A tip of the tractor to Disney-Pixar for producing an original 3D cartoon short exclusively for the Blu-ray 3D of “Cars 2” (Tuesday, Nov. 1, $49.99 for 5-Disc combo pack with 3D Blu-ray disc, two 2D Blu-rays, DVD & Digital Copy)
A lot is riding on Disney-Pixar’s “Cars 2,” so to speak.
Pixar chief John Lasseter used to denegrate Disney animated movie sequels, except for his own “Toy Story 2,” especially those that Disney premiered first on DVD. But in the past few years he not only greenlit “Toy Story 3” and the upcoming prequel to “Monsters, Inc.,” this year he released “Cars 2” and is building an entire theme park land (Cars Land) at Disney Resort’s California Adventure based on the franchise.
Lasseter even has a “Cars” spin-off called “Planes” set to premiere first on Blu-ray in 2013, and has produced a couple handfuls of Cars Toon shorts for the Disney Channel and theaters that are available on a separate Blu-ray set called “Mater’s Tall Tales.”
The new “Cars 2” Blu-ray 3DÂ features promotions for that “Planes” production, and it looks great in 3D and appears as if it will be great fun as well.
Likewise, the new theme park attraction also gets a big plug here — in 2D, not 3D — and also looks to be a very fun theme park land, especially Luigi’s Flying Tires levitating ride that offers a nostalgic revival of the 1966 short-lived Disneyland Flying Saucers attraction.
Other most notable bonus features:
* “Air Mater,” exclusive new Cars Toon 3D animated short that appears to be a transitional production to bridge “Cars” with the upcoming “Planes,” with tow truck Mater sprouting wings and flying with an aerial acrobatic team of jets. Whatever drove the creative concept, the outcome is very entertaining, the 3D is quite effective, resulting in a fun cartoon that should appeal to all viewers.
* A 3D trailer for the studio’s upcoming 3D animated theatrical release “Brave” is enticing.
* Toy Story Toon “Hawaiian Vacation,” the six-minute 2D animated short that preceded “Cars 2” in theaters is a fun cartoon depicting the gang of toys working together to try to create a faux island getaway for Ken and Barbie while house-bound during the dead of winter.
* Full menu of “on-location” featurettes, from Tokyo to London and many points in between, offer fun behind-the-scenes shorts and a couple of unmarked surprises as well.
Interestingly, the “Cars 2” movie itself, depicting the lovable collection of automobile personalities in an overseas adventure, is probably the least interesting element of this entire set. The primary challenge for the viewer, particularly younger kids, is that the story is far too ambitious, mixing in multiple plot lines involving the strained relationship between Mater and Lightning Queen, a complicated international spy ring conspiracy revolving around a duplicitous oil corporation pretending to be promoting alternative fuels, Mater’s inadvertent complicity in that mystery, and Mater’s budding romantic relationship with a femme fatale motorcar.
As is typical for Pixar movies, the 3D is very subtle to the point where it feels superfluous, except for the enjoyably intense opening scene depicting a boat in the unlikely setting of a dark and turbulent ocean.
Even if the story isn’t as fun and engaging as we are used to from Pixar movies, the extravagant locations are visually dynamic and the movie has moments in which it draws knowing humor from Mater dealing with the customs of overseas cultures, especially in Tokyo.
— By Scott Hettrick