©️Disney/Pixar
In Pixar Animation Studios’ terrific Cars 3, Lightning McQueen is at a crossroads after a horrific crash–should he call it quits or should he retrain and get back in the game? What follows is a beautifully crafted and entertaining film (my original review is here) about aging, second chances, mentorship, and power of believing in yourself.
©️Disney/Pixar
The film is now available on Digital HD and Blu-ray. Here’s what is included on the three-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo set:
- Lou – When a toy-stealing bully ruins recess for a playground full of kids, only one thing stands in his way: the “Lost and Found” box. Directed by Dave Mullins, this delightful and poignant short also played in front of the theatrical release of Cars 3.
- Miss Fritter’s Racing Skoool – This fun new segment includes “testimonials” from the Crazy 8 drivers at Thunder Hollow who learn from the best–the school bus from hell, Miss Fritter.
- Let’s. Get. Crazy. – Get schooled in the world of demolition derby, the “rules” of figure 8 racing, and how Pixar put the “crazy” in the delightful Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 race segment in Cars 3. This piece is hosted by Lea DeLaria herself, the voice of Miss Fritter.
- Legendary – A close, historical look at NASCAR racing legends Wendell Scott and Louise Smith, whose tenacity and perseverance got them into the race even when they weren’t invited.
- Ready for the Race – Disney Channel’s Olivia Rodrigo and NASCAR racer William Byron check out the Hendrick Motorsports campus to showcase how real-world race training influenced the filmmakers.
- World’s Fastest Billboard – Blink and you will miss all of the graphics and “car-ified” advertisements created by Pixar artists to make the Cars 3 world as believable and entertaining as possible.
- Cruz Ramirez: The Yellow Car That Could – Join Cristela Alonzo, the voice of Cruz Ramirez, and the Cars 3 filmmakers on their journey to create a race-car trainer turned champion racer.
- Generations: The Story of Cars 3 – For the story team, creating Lightning McQueen’s next chapter didn’t involve just a tune-up, but a complete overhaul. This is a particularly good piece.
- My First Car – A collection of illustrated first-car stories as narrated by members of the Cars 3 cast and crew. “A Green Car on the Red Carpet with Kerry Washington,” “Old Blue,” and “Still in the Family.”
- Deleted Scenes – Each deleted scene is introduced by Cars 3 director Brian Fee with an explanation as to why it was removed from the film. The five deleted scenes include “The Boogie Woogie,” “The Jars of Dirt,” “Lugnut,” “The Bolt,” and “More Than New Paint.”
- Cars to Die(cast) For – Take a look at the phenomenon of die-cast toy collecting and the more than 1,000 unique designs that exist in the Cars universe. I love Cars die-cast cars, so this one was very fun for me, too.
- Commentary – Brian Fee (Director), Kevin Reher (Producer), Andrea Warren (Co-Producer) and Jay Ward (Creative Director) all join in for an excellent feature commentary.
©️Disney/Pixar
I was pleasantly surprised with all of the terrific bonus content and I really enjoyed watching everything. The mini-documentaries and shorts were high-quality and expertly done and truly provided the type of information that can make bonus features such a treat. I highly recommend this release for any and all fans of the Cars films and characters.
In fact, watching the bonus features was a bit of a bittersweet experience. The anticipation and enjoyment of Cars 3 has been such a highlight of 2017 for me and I’m sad to see it all come to an end. From the presentation at the North American International Auto Show in January, to the artwork, trailers, and posters, to the NASCAR race appearances, and to the film’s theatrical release, Cars 3 did not disappoint this Cars fan. Now that I’ve got my own copy of the Blu-ray, the wise words of Smokey the truck (voiced by Chris Cooper) from the film are fitting: “You can’t turn back the clock, kid, but you can wind it up again.” I will be winding up this excellent Blu-ray set again very soon.
©️Disney/Pixar
Stanford Clark 