Classic 'Cars' finds the soul in the machines

Disney Pixar

Cars lionizes the lure of the open road and the appeal of a simpler time in a way that is both technically impressive and touching.

The wizards at Pixar (Toy Story, The Incredibles) never seem to take a wrong turn, and Cars is yet another example. Director John Lasseter and company have a unique way of not only bringing inanimate objects to life, but also making us love them.

These gas-fueled metallic characters don't merely have personalities—they have emotional depth. We forget these are rusty old Hudsons or flashy Porsches. Their mechanized aspects are secondary. Whether it's a talking cowboy with a pull cord or a 1959 Chevy Impala, we see ourselves in these objects.

The animation is stunningly rendered. But the story is always the critical element in Pixar movies, and Cars' story is heartfelt with a clear and unabashed moral. It's not quite as winning as either Toy Story movie, both of which are still the gold standard in the Pixar catalogue, but it's definitely as entertaining as Finding Nemo.

Owen Wilson voices Lightning McQueen (an homage to car-loving actor Steve McQueen). Lightning is a cocky race car rookie. Through a series of unexpected events while en route to the Piston Cup championship, he takes a detour off the fast track and ends up in Radiator Springs, a town the world seems to have forgotten, just off Route 66.

The town is filled with endearing eccentrics: the curmudgeonly Doc Hudson (Paul Newman) who has a secret past, the sassy Sally Carrera (Bonnie Hunt) and a rusty tow truck (Larry the Cable Guy). There's a VW van that runs on organic fuel (George Carlin) and tangles with an ultra-patriotic jeep (Paul Dooley).

The plot offers an uplifting message about the importance of family and community over fame. Though it features a captivating car race, winning the trophy is not the ultimate goal. It reflects on the value of hard work and friendship, laced with plenty of humor. When Lightning goes AWOL, speculation abounds as to his whereabouts. "Lightning McQueen must be found," thunders a Hummer doing a dead-on Schwarzenegger.

Cars is stoked by the imagination of two key people: Lasseter and co-director (and multifaceted voice talent) Joe Ranft, who died last August. They are a pair who know how to turn a simple story into something iconic.

Cars is a classic American tale firing on all cylinders and fueled by organic emotion and a lively sense of adventure.