Being Driven Crazy?

Spending a quiet day at home with my kids. My wife needed to run out to the grocery store, and I offered to let her have some time to herself and watch the kids, rather than drag everyone up and down the store aisles.

We're watching Cars. My son is shouting out Lightning McQueen's name "Ightneen!" and my daughter is starting to deconstruct the movie. It took me 24 years and countless college English courses to begin to figure out that process.

Cars is an odd duck. Every other Pixar movie deals with how object, insects, monsters, fish, super heroes, rats, robots, and senior citizens deal with the everyday world around them - our world. In Cars, not only is it not our world, but no explanation is provided as to how the Cars come into existence (notice how there aren't any Cars that are depicted as children).

Despite that, it's still one of my favorite Pixar films. If I had to rate them, with the first being the best . . .

Toy Story 2
The Incredibles
Up
Toy Story
Cars
Wall-E
Finding Nemo
Ratatouille
Monsters Inc.
A Bug's Life

Although I've listed A Bug's Life as my least favorite on this list, it still has an overall high rank when compared to the offerings of other films (animated or otherwise). I trust Pixar, and look forward with anticipation for Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Monsters Inc. 2, The Bear and the Bow, and Newt.


And to think, it all started with a lamp. Actually it was a Bee. Wally B. But that's another story.