Made for the MONSTERS, INC. DVD release, MIKE'S NEW CAR seems like an afterthought. Not that the film isn't funny, but it seems like an average gag that just happens to feature the lovable Mike Wazowski and Sulley characters. It's little confectionary compared to many of the other Pixar shorts.
In the story, Mike is excited to show Sulley his brand new six-wheel car. However, when they get inside to take a ride, nothing goes right. That's the story. In addition to being the first Pixar short to star characters from their features, the short is also the first to contain dialogue. One of the treats is that Billy Crystal and John Goodman returned to play Mike and Sulley, respectively. Crystal is especially funny.
Directed by MONSTERS, INC. helmer Pete Docter and Roger Gould, the film was written by the directing duo, as well as Jeff Pidgeon and Rob Gibbs. What makes the film is the timing. The movement is nicely rendered. A good example of this is when Sulley uses the power controls to adjust his seat. In animation sometimes simply capturing the sights and sounds of everyday life can be humorous. MIKE'S NEW CAR isn't groundbreaking work for the Pixar folks, but it's still a great deal of fun.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
