Category Archives: Movies

Cars 3 Review

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Cars 3 Review

By Devon Biroczky

“Focus. Speed. I am speed. One winner, forty-two losers.”

Cars 3 comes out to theaters today, June 16th, and if you haven’t bought your tickets yet, you need to. This movie is the third installment in the Cars series, focused especially around a steadfast racecar named Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson). Throughout the series, we’ve seen Lightning grow and associate with his friends down in Radiator Springs; now, in this third movie, we meet several more new characters.

The storyline of the movie begins in a celebrated montage of Lightning winning between first and second place repeatedly alongside his friends Bobby Swift and Cal Weathers. During one particular race, a new, never-before-seen car whizzes past them, taking first place without even blinking. This new high-tech car is introduced to us as condescending Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer), who is part of the next generation of racers. Lightning quickly learns that with this new generation of racers, he is slowly having a harder and harder time keeping up, let alone winning races against Storm, and the growing number of new-gen rookies joining the competitions.

Fast forward through a few months, more losses on the racetrack, and an accident that left him less motivated than ever. Lightning has now regained his ambition through the help and pep talks from his friends in Radiator Springs. Now, we’re also introduced to his new sponsor and superfan, Sterling (Nathan Fillion), along with his new trainer with racing dreams of her own, Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo).

Cars 3 is definitely my favorite out of the series, especially seeing it go back to the roots of what really set this series apart, but delving into a deeper, more Pixar-like meaning to the story. We watch as Lightning struggles to learn the new, high-tech ways of preparing for a race, and understanding just why it’s not necessarily for him. Instead, he goes back to some of the racers of the generations to learn their secrets of the trade. While he’s learning and trying out all of these techniques for himself, he’s also getting to know Cruz more as she’s learning all of this herself. Cruz ends up revealing to Lightning that her dream is to be a racer, and she looked up to Lightning as she was growing up.

Not to mention, the Fabulous Doc Hudson is often referenced to throughout the movie, being Lightning’s biggest mentor for his entire racing career. Even though Doc is gone, Lightning meets other racers from the generations of racing before him, including Smokey, who was once Doc’s trainer. Lightning talks to him about what’s going on and Smokey agrees to help. Side by side, Lightning and Cruz both learn ways of practicing for a race, including driving within a herd of “cow-cars.” They both struggle at first, but with some practice and learning to work together, they both end up more ready than ever. That’s one of the most important themes within this movie, is that by working together, you can succeed more than you’d ever dreamed.

The movie is animated as beautifully as always – bright, awe-inspiring colors, relatable plotlines, and a fitting soundtrack that gets you in the mood for wherever the movie is about to take you. Cars 3 is a wonderful movie that will have people of all ages intrigued, so even if you don’t have children, this is definitely another one of the many amazing Pixar movies you will want to see.

In addition to all that, there is also a short film placed at the beginning of the movie called Lou. This is easily one of my favorite Pixar shorts that have been released thus far. Lou explains the story of a young bully named J.J. on a school playground who likes to take toys away from the other kids on the playground. While he has been taking toys, the lost and found box has been gradually filling up. Slowly, all of the items in the box have begun producing a creature named Lou, built up of items such as a jacket for a body, baseballs as eyes, among other odd items. Lou’s goal is to persuade J.J. to return every lost and stolen item in return for something J.J. wants as well. The short film is absolutely adorable and especially relatable when you think of how prominent bullying is in today’s times; it’s definitely a must-see, and I’m looking forward to owning it one day.

Again, Cars 3 along with Lou both release in theaters today, June 16th and it’s a wonderful way to go spend some time this Father’s Day weekend! Watch the trailer below and have a wonderful weekend!

CARS 3 is OUT in Theaters NOW! 🙂

Meet the Cast of Cars 3!

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Meet the Cast of Cars 3!

By Devon Biroczky

This past weekend, I got to meet with the cast of Cars 3, the third movie in the Cars film franchise. If you’ve already heard about the movie, then read ahead – you’ll understand why I’m so excited about it being released to theaters this Friday, June 16th. I’ll be posting a review about it on opening day (Spoiler alert: It’s amazing!) but until then, let’s talk about how my day was meeting with the fun cast!

·         Owen Wilson (voice of “Lightning McQueen”)

·         Kerry Washington (voice of “Natalie Certain”)

·         Cristela Alonzo (voice of “Cruz Ramirez”)

·         Armie Hammer (voice of “Jackson Storm”)

·         Nathan Fillion (voice of “Sterling”)

·         Larry the Cable Guy (voice of “Mater”)

·         Lea DeLaria (voice of “Miss Fritter”)

·         Isiah Whitlock Jr. (voice of “River Scott”)

·         Director Brian Fee

·         Producer Kevin Reher

·         Dave Mullins (LOU Director)

·         Dana Murray (LOU Producer)

Cars 3 LOU

Producer Dana Murray and director Dave Mullins present the short film “Lou” at the “Cars 3” Press Junket at Anaheim Convention Center. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez

Before we reached the press junket for Cars 3, we got to watch a presentation by the director and producer of Lou, a short film which will be released alongside Cars 3 on Friday. The director, Dave Mullins, both directed and wrote the short film, which is about a bully named J.J. who takes other kids’ toys away on the school playground, and Lou, who is constructed by the toys in the lost and found box. A review of this will also be included in my review post on Friday, so look forward to that! In the meantime, let’s talk about the presentation.

Dave explains to us that as a young kid, he always found it hard to make friends and be accepted by the other kids, so somewhere deep down, he always had the concept of this in his head. He explains that he was pitching ideas for short films since 2005 before this one was a hit. Throughout the presentation, he and producer Dana Murray go through the entire making of this film. From the designs, to storyboards, editing, color scripts, music composition, and tons more, they explained the entire process to us. Fun fact: the percussion for this movie was actually recorded in a circle! Each instrument was placed in a circle, and each would hit one note at a time, going to the next in a clockwise motion until the song was complete. Being a total chorus geek, I thought that was a really interesting concept.

A view of the atmosphere at the “Cars 3” Press Conference at Anaheim Convention Center. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez

Once the presentation for Lou was complete, we walked downstairs, across a red carpet for the Cars 3 press junket. Several fun photo props were set up, and we were told that this was the same red carpet that would be used later that night for the world premiere. And yes, I definitely felt like a celebrity as I got to walk across it.

Moderating the press junket was Ray Evernham, the former crew chief for Jeff Gordon in NASCAR. He was so fun to listen to talk about the whole movie, especially with his experience, he definitely knows what he’s talking about.

Recurring themes throughout this movie were the thoughts of mentors, in a way where one person mentors another, and the cycle continues. Several of the cast members came to a mutual agreement that their parents were some of their greatest mentors. Owen Wilson even told us that he tries to be a great mentor to his kids as well, joking that “some days I am, today is one of those days where I am.”

Owen Wilson speaks at the “Cars 3” Press Conference at Anaheim Convention Center. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez

At one point, the cast members were asked about the significance of the movie portraying how everyone deserves a chance. Kerry Washington’s answer to this really stuck with me; she explained that the way she sees it, people succeed by working together. Regardless of any prior experiences, when people really want something and work together for it, that’s what’s most important.

In this movie, we meet several new characters. Among them, we meet Cruz Ramirez, a feisty, young car who became a trainer for up-and-coming racers, while secretly dreams about becoming a racer herself. Cruz is voiced by Cristela Alonzo, who loves portraying a character who really overcomes her obstacles to follow her dreams. In the press junket, she talks to us about how in her own life, she faced many obstacles to get to where she is, but thanks to working hard alongside some of her own mentors, she’s been able to grow and achieve her goals.

Armie Hammer, Cristela Alonzo, and Owen Wilson. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez 

Overall, meeting with the cast for Lou and Cars 3 was a totally fun time! Come back again for my review on both on this Friday, June 16th, and if you haven’t seen it already, check out the trailer for Cars 3 below!

Cars 3 opens in theaters everywhere on June 16th!

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Sets Sail in Theatres Today!

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Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

By Mary Lansing

One of my very first memories of Disneyland is going on The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Having anticipated this ride for what felt like forever, I would watch the segment of the Buccaneers’ adventures on my Disneyland Sing-a-Long VHS (remember those?). When the big moment arrived and I was at last on the Pirate ride, guess what? I was an absolute wreck. I was scared and not happy at all. I may have only been three or four years old, but, I vividly recall vowing to my Grandma I would never go on the ride again.

Fast forward to adult Mary, and Pirates of the Caribbean is one of my favorites to hit first when I get to Disneyland. So, you can imagine how clever I thought it was back in 2003 when producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Walt Disney Pictures unveiled their newest action franchise: The Pirates of the Caribbean movies. With the inaugural The Curse of the Black Pearl, Bruckheimer and Disney didn’t look back and, here we are, on our 5th installment, The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

In his newest (and maybe, possibly, his most interesting to date) tale of mishaps, we meet up with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea—notably Jack. Jack’s only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced. 

We are first introduced to a young Henry, who turns out to be none other than Will Turner’s (Orlando Bloom) son with the beautiful Elizabeth (Keira Knightly). Cursed, and with no sign of the spell being broken, Will urges Henry to get far away and make his own life away from the world of Pirates, and, especially, Captain Sparrow. Fast forward nine years, and a handsome and grown Henry is convinced Jack may be his key to break the spell and free his Father from The Devil’s Triangle.

Enter Captain Salazar. Easily one of the most scary villains for Captain Sparrow yet, Salazar will stop at nothing to get his revenge on the lackluster pirate. After a rousing and heart-racing opening, we soon are reunited with everyone’s favorite good pirate in a hilarious introduction that only Depp’s Sparrow could pull off.

And, what is a Pirates of the Caribbean tale without some romance?! Enter the mysterious, gorgeous and poised Carina Smyth. Being held captive for her “witch craft”, Smyth escapes and soon finds herself knee-deep into the frolics and mis-happenings of the somewhat loony Sparrow, and his new ally, Henry. Carina turns out to have interesting tides to one of our pirates, and let’s just say there were some gasps when I screened the film!

As always, the entire cast of Pirates of the Caribbean is superb. Academy award winner Bardem creates a sinister Captain Salazar that will easily become a Disney legend for his villainous ways. Think no further than Pirates first antagonist, Captain Barbossa.

Scodelario’s Carina is fantastic as the head-strong young astronomer searching for answers to The Devil’s Triangle and stopping at nothing to make her Father proud, who is presumed to be dead. Scodelario brings to mind the recent actresses that have shined in Disney productions. Think The Force Awakens; Daisy Ridley and The BFG’s Ruby Barnhill.

And, last, but definitely not least: Johnny Depp. Although Depp has been starring as Captain Sparrow for over a decade, he treats the role with such audacity and a gregarious nature that one can only have when they truly love what they are doing. Depp’s youthful, playful characteristics make you instantly love and root for his alter-ego. It is no surprise that he has been nominated for an Academy Award for this portrayal.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is in theatres everywhere TODAY and the perfect film to catch this Memorial Day weekend!

Mary Lansing is the Editor of the popular LA lifestyle and travel blog, Along Comes Mary. When she is not keeping busy with her Social Media Managing business, you can find her out exploring all Southern California has to offer, or off on a trip! Visit her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.