Convergence Zone
Having said all that, I can tell you that "Cars" is a joy. It's business as usual for Pixar - and business, as always, is good. The voice actors -- an expert pit crew that includes Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, George Carlin and such left-field surprise guests as Jeremy Piven and "Car Talk" hosts Tom and Ray Magliozzi - are as thoughtfully cast and well directed as they would be in an Altman movie. While the film is populated with countless in-jokes and pop culture references, director John Lasseter never allows these touches to overwhelm the story (a lesson that Dreamworks' crew has yet to learn). And the animation is as beautiful as a 1950s hand-tinted vintage Route 66 postcard - which is what "Cars" is, really: a letter from a forgotten time, a valentine from the old, weird America.
By Geoff Carter | June 8, 2006
Hike of the Week
If you don't want to spend a fortune on gas but would like to escape the rain, we suggest a hike along Little Kachess Trail No. 1312. The trail is far enough east of Snoqualmie Pass that I managed to miss the worst of the rain on a recent visit. However, this is a pleasant hike in any kind of weather, especially if you are staying at the Kachess Lake Campground.
By Karen Sykes | June 8, 2006
