Now Playing
Critics & Publications
Archives: A-Z Index
Advanced Search
Upcoming Release Calendar
Weekend Box Office
Film Awards & Top 10s By Year
All-Time High Scores
All-Time Low Scores
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Film In Our Forums
xx
Alvin and the Chipmunks
76
American Gangster
38
August Rush
33
Awake
54
Bee Movie
59
Beowulf
25
Comebacks, The
65
Dan in Real Life
67
Darjeeling Limited, The
75
Enchanted
42
Fred Claus
44
Game Plan, The
51
Golden Compass, The
72
Gone Baby Gone
47
Halloween
71
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
46
Heartbreak Kid, The
35
Hitman
69
I Am Legend
73
Into the Wild
68
Kite Runner, The
47
Lions for Lambs
43
Love in the Time of Cholera
48
Martian Child
82
Michael Clayton
58
Mist, The
48
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
77
Nightmare Before Christmas, The
37
P2
34
Perfect Holiday, The
36
Saw IV
38
Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, The
80
Simpsons Movie, The
70
Smiley Face
44
Southland Tales
62
Things We Lost in the Fire
63
This Christmas
54
Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?
37
Underdog
82
Michael Clayton
80
Simpsons Movie, The
77
Nightmare Before Christmas, The
76
American Gangster
75
Enchanted
73
Into the Wild
72
Gone Baby Gone
71
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
70
Smiley Face
69
I Am Legend
68
Kite Runner, The
67
Darjeeling Limited, The
65
Dan in Real Life
63
This Christmas
62
Things We Lost in the Fire
59
Beowulf
58
Mist, The
54
Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?
54
Bee Movie
51
Golden Compass, The
48
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
48
Martian Child
47
Lions for Lambs
47
Halloween
46
Heartbreak Kid, The
44
Game Plan, The
44
Southland Tales
43
Love in the Time of Cholera
42
Fred Claus
38
Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, The
38
August Rush
37
Underdog
37
P2
36
Saw IV
35
Hitman
34
Perfect Holiday, The
33
Awake
25
Comebacks, The
xx
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
67
2 Days in Paris
xx
Aaja Nachle
50
Amateurs, The
68
Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The
83
Atonement
34
Badland
84
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
48
Bella
74
Billy the Kid
74
Blame It on Fidel
64
Chronicle of an Escape
78
Control
66
Darfur Now
67
Death at a Funeral
80
Deep Water
78
Devil Came on Horseback, The
48
Dirty Laundry
91
Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The
47
Fat Girls
46
Finishing the Game
73
For the Bible Tells Me So
xx
Goodbye Bafana
66
Grace Is Gone
xx
Half Moon
51
He Was a Quiet Man
51
Holly
60
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With
73
I'm Not There
65
In the Valley of Elah
62
Ira & Abby
61
Jane Austen Book Club, The
58
Jimmy Carter Man from Plains
79
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
82
Juno
70
King Corn
71
Kurt Cobain About a Son
69
Lars and the Real Girl
72
Life of Reilly, The
xx
Look
74
Looking for Cheyenne
60
Lust, Caution
48
Man in the Chair
70
Margot at the Wedding
42
Midnight Eagle
65
Mr. Untouchable
53
Music Within
74
My Kid Could Paint That
78
Nanking
44
Nina's Heavenly Delights
91
No Country for Old Men
39
O Jerusalem
88
Once
62
Oswald's Ghost
67
Protagonist
52
Redacted
26
Revolver
xx
Rocket, The
54
Romance & Cigarettes
57
Sasquatch Gang, The
86
Savages, The
xx
Sex and Breakfast
49
Sleuth
82
Starting Out in the Evening
86
This Is England
73
'Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris
36
Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding
56
Walker, The
66
War Dance
60
What Would Jesus Buy?
45
Youth Without Youth
91
No Country for Old Men
91
Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The
88
Once
86
Savages, The
86
This Is England
84
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
83
Atonement
82
Juno
82
Starting Out in the Evening
80
Deep Water
79
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
78
Control
78
Nanking
78
Devil Came on Horseback, The
74
Billy the Kid
74
Looking for Cheyenne
74
My Kid Could Paint That
74
Blame It on Fidel
73
I'm Not There
73
'Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris
73
For the Bible Tells Me So
72
Life of Reilly, The
71
Kurt Cobain About a Son
70
King Corn
70
Margot at the Wedding
69
Lars and the Real Girl
68
Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The
67
Death at a Funeral
67
2 Days in Paris
67
Protagonist
66
Darfur Now
66
War Dance
66
Grace Is Gone
65
Mr. Untouchable
65
In the Valley of Elah
64
Chronicle of an Escape
62
Ira & Abby
62
Oswald's Ghost
61
Jane Austen Book Club, The
60
Lust, Caution
60
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With
60
What Would Jesus Buy?
58
Jimmy Carter Man from Plains
57
Sasquatch Gang, The
56
Walker, The
54
Romance & Cigarettes
53
Music Within
52
Redacted
51
He Was a Quiet Man
51
Holly
50
Amateurs, The
49
Sleuth
48
Man in the Chair
48
Dirty Laundry
48
Bella
47
Fat Girls
46
Finishing the Game
45
Youth Without Youth
44
Nina's Heavenly Delights
42
Midnight Eagle
39
O Jerusalem
36
Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding
34
Badland
26
Revolver
xx
Half Moon
xx
Rocket, The
xx
Aaja Nachle
xx
Look
xx
Sex and Breakfast
xx
Goodbye Bafana
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
|
Cars
Buena Vista Pictures
FILM:
GAMES:
MPAA RATING: G for General Audiences
Starring
Owen Wilson,
Bonnie Hunt,
Paul Newman,
Larry The Cable Guy,
Cheech Marin,
George Carlin,
Richard Petty, Michael Keaton, Tony Shalhoub,
and
John Ratzenberger
This is a fast-paced comedy adventure set inside the world of cars. Fueled with plenty of humor, action, heartfelt drama and amazing new technical feats, Cars is a high octane delight for moviegoers of all ages. (Disney)
GENRE(S): |
Animation
|
Comedy
|
Family/Kids
|
Fantasy
|
WRITTEN BY: |
Dan Fogelman
John Lasseter
Dan Gerson (additional screenplay material)
Jorgen Klubien, Philip Loren, Kiel Murray and Joe Ranft (story)
|
DIRECTED BY: |
John Lasseter
|
RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: November 7, 2006
Theatrical: June 9, 2006
|
RUNNING TIME: |
96 minutes, Color |
ORIGIN: |
USA |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
100
Time
Richard Corliss
The first great movie of the summer.
100
New York Daily News
Jack Mathews
Whether the movie will make you believe a shocking-orange stock car has a future with a lavender Carrera, it's more fun to follow than a televised freeway chase.
100
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
William Arnold
All told, Cars is a knockout.
100
Baltimore Sun
Michael Sragow
Lasseter's inclusive, utterly distinctive sensibility makes Cars all that it can be. His embrace of the comic-dramatic friction between innovation and tradition infiltrates every aspect of the movie - the look, the characters, the story.
91
Entertainment Weekly
Lisa Schwarzbaum
A work of American art as classic as it is modern. Note to tourists: Leave before the very end of the credits and you'll miss some of the best and funniest roadside sights.
90
Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan
What's surprising about this supremely engaging film is the source of its curb appeal: It has heart.
90
Slate
Michael Agger
Who's this movie for, again? No matter: It's impossible to find more joy in the dark at the moment.
88
Rolling Stone
Peter Travers
What Cars teaches is how to blend brash comedy with technical astonishments so that each enhances the other. I can't imagine who wouldn't want to test-drive this one. Like the promos say, "It's got that new-movie smell."
88
Charlotte Observer
Lawrence Toppman
On the most basic level, Cars is an old-fashioned fable about an egotistical, talented loner who learns humility and redeems himself by helping unfortunates.
88
Premiere
Ethan Alter
What the film lacks in freshness, it makes up for in great characters, fun vocal performances, and a script with some genuine emotional heft.
88
TV Guide
Ethan Alter
It's the one movie so far this summer that demands to be seen on the big screen.
88
New York Post
Lou Lumenick
Cars leaves the animated competition in the dust, even if it is a tad slower and more predictable than Pixar at full throttle.
83
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Tasha Robinson
Cars is a fine example of the formula, with pleasant chemistry, the patented Pixar cleverness, and the usual sweetly melancholy nostalgia courtesy of songwriter Randy Newman.
83
Portland Oregonian
Shawn Levy
There's so much to impress and delight you that the time flies by.
80
LA Weekly
Ella Taylor
Exciting though the car-racing scenes are, with their millions of fan-cars swaying fluidly around the stadium, it's the drives through the canyons and passes, and the quiet old ruin of a town (which recalls the abandoned mall in Miyazaki’s "Spirited Away"), that truly quicken the pulse.
80
Newsweek
David Ansen
As eye-popping as anything Pixar has done. But Cars inspires more admiration than elation. It dazzles even as it disappoints. This time around, John Lasseter and his codirector, the late Joe Ranft, seem more interested in dispensing Life Lessons than showing us a roaring good time.
80
The Hollywood Reporter
Michael Rechtshaffen
It might not be way up there in "The Incredibles"/"Finding Nemo"/"Toy Story" stratosphere, but the charming Cars is nevertheless a thoroughly pleasant way to mark Pixar Animation Studios' 20th anniversary.
80
Washington Post
Stephen Hunter
The Pixar people have an extreme talent for conjuring imagery that is both soaring in its majesty but also resonant -- it's a stylization but acute enough to carry emotional meaning.
75
Christian Science Monitor
Peter Rainer
By relying too much on snappy dialogue and by adhering to the philosophy that "steel should feel like steel and glass should feel like glass," the filmmakers have bridled their imaginations and created a movie about toys that are too blubbery and not rubbery enough.
75
ReelViews
James Berardinelli
Overall, if the film is not as funny as its predecessors, that's probably part and parcel of why it doesn't seem as enchanting. Emotionally, despite the character arc, Cars doesn't resonate in the same way "The Incredibles" or "Toy Story" did.
75
Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert
I wouldn't have thought that even in animation a 1951 Hudson Hornet could look simultaneously like itself and like Paul Newman, but you will witness that feat, and others, in Cars.
75
USA Today
Claudia Puig
Cars is a classic American tale firing on all cylinders and fueled by organic emotion and a lively sense of adventure.
75
Boston Globe
Ty Burr
The movie wins you over through crack comic timing and an awareness that the point of driving isn't how fast you get there but what you see on the way.
70
Variety
Brian Lowry
Periodic bursts of cleverness brighten the festivities, but they're too few and far between, and the trademark humor that appeals to adults and kids often misfires.
70
The New Yorker
Anthony Lane
If Cars is something of a letdown, that is not because of the moral messages that it delivers but because of the heavy hand with which it cranks them out.
67
Austin Chronicle
Marrit Ingman
Never really quite great, it's still a good enough diversion for the family and should please adult fans of racing.
63
Chicago Tribune
Jessica Reaves
Whatever you do, don't leave before watching the snippets that run during the closing credits--the self-referential, tongue in cheek "outtakes" are quite possibly the funniest part of this movie--a visual stunner that seems to have misplaced its heart.
63
Miami Herald
Rene Rodriguez
Cars is certainly watchable, and there's always some amusing bit of business happening at the edges of the frame.
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Rick Groen
Warning: Cars comes unequipped with two essential options -- charm and a good muffler.
60
New York Magazine
David Edelstein
This one is dully conventional even by family-uplift standards. The details are sweated, all right: It's a triumph of perspiration over inspiration.
60
Empire
Olly Richards
Judged against previous form, this is not Pixar firing on all cylinders, lacking the sophisticated comedy we've come to expect. Judged against fare from other studios, however, it's a triumph.
60
Chicago Reader
J.R. Jones
At 116 minutes, it's a test not of speed but endurance.
60
Salon.com
Stephanie Zacharek
Cars is an elaborate concoction all right. But it feels soldered together from a scrap heap of tired ideas.
60
Village Voice
Robert Wilonsky
What ultimately redeems Cars from turning out a total lemon is its soul. Lasseter loves these animated inanimate objects as though they were kin, and it shows in every beautifully rendered frame.
50
Wall Street Journal
Joe Morgenstern
It doesn't make Cars a bad picture -- the visual inventions are worth the price of admission -- but it constitutes conduct unbecoming to a maker of magic.
50
Philadelphia Inquirer
Steven Rea
And did I mention that it's long? It's long.
50
San Francisco Chronicle
Mick LaSalle
Curiously and unexpectedly, the movie brings on a suffocating feeling of constraint. It's a consequence of seeing characters with such terribly limited mobility.
40
The New York Times
Manohla Dargis
Both in its ingratiating vibe and bland execution, Cars is nothing if not totally, disappointingly new-age Disney.
30
Film Threat
Pete Vonder Haar
If Cars is indicative of the kind of movie we can expect from Pixar post-Disney merger, well, there's always Miyazaki.
The average user rating for this movie is 6.8 (out of 10) based on 177 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Read more user comments...
Discuss this movie in our forums |