My Love for Cars Knows No Bounds
- Juveriah Ahmed
- 9 hours ago
- 8 min read
Hi everyone, welcome back to another blog! This one is really special because I’m going to be talking about my favorite movie of all time, Cars! As you go through this blog, you’ll see that once I start talking about Cars, it kind of just never stops. I think I’ve watched it like a million times, and I even got my nieces and nephews into it (I talk more about this later, too). This blog isn’t just about the first movie, though; it’s about the trilogy! I love Cars 2 and Cars 3 just as much as the first, and I can’t wait to talk about them. I’ll start with a quick summary of each, then go into my thoughts on them. And for the sake of this blog not being too long (I’m so sorry, I think it’s still so long anyway), I’ll list only one of my favorite moments from each movie. I hope you all enjoy!
(Warning: Spoilers Ahead)
For a quick synopsis of the Cars franchise, the first film, Cars, directed by John Lasseter, was released in 2006. It’s about a rookie, hotshot racer named Lightning McQueen who finds himself stuck in Radiator Springs, a small town along Route 66. He was on the fast track to having it all, but this unexpected detour challenges him in more ways than one. Here, he is forced to think about what really matters and what kind of car he wants to be. He meets the townspeople, makes lifelong friends, and finds a mentor in an unexpected veteran race car, Doc Hudson.
Cars 2, also directed by John Lasseter, was released in 2011. In this film, Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater head overseas for the first World Grand Prix, a series of international races featuring the world's fastest cars. However, in a turn of events, Mater finds himself in a completely different challenge, turning Cars 2 into an international espionage action-comedy.
Cars 3, directed by Brian Fee, was released in 2017. In this film, Lightning McQueen is blindsided by the new generation of race cars, pushing him further and further away from the sport that he loves. In an attempt to get his spark back, he is paired with a young and excited technician, Cruz Ramirez. With a series of new adventures, inspiration from the late Doc Hudson, and the help of an aspiring racer, Lightning goes on a journey to find himself and his love for racing again.
Onto my thoughts on the movies, I really can’t say enough. My family always tells me the story of how my love for Cars started, and it goes like this: I was around 2-3 years old, and my entire family was sick, so they just put me in front of the TV and turned on Cars. I wish I could go into my brain at the time to understand what 2-3 year-old me was thinking. I for sure wasn’t understanding what they were saying, so I’m sure the colors and the sound roped me in. Maybe it was the bright red color of Lightning McQueen or the dark blue of Doc Hudson. Or just the colors in general in Cars, since they are so vibrant. It's all so bright and alluring, and even today, when I watch it, I can’t get enough of it. Movies these days don’t have the same color grading as they used to. As for the sound of this movie, little me knew that the Randy Newman soundtrack and engine sounds were top-tier. Cars was on repeat so much in our house that my sisters say they memorized the dialogue and all the songs (I can say that about myself too).
My favorite part of the first movie is the opening race. In my humble opinion, it’s the best
movie opening I’ve ever seen in my entire life. The fading in and out of the black screen, the alternating sounds between Lightning’s pre-race mantra and the car engines, then the cut to Real Gone by Sheryl Crow, oh yeah. Pixar and Randy Newman did their big one with this. The build-up to his first introduction, revving his engine, and then the whole first race too, is so exciting to watch! Lightning getting through the pile-up with ease, then being so close to winning it before his two back tires blow out, I’m on the edge of my seat each time! Also, the soundtrack, in general, for this first movie is unmatched. Life is a Highway, Route 66, and Real Gone… the big three. Honorable mentions, Sh-Boom and McQueen and Sally’s theme when they go on a drive together. I love those ones too!
Opening scene shots (Pinterest)
When Cars 2 came out, my family and I watched it in theaters! I still have the paper ticket from when we went. I know a lot of people don’t like Cars 2 and say, "Why would cars be spies?” To that, I say, it seems we can’t have fun anymore, and that you hate Mater (just kidding, but not really since he was the main character). I thought the movie was so fun, and I love spy-action movies, so it was something new and fresh because when else are cars spies?? The colors in Cars 2 were just as good as the first movie, and I loved the around-the-world concept they had with the races!
In this second movie, one of my favorite parts is the Tokyo Grand Prix. Tokyo was the first stop of the World Grand Prix, and I love the introduction you get to the other cars featured in the race. One of them being, crazily enough, Lewis Hamilton! He has his own car and voiced himself in this movie! The setting of this race, along with the race commentators giving you a play-by-play of what’s happening as you’re watching it, is so exciting! Also, the colors they used in this part of the movie are beautiful. The night skyline view, the city, and the Rainbow Bridge look so insanely colorful and vibrant. And, as you're watching Lightning McQueen and his main opponent battle for first place, you see the start of Mater being roped into international espionage! It’s so fun to watch!
Cars 3 came out a few years later, and let me tell you, when the trailer for this came out, I was distraught. The first teaser released was just a clip of Lightning McQueen’s accident, and the animators made it feel so real. If I’m remembering correctly, when they show the accident, there’s no sound behind it; it’s just someone taking a deep breath. If you haven’t seen it, I urge you to take a minute and watch it! When this movie came out, I watched it in theatres with my mom and cousin. I remember I didn’t like it at all because Lightning McQueen basically retires and hands off his racing title to a new upcoming racer named Cruz Ramirez. I was also upset that Lightning didn’t finish his last race or beat his main opponent, Jackson Storm. And I remember feeling so unsatisfied when we got back home, I immediately started searching if there was going to be a Cars 4.
I know I mentioned I didn’t really like Cars 3 that much, but I rewatched it recently with my nieces and nephews, and I’m a changed person now. In this movie, my favorite part is when Lightning reunites with his late mentor’s old friends and coaches. His late mentor being Doc Hudson, also known as The Fabulous Hudson Hornet. For context, Doc stopped racing after a really bad accident and wasn’t welcome back into the sport when he got better. After that, he lost his love for racing and developed a distaste for the sport altogether. That was until he met Lightning McQueen. But Lightning didn’t know the impact he had on him until he went to talk with one of Doc’s old friends. Lightning thought what happened to Doc would happen to him, too, and was feeling really nervous that if he didn’t get back to racing like he used to, he would become history. But Doc’s friend explained to him that Doc’s love for racing didn’t end when he stopped competing. Sure, there was a period of time when he hated it, but passing the torch and mentoring someone new reignited his love and passion for the sport. In his exact words to Lightning, “Racing wasn’t the best part of Hud’s life, you were.” While this whole conversation is going on, you’re seeing a montage of some of Doc’s and Lightning’s memorable moments together. It’s so sweet and it actually made me tear up the last time I watched it.
Since I’m talking about Cars, it’s only fair that I mention my nieces and nephews. I had told my sister that I wanted to watch Cars with her kids for the first time, so when she told me that that the time had come last summer, I was so, so happy. I remember them all sitting in a line with their snacks (I had mine ready too), and I got to watch them watch Cars for the first time! It was so special. It felt like I was watching Cars for the first time, too. Their ages ranged from three to seven, so they were all into it at different times. Except for the oldest, he was engrossed in it as much as I was. Seeing what they were most interested in and what they thought about it after was even better than I thought. My oldest nephew said that he liked the part at the end when Lightning gives up his first Piston Cup win to help his opponent after a bad accident. This might sound bad, but I remember when I was younger, I would get a little annoyed at that part because he just stopped right before the finish line when he could’ve won it all. And my nephew is only seven years old saying this was his favorite part?? Yeah, this little guy is the best and I'm so happy I was able to watch this with him and his siblings!
They liked Cars so much that we watched Cars 2 the next day, and they loved that one too. Just like their aunt, they really enjoyed the spy and action in this one. They all really liked Mater as the main character, too! We resumed our Cars marathon a few months later, watching Cars 3. It was the first time I had watched it since its release, so I didn’t remember much of it. All I could remember was that I didn’t like how it ended, but watching it with the kids this time made me go into it with an open mind and a fresh set of eyes. Just as I thought, my life was changed. Who knew rewatching these Cars movies with my nieces and nephews could unlock new levels of my love and admiration for them (the kids and the movies)? Before this, I didn’t realize how good Cars 3 was. Lightning McQueen being able to choose when he was done unlike Doc, finding his love for racing again, and Cruz getting her chance to race after being told she wasn’t meant to, are just a few moments in the movie that I really liked. Also, I mentioned this part earlier in the blog, but the main thing that made me so emo was that Doc got his spark back when he met Lightning in that first Cars movie, and, in a full-circle moment, Lightning got his spark back from Doc in Cars 3. That’s a tear-jerker right there, if I’ve ever seen one.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you! I know this was one was so long (I say this all the time), but as you guys can tell, I just really like Cars. Also, I could go on and on about this topic, like there's still so much I can say. I barely touched on the connections between Cars, F1, and NASCAR, hidden easter eggs, or just talking about my other favorite moments of the movies. Besides the movies though, there are some short films called Mater’s Tall Tales and a show called Cars on the Road. And yes, I’ve watched and enjoyed all of them, too. If you guys haven’t watched any of the movies, I hope this blog might’ve convinced you in some way. Anything to spread the word on how fun and awesome these movies are! Anyways, I’ll see you guys next week! Be sure to follow @/kahani.mag on Instagram to stay updated on new posts!
- Juveriah
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