Cars 2 Review & Giveaway!!

Do YOU have a Disney-Pixar Cars fan in your house? We do! "Car-cars", as he's called it since his early talking days, was Big Brother's first feature length movie (on DVD at just shy of 2 years old!). Prior to having kids (and then, a boy no less), Mr. Mom Endeavors and I didn't really care for the movie much. But, when seeing the excitement on our little guy's face while watching it for the first time, we had a new-found appreciation. He loved it and we loved watching it with him! Since then, we've watched it at least 2.5 million times and all still enjoy it! 

So, the excitement has been building the last few months as all the Cars 2 stuff has been rolling out into stores. Earlier this month, we even braved a hot Phoenix afternoon to have the chance to meet some of our favorite characters during the "Agents on a Mission" Tour! 

Needless to say then, we were beyond thrilled to be invited to an advance screening of the film. We turned it in to an extra special surprise--a special outing with Mommy and Daddy just for Big Brother. Then, a new shirt and two new "Car-cars" really topped it off! Pure joy!

 

With those in hand, we headed into theater, donned our 3D glasses, and waited with anticipation for our favorite characters to race on to the screen!

About the movie:

Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2” when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car.  But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.  Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voice of Michael Caine) and the stunning rookie field spy Holley Shiftwell (voice of Emily Mortimer).  Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world.  The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors. 

Our thoughts:

Say goodbye to Radiator Springs and hello to James Bond, Cars-style! For better or worse, Cars 2 seems almost the antithesis of the original. The innocent charm and serenity of the sleepy little town is replaced with action, adventure, spy gadgets, weapons, shootings, and explosions! If you haven't seen it yet, this trailer gives a good capture of the overall feel:

What could have been improved:

 - Less violence and James Bond-style adult innuendo

 - More racing scenes 

 - More with the original characters in Radiator Springs

 - A little more Lightning and a little less Mater

What we liked:

 - In true Disney-Pixar fashion, the animation was FANTASTIC!!

 - Great scenery and awesome depictions of cities around the world  

 - Some fun new characters (We got a chuckle at 'Brent Mustangburger' and I loved the Royal Family, like 'Prince Wheeliam')

 - Good message about friendship and being who you are (though, it might be lost amid all the explosions)

Overall:

The movie is action-packed with a good spy plot-line, interesting enough to even keep adults intrigued. While I did miss the quiet charm of the first movie, I did love the international travel! Seeing some of my favorite European sites animated so well was definitely fun! And, Big Brother of course, loved it! He did a great job during the movie, followed the plot line better than I expected, and can't stop talking about Finn! That said though, I personally think the violence is too much for his age group. Not having any kids older than 4, I'm not certain, but I'd say Cars 2 is probably best-suited for an above 7 or 8 crowd. 

No doubt though, as Cars 2 races into theaters this Friday, June 24th, car fanatics will be thrilled to see Lightning & Mater on the big screen! 

GIVEAWAY (now closed)!  

Winner: 

 

Congrats to lucky comment #18! Gretchen hope you're little guy LOVES this awesome Cars prize pack! 

Do YOU have a little Cars fan that would love some new gear? To celebrate the release of Cars 2, Disney is giving one lucky Mom Endeavors reader a prize pack perfect for your favorite little racer!! 

1. Simply leave a comment telling me if you plan on seeing the movie (or, if you've seen it already, share what you thought of it)!

Get extra entries (leave a separate comment for each):

2. Subscribe to Mom Endeavors on Google Friend Connect (see widget on the left side bar)

3. Follow Mom Endeavors on facebook and/or twitter (and share about the giveaway if you're so inclined)

4. Like Cars on facebook

if you're already following, thank you, just make sure you leave a comment & let me know!!

(up to 4 entries per person)
Limited to US & Canadian residents only. Giveaway will end on June 28th at 10pm PST. Winner with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. I will email the winner and post the winner on the blog. They will have 48 hours to claim their prize (make sure you leave your email address or that it is attached to your profile).

Disclosure: I saw this movie at a free press screening at the invitation of Disney.  Thank you, Disney! No compensation was received.  All opinions and experiences are my own and your opinion of the movie may differ from mine.