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Cars 3 (2017)
Easily the most disappointing Pixar film
Yes that's right, this film is even more disappointing than the abomination that was "Cars 2". There are some truly atrocious creative choices made towards the end of the film which I will discuss in a moment. Let me first point out, however, that there is some good in this film. The first act does an alright job of setting up the stakes and character arcs. We are introduced to the new characters and it moves a long at a pretty fast pace. The second act, though a bit meandering and slow, explores Lightning McQueen's relationship with Doc Hudson. It was easily the most poignant part of the film and gave good closure to Doc's character, something "Cars 2" failed at altogether. Additionally, the animation is absolutely sublime and Randy Newman's score beautifully echoes that of the first movie. Where the film completely and utterly fails is the third act. Spoilers follow. The biggest issue with this film is Cruz Ramirez. She weighed down the movie in the first and second acts, and in the third act, renders Lightning useless. The film sets up an underdog story with Lightning's crash and subsequent recovery but never delivers this. Instead, Lightning gives up in the middle of the final race in Florida and passes the torch onto Cruz who, despite this being her first race and her only training for two weeks, magically wins. Lightning, the beloved racer from the first film, is completely cast aside for the annoying, moronic, and horrible Cruz. It's PC-pandering at its worst. Cruz is a complete Mary-Sue. She didn't have a shred of likability in the first two acts, but I could tolerate her because it was still Lightning's story. The third act feels like it was written by new-age feminists who completely miss the point of the "Cars" movies and don't at all understand the concept of a narrative character arc. What is most devastating is the fact that we never got to see Lightning rise up through the ranks, beat Jackson Storm, and finally become the fabulous racer we know he is. We never got to see Lightning WIN. The film leaves you totally deflated and empty; flustered and angry that Pixar, a studio that has proved again and again its deftness at storytelling and filmmaking craft, has fallen to the collectivist propaganda that is plaguing some films lately. If you were a fan of the first "Cars" film, a fan of Lightning McQueen or even a fan of great movies in general, please PLEASE avoid this one. You will only be let down like I was. I repeat, DON'T WATCH IT.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Dark, moving, and enthralling.
The Empire Strikes Back is the easily the best Star Wars movie.
This is mainly due to the amazing script by Lawrence Kasdan. It presents the movie in a much darker context than its predecessor. "The galactic empire is hunting down the rebels" is all you need to know about this movie. You are taken in by the vulnerable yet relatable characters, the overall journey of Luke Skywalker, and the amazing special effects which look better than some sfx in 2014. Need I mention John Williams' musical score?
Dark, moving, and enthralling, "Empire" will go down as one of the best movies in history.