Running on Pixie Dust: cars

Lightning McQueen races back into theaters nationwide on June 16 in the latest Disney/Pixar hit, Cars 3. In the newest film, McQueen and the Rust-eze racing team face a new challenge on the race track as next generation rookies are taking the circuit by storm. Lightning McQueen works with a new trainer, Cruz Ramirez, to get back into top racing shape. But will it be enough? How far will the latest and greatest technology take the number 95 and how far will your heart carry you through tough times?

One of the new stars in Cars 3 is Cruz Ramirez. She is a next generation trainer who is looking to take Lightning McQueen to the next level. What's really to love about her though is a girl who is strong, smart, and very real. Ramirez faces her own insecurities during her training of McQueen, but in the end she also learns that with encouragement from friends you can achieve even your wildest dreams. McQueen also finds inspiration from friends and a mentor of his old crew chief, Doc Hudson. The educator in me really enjoys how much these movies pay tribute to the "teachers" along the way and Cars 3 is certainly no exception.

And it wouldn't be a film staring Lightning McQueen and his best friend Tow Mater if there wasn't a few good laughs along the way. One of the funniest scenes finds McQueen at a Demolition Derby where we meet some pretty off the beaten path characters, including a school bus named Miss Fritter. Call me crazy, but if I was writing a Cars 4, I could totally see Miss Fritter being a love interest of Tow Mater - just wishful thinking though on my part!

Without offering any spoilers, I can say that this movie is endearing, inspiring, and fun for the whole family. Kids will love the laughs and the fast paced racing, while grown-ups will enjoy the heart of each character and may even find themselves relating to what it means to be getting older in a society that is rapidly changing around them. Be sure to check it out to kick off your summer season!

Like CARS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PixarCars/

Follow CARS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pixarcars

Follow CARS on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pixarcars/

Subscribe to the Disney/Pixar YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/DisneyPixar

Visit the official CARS 3 website here: http://movies.disney.com/cars-3

Disclosure: I attended a free screening of the film to share a review with my readers. Opinions and thoughts are always my own!

Walt Disney Studios had a phenomenal year in 2016. Zootopia, Finding Dory, Moana, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story all were big successes for Walt Disney Studios - just to name a few. And 2017 seems to be setting up for another exciting year! Below are some quick previews from Walt Disney Studios. I highlighted the ones that are on the "don't miss" list for my family this year!

March 17, 2017 - Beauty and the Beast
#BeautyandtheBeast
#BeOurGuest

The story and characters audiences know and love come to spectacular life in the live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic “Beauty and the Beast,” a stunning, cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told. “Beauty and the Beast” is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a Beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart of the true Prince within.

May 26, 2017 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
#PiratesoftheCaribbean
#APiratesDeathForMe

Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow in the all-new “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.” The rip-roaring adventure finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil's Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea—notably Jack. Jack's only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced.

June 16, 2017 - Cars 3
#Cars3

Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician, Cruz Ramirez (voice of Cristela Alonzo), with her own plan to win, plus inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage!

November 22, 2017 - Coco
#Coco

Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history. Directed by Lee Unkrich (“Toy Story 3”), co-directed by Adrian Molina (story artist “Monsters University”) and produced by Darla K. Anderson (“Toy Story 3”), Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” opens in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2017.

December 15, 2017 - Star Wars: Episode VIII
#StarWarsVIII

Back to the Races

Coming in 2017!