle be over and then Brave news cycle begin? Usually with Pixar, this transition takes place after the Oscars, but I have a feeling we aren't going to have to wait that long to close to book on Cars 2 news...
Bring a close to Cars 2 news! Democracy has spoken! You have heard our voice Mike!
"Cars 2 deserves to be thrown into a trash can." "Couldn't agree more with the previous comment!!" "First Pixar movie I won't be picking up." "When will the Cars 2 news cycle end?"
When will all the haters just shut up? Sure it ain't Pixar's best movie. Sure it could've been better. But you people expect too much from Pixar. You think that every Pixar movie needs to be deeply philosophical or whatever, like WALL-E or Up.
Pixar ain't Dreamworks, but they've gotta have some fun too, you know. If you can't handle simple fun, then you need to get a life.
I am so sick of these hypocritical comments.
Darrell said...
"But you people expect too much from Pixar. You think that every Pixar movie needs to be deeply philosophical or whatever, like WALL-E or Up."
Expect too much from Pixar? Really? When they have a studio filled with some of the most skilled animation and story artists in the world? When they have a reputation on reworking an reworking a story until it is finished well?
I went into Cars 2 with an open mind expecting a fun action movie. Nothing more. But the film was poorly paced, and the characters, (especially Mater) grew increasingly annoying throughout the film. No, I don't expect the studio to pump out films exactly like WALL-E or Up every year. (although those are my favourite Pixar movies) Because, I expect the studio to put out a variety of entertainment. You should never stick to a formula.
But I honestly don't believe that the Pixar artists for the most part, had fun with the movie. I think the employees probably grew to resent John L. as the film production went on. "We hate this film, but we're powerless because our boss thinks making this movie is a good idea. If we protest, we'll get fired."
John was the only one who had any fun making this picture. And Larry the Cable Guy.
We will shut up once the Brave news cycle starts. :)
@Anonymous 3:25:
We must not have been watching the same movie.
You saw a movie that was "poorly paced, and the characters (especially Mater) grew increasingly annoying throughout the film." I saw a movie that, yes, needed improvement on the plot, but was extremely fast-paced, laugh-out-loud, and enthralling.
Okay, maybe there are some of you who don't expect Pixar to put out a certain type of movie every time. But that's what some of you have said.
"We will shut up once the Brave news cycle starts. :)"
And I will shut up once you people stop your ranting about the so-called piece of crap that is Cars 2. :)
Frankly, I'm actually not too excited about Brave. I still want to see it, but I've got a sinking feeling about this.
Darrell, the comes a point where no more can be said, because it's a matter of opinion. Believe it or not, I think people are entitled to their opinion. Yes, you're free to like Cars 2. But those of us who hate the film are free to express themselves as well. That's part of what comments on a film blog are all about.
(although, I will have to admit that most arguments, including my own at times, turn into mindless shouting matches and popularity contests rather than arguments with substance.)
The reason I found the movie to be poorly paced wasn't so much that it was too slow.
The problem is that it doesn't take time to breath, or go beyond extremely shallow characterizations. With a go, go, go attitude, the story became boring to me. There was no attempt to get you involved with the characters, no emotional investment. Which is even important to have in an action-comedy.
Not to mention Mater's stupidity, which was supposed to be charming and hilarious just got annoying. I had a hard time believing that Finn McMissile could be tricked into thinking that Mater was a master spy.
Yes, there were a couple of gags that I found funny, and the opening action scene was very well done. But there was no emotional investment. Mater's personality has one dimension: Stupidity. Lightning McQueen has no personality, but I'd honestly beg for more McQueen time if it meant killing Mater.
As for Brave, why are you worried about it? Because the original director was replaced? Well, that was the case with Toy Story 2 and Ratatouille. Is it because Pixar wants to take the movie in a more serious direction? I think Pixar has proven with moments in WALL-E, Up, and Toy Story 3 that Pixar can make a serious film.
I just rented and watched Cars 2 for the first time - I was prepared to forgive the thin premise as long as the movie was fun - but man o man... "No Mater, you're the 'bomb,'" verbal references to iPhone apps... every joke fell flat, and meanwhile there is this weird dark undercurrent of cars getting blown up and dying. Brad Bird wrote about how Disney in the 70s was like watching "master chefs cook hot dogs," and that's what watching Cars 2 was like for me.
"...no emotional investment..."
That's another thing that you people expect a bit too much from Pixar. A Bug's Life was hardly emotional, for example, and it was still a great flick and highly underrated (just like this one!).
An action-comedy (or perhaps just action) doesn't necessarily have to be emotional to be enjoyable. Let's take all the Transformers movies and G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra for example. As mediocre as the latter might have been, it still had a lot of well-done action in it with special effects. The Transformers movies are pretty much typical Hollywood fare all rolled into one -- save for the fantastic third one -- and yet, they also manage to come across as enjoyable.
If you can't handle action-comedy flicks that have barely any substance to them, that's your loss I suppose. Kind of an outrage though that people can't handle a little bit of fun anymore.
"As for Brave, why are you worried about it?"
I know that normally Pixar puts their movies out to all audiences... but this one has been marketed (in the past) as being more girl-oriented.
I'm actually glad that the director got replaced -- a male director may help with this issue. I feel better about it than when it was first announced, but I'm still a little nervous. Maybe the upcoming trailer will change my mind. And if not? Who knows?
Darrell, Brave may have a female protagonist, but that neither speaks for or against the film.
I'm sure the film will appeal to boys too, after all, it does look like it's going to be heavy on fantasy action.
And for the record, sure A Bug's Life didn't have any heart-wrenching scenes, but I cared about the characters. Flick was relatable. So was the band of misfit thespians/clowns.
Cars 2 zoomed by without letting the audience get to know the characters at all. Just Mater. And he was annoying.
Sorry to stick my nose in your discussion, but I think Pixar's not about genres. It's not about whether Cars 2 was a well-made action comedy or a bad one, because actually, Pixar is now (for me) a genre on its own. And that's precisely the problem with Cars 2, it's not a Pixar movie. It feels more like a film made by Blue Sky or Dreamworks, where you are forced to sympathize with the [new] main character (Mater), without really giving the audience reasons to feel sad or happy about him.
Another problem with the Cars franchise in general is that it never makes sense a world of cars with no humans. It's all about philosophical theories, especially Rationalism. A car is a car only because we know it's a car. If humans were removed from Earth, cars would no longer be cars, because they would be of no use in a humanless world. John Lasseter should know this. I know he's keen on animating inanimate objects, but every time he does so, there are humans involved. Imagine Toy Story taking place in a world of toys. No Andy, no Bonnie, no Sid. It'd be stupid, just as Cars. (I'm aware that Luxo Jr. has no humans in it, but it works because it's short film.) It's sad to know that they were 'inspired' by Susie The Little Blue Coupé, and ended up so far from it.
Let the Brave news cycle start!!
Actually, Mater is one of the most innately sympathetic characters Pixar's created. That's why kids love him.
Darrell, I'm with you on this one. It may not be perfect, (it could have focused more on the racing) but it is nowhere near as bad as everyone says. The opening scene introduced us to Finn Mcmissle so that we would know what he does. As for mater, the film does give us reasons to care, (McQueen was sore about losing the race, hurting maters feelings.) The plot was actually quite thick (Racing, identity crisis, friendship, energy over gas, and the spy recruitment). It's more targeted to kids than other Pixar films but that's not a bad thing. Pixar just wanted to have fun. Monsters Inc also focused on fun as well, yet no one complained that it wasn't emotional. You don't need a film to be emotional in order to work.
As for Brave, I'm excited about it.
"Pixar is now a genre on its own."
You shouldn't think that. That's the exact sort of thing that leads people to hate this movie. Don't think of Pixar as their own genre. Do that, and you'll continue being a true Pixar fan -- one that can handle anything Pixar makes, even if it's not perfect. Like myself.
"Let the Brave news cycle begin!!"
Hmm... I guess there won't be anything on the Pixar Blog until November 16th when it becomes Big Screen Animation in that case. :P
Alexandro, I disagree with you that Pixar is a genre in it's own right. If Pixar stuck to one formula and style of film, we would have never got WALL-E. Although I do agree with you that the Cars universe makes no sense without humans.
Mike, tell us how Mater is a sympathetic character. Most of us find him about as charming as Jar-Jar Binks. Enlighten us.
Sympathetic for who? I find him annoying and so do many others.
My little brother is 10, and he whispered to me in the theatre that he really wished Mater would shut up.
Anonymous @ November 5 7:57 pm
Mater is a very likable character. He never acts like a jerk or calls other cars lemons for hateful reasons. I'm not saying he is a buzz lightyear or a wall e. Lightening could have had a bigger role but Mater shows concern for others. He is most certainly not Jar Jar. He doesn't make fun of others. I thought Cars 2 had it's flaws and it isn't as good as most Pixar films, but is better than the original and certainly better than what critics are saying and is overall a decent animated film. I know people are entitled to an opinion but I feel that even people that are "open minded" are actually expecting this to be another emotional, dramatic film like other Pixar films when this wasn't intended to be.
Darrell@your acting like troll
Chris Etrata,
most of us Cars haters weren't expecting an emotional film going into Cars 2. That is a misconception that the Cars 2 fans have about us. For example, I really enjoyed Winnie-the-Pooh, which I would say falls outside of the Pixar-emotional spectrum of films.
A lot of us "haters" and "naysayers" are actually judging it on it's own merits, and not how similar it is to Up or Toy Story 3.
Let us hope there is no Cars 3. Otherwise, we will know for certain Pixar is doomed.
@PixarFan95, whatever. You think I'm a troll because I like Cars 2 and dislike Winnie the Pooh... that's your problem.
I don't want to be a troll. I only wish to stop the Cars 2 hate, or at least bring it down somewhat.
@Anonymous 11/8 12:57 am
Tell me then what were you expecting then? I still believe that the Pixar brand has fueled your hopes to impossibly high expectations. I'm not saying it's perfect but it's not as bad as you were saying. Tell me, once again, what you were expecting?
Darrell@Am sorry and i also want people to stop hating Cars 2,its was not that bad of a film
@ Alexandro Fatino: I totally agree with you on the whole cars without a purpose and all the rational explanations but I think that the Cars franchise should not be looked at in a logical way. It hurts our brains too much.
Chris Etrata, I was expecting a decent action flick. I think there are two key reasons why Cars 2 missed the mark in that respect.
1. Mater's stupidity went past the stage of funny, and into the spectrum of unbelievable. He thought that Wasabi was pistachio ice cream? Really?
If Mater was a little dumb, that would be fine if his character had any sympathetic notes at all. But he doesn't. His character has two dimensions: Annoying and Lightning McQueen obsession. Oh believe me, it's not a friendship, Mater is a stalker.
2. The action scenes have no build-up after a while. I have to admit, I enjoyed the opening scene with Finn McMissile. However, that was partially ruined because it was in the trailer. Along with most of the jokes I thought were funny in the film.
But in the end, the story kept on going by fast, and the writers thought that bringing Mater into the plot would make it interesting. What a grave mistake. I could care less whether any of the characters died. I wanted Mater to blow up.
I'm sorry for not liking the film Chris. But, all of us, fans and non-fans alike have a right to a voice.
Anonymous 11/10 9:08, Mater is not a stalker. Mater is just concerned for McQueens safety. Mater is actually not really that bad of a character and he does realize his "mistakes". That affected him until McQueen inspires him to be himself. Maybe McQueen could have been featured a bit more but mater wasn't that bad. I'm not saying cars 2 was the best Pixar or spy film out there, but in my opinion, it's not as bad as everyone says. I even have it on Blu ray 3d. It could have been a little better but other than the fact McQueen is a bit sidelined for most of the movie, the complaints are minor.
Christ Etrata, how long do you plan on defending Cars 2? This thread is getting, well, old.
Chris Etrata's not the only one defending Cars 2, as he pointed out earlier. (Rock on!) And I don't know about him, but I'm gonna keep on doing it as long as is necessary.
I plan to defend it forever. Unfortunately, every movie after this that gets praised when someone says, Pixar hasn't bombed yet, there is going to be a page long thread of this. Origins of Cars 2 on the 5 disc edition will tell you why cars 2 was made.
Chris Etrata, I'd perfer not to pay money to see Cars 2 again. (thank God I was able to see the film at a free advanced screening)
Anyway, you Cars 2 thought police are pretty intense. Lurk threads, to make sure that your voice is the last word, and create further advertising. Notice how all of the negative comments have stopped on the Pixar Blog now that the Cars 2 news is dying down in favor of Brave coverage, and info on the new Toy Story short? :)
(well, that's until they announce Cars 3, or Toy Story 4, or if Brave isn't as good as we're hoping...)
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