Cars

Spent some holiday time watching movies and one of these that we picked was Cars 2, which tells of the adventures of not only Lightning Mc Queen (voiced by Owen Wilson)  but also his best friend Mater the Tow Truck (Larry the Cable Guy).  As Lightning competes on the Japanese and European circuits, his best friend gets caught up in some international espionage, and of course, the fireworks begin!  I've had a soft spot for the series, as the first movie had lots of what I call the "possibilities, pride & redemption" phases in a storyline.  Young rookie speedster has the possibilities for greatness, but pride takes control, bringing him down.  But he finally realizes the really important dimensions in life--friendships, loyalty and giving--and thus ultimately finds redemption in the eyes of his friends and his girlfriend.  You can find more of this theme, though lighter in tone, in the second installment--Lightning Mc Queen thinks his best friend is an idiot but realizes the mistake when the unseen espionage becomes apparent.  I'm an absolute sucker for redemption stories!  As I watched the movie, another thing crossed my mind--the wonder of digital animation!  The views of the racing circuit (Tokyo, Italy and London) are captured in such a life-like fashion, that I could have sworn this was a live action film!  You must see it to enjoy the digital artistry of Pixar at work!