"Cars 3" Movie Review

The latest instalment in a franchise considered by many as Pixar’s most substandard offering, “Cars 3” will probably not change any opinions – unless “Cars 2” was your favourite. Pixar seems to have heard the complaints everyone had with “Cars 2” and delivered something closer to the original – with more focus on characters and an emotional plot. So “Cars 3” is a solid-ish movie, but definitely not in the league of some of Pixar’s finest.

The movie brings back the focus to race car Lightning McQueen, whose career seems to be arriving at the finish line with the rise of a new breed of racers led by rookie Jackson Storm, who use technology to gain more speed and consistency forcing the old timers into retirement. Now McQueen must try and keep up with the pack, or risk fading away – his journey forms the core of the movie.

The key strength of “Cars 3” is the emotional heft it carries – the themes of mortality, relevance, and legacy the filmmakers focus on would touch a chord with the adults, though probably may not be fully appreciated by the younger audiences. It was also good to see that Paul Newman’s Doc Hudson was integrated beautifully and is an integral part of the story, effectively becoming a heartfelt tribute to the actor. The voice acting is spot on, especially Owen Wilson who effectively conveys McQueen’s doubts and misgivings.

That is not to say the movie doesn’t have its share of spectacle – as with every Pixar movie, the animation is spectacular. The racing scenes are gorgeous, and the demolition derby scene in particular stands out (both beautiful to watch and maybe the most fun part of the movie). I saw the movie in 4DX, which really added to the fun element – this movie really works perfectly with the format.

To sum up, “Cars 3” is fun while it lasts. While it may not be an addition to Pixar’s best list, it definitely gets the franchise back on track.

"Wonder Woman" Movie Review

Finally! After a bunch of disappointments, the DCEU has finally managed to produce a movie that nails it. And in doing so, they also managed to do something the MCEU could have attempted earlier but didn’t – showcase the female hero in her solo movie. Full marks to director Patty Jenkins and writers Zack Snyder, Allan Heinberg and Jason Fuchs, who give us a movie that celebrates its female protagonist without trying to force an agenda; and also doesn’t cram in references to the extended universe (something “Batman v Superman” was panned for).

“Wonder Woman” is the origin story of its titular character. She is Diana (Gal Gadot), princess of the Amazons, a demi-God sort-of race that was created by the god Zeus to save humans from his jealous son Ares. She is brought up in Themyscira, an island away from anything else and trained as a warrior. The isolated existence of the Amazons is interrupted when American spy pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine, who continues to impress with every movie) crash lands near their island and brings the horrors of World War I along. Diana feels this is her calling and goes with Steve to fight for humanity and end the war, and in the process discover her powers et al.

The movie works well both as a superhero movie and a war movie. The action scenes are great, but they work in service of the plot and aren’t too flashy – they don’t feel special effects heavy, which helps given the superhero movie fatigue that is kicking in (except for the climax, but then it is a superhero movie). The war is a perfect backdrop for the character’s growth – the war scenes feel they have been handled like a proper war movie, and not as a forced plot device. Also the positivity of the movie is something that would have also worked for Superman, whose interpretation took a u-turn for the grey, brooding “Man of Steel” version. This feels like the movie “Man of Steel” should have been, and “Captain America – The First Avenger” could have been.

The success of “Wonder Woman” is mainly because the makers have a clear interpretation of the character and do not hesitate to water it down because it can be considered naïve and corny in a largely cynical time. I haven’t read any of the comics so I can’t speak for accuracy, but this works. Diana’s ‘fish out of water’ moments, her naïve innocence (the scene where she squeals with joy on seeing a baby is priceless), her belief in the greater good, all these moments go towards defining the character and also bring some of the best moments in the movie. The biggest plus of the character is her compassion that is her greatest strength, and this is highlighted well without overdoing it. This is the superhero we need, and I hope this character becomes a role model for the younger generation.

It is especially refreshing that there are no broad strokes or generalizations, and that Diana doesn’t have the challenge of facing discrimination per se. It is also good that Steve Trevor is such an endearing character – a quintessential war hero – who realizes Diana is special and treats her as such without giving it a second thought.

The performances are top notch. Of the supporting cast, special mention to Robin Wright, who makes the most of her role despite limited screen time. Chris Pine seems the perfect choice for Steve Trevor, and the chemistry he shares with Gal Gadot make for the best moments in the film. But the movie does belong to Gal Gadot, who completely owns the character and brings us the strong yet gentle superhero we need. She captures the essence of the hero and brings a layered, nuanced performance.

The movie does have some flaws – the last act feels a bit like a departure from the rest of the movie and may not work for everyone (though they do tie everything together the best they can), and the great reveal isn’t all that surprising. But these are nit-pickings in a movie that really works. I would highly recommend this movie for one and all. Not only is this an entertaining movie, it is in a way a very important one. If you haven’t caught it yet, go ahead and watch it.