Det. News Reviews Cars

Pixar's Cars
The Jay Jay Factor at Work?

Today is opening day for the Disney-Pixar movie, Cars. I am a huge fan of Pixar movies and a car enthusiast, yet I am having a hard time getting excited about this movie. The reason was actually clear to me several years ago, when the movie was first announced as in production. It's the Jay Jay the Jet Plane Factor.

In short, The Jay Jay factor is my term for the practical limits on anthropomorphism for mainstream audiences. We can be comfortable with talking clownfish, but talking cars? We can't or don't want to stretch our imaginations that much. Don't believe me? Look at Jay Jay the Jet Plane. Jay Jay's fan base peters out when you hit kindergarten. Thomas the Tank Engine? Maybe first grade, and it only goes that far because the little trains are fun.

Not only do I think that Cars will be a disappointment vis-a-vis the popularity of previous Pixar films, I think Pixar insiders have known all along that it was not their best concept. Once upon a time, Monty Python produced an LP that they called the The Contractual Obligations Album. I think that Cars, at least in part, started as a film designed to finish up its contractual obligation to Disney without giving away the crown jewels. It serves as secondary function of serving as a "thank you" to Pixar's (and now Disney's) creative head, John Lasseter. Lasseter was the creative spark behind previous Pixar hits. He also happens to be a car nut, and he took it upon himself to personally direct Cars after vacating the director's chair for the last few Pixar releases. If Cars becomes a hit it will be not because the concept is so great; rather, it will be because of the standard of technical excellence that pervades Pixar and because of John Lasseter's force of will.

I might be wrong about Cars. A mostly positive movie review by the Detroit News is linked below. Other reviews are mostly positive as well, albeit more reserved than for past Pixar movies such as Finding Nemo and The Incredibles. The trailers for cars are visually stunning. No doubt there will be some funny bits and maybe an exciting scene or two. Nevertheless, I have a hunch that most adults, and many kids over 7 or 8 will walk out of the theater feeling that they weren't moved as much as they expected to be, and that's the Jay Jay factor at work. I'll eventually see the movie, and when I do, I'll write to say whether I was right or wrong. In any case, if you start reading and hearing comparisons between Jay Jay and Cars, remember you read it here first.