“It is the biggest coolest thing I’ve ever done.” – Cristela Alonzo about CARS 3.
I love this movie mucho! Why? Because it finally showcases a Latina lead who is a complex character and who gets to be the hero. So, if you haven’t seen it (first of all, where have you been?), I’m going to spoil it for you.
I thought Lightning McQueen was going to overcome his fears of feeling old with the help of this funny, badass Latina race car trainer Cruz Ramirez. And then he’d go on to win another championship. And then, maybe there would be a CARS 4 where Cruz Ramirez would get to race and win. Applause, applause. Pero guess what? McQueen doesn’t end up being the hero in this movie. Well, at the least, he’s not the only hero. McQueen comes to his senses and mentors Cruz Ramirez and hands over the reigns to her to let her race. And, of course, she WINS!
Overall, CARS 3 is a story of mentorship and that trying and failing is always better than never trying at all. This is the exact lesson that I teach my kids and inevitably, I end up having to keep trying to reach my goals just to show them how it’s done – yes, I’m willing to fail to teach my kids this lesson.
Cruz Ramirez is Cristela Alonzo
In Disney Pixar’s Facebook Live with Cristela Alonzo, Cristela candidly shares her story about how she relates and essentially became Cruz Ramirez.
“Dream small or not at all” is what Cruz Ramirez’s family used to tell her when she would talk about being a race car driver. Cristela tells FB audience that that’s what her family used to tell her when she would talk about being a comedian. Cristela is a first generation Tejana whose mother came from Mexico. Becuase her mom didn’t have time to dream as she spent all of her time just surviving and working to provide for her children, she couldn’t understand Cristela’s dreams.
Cruz Ramirez has so much heart but limited herself in being a trainer instead of pursuing her dreams of being a race car. In the most moving scene of CARS 3, she has an argument with Lightning McQueen which starts because Cruz Ramirez beats McQueen in a race and he lashes out at her accusing her of not understanding because she’s not a racer. Cruz confesses that she never intended to be a trainer but gave up on her dreams of becoming a racer. Like so many of us, Cruz stopped herself because she just didn’t feel like she belonged.
Cruz asks McQueen, “How did you know you could do it?”
“I just never thought I couldn’t,” McQueen replies.
And the scene ends. It leaves the audience (or at least me) how many times I stopped myself from pursuing a goal or a dream simply because I told myself that I couldn’t or that I didn’t belong. And for Latinos, this is more common than you might think.
Cruz Ramirez’s journey is about having enough confidence in herself to believe that she could actually do it.It’s also about trusting that she is enough and that she DOES belong there … and even thrive there. Cristela admits that she never had that confidence in her life. Getting to see Cruz Ramirez’s end gives Cristela hope that her ending will be great, too.
Representing Latinos in a Big Franchise
“For me to be a part of an important franchise … It means a lot because I hope that I have done Cruz justice. I hope everybody understands that I was really proud to do it and that I wanted do it in a very n authentic way. I hope that everybody feels proud of the representation that Cruz brought to the CARS world and to Pixar,” Cristela Alonzo, voice of Cruz Ramirez.
Wow, Cristela, as a fellow Latina from Texas, we are proud of you and do acknowledge your work and representation.
CARS 3 Digital Download Giveaway
Queridos! I’m so excited to get to give away not one but two digital card downloads to you!
Leave a comment below and tell me what is your dream or your child’s dream that you don’t ever want to give up on.
CARS 3 BluRay DVD Available November 7
CARS 3 is Disney•Pixar’s first in-home title released in stunning 4K Ultra HD format, the next-generation viewing format with four times the resolution of HD and exceptional high dynamic range (HDR), resulting in brilliant highlights, vibrant colors and greater contrast on compatible displays than ever before. With 4K Ultra HD, viewers will feel like they’re at the center of the action—holding their breath during the dramatic crash that launches Lightning’s journey, feeling the pulse-pounding action at the Florida International Super Speedway, and getting down and dirty at the Crazy 8 demolition derby.
Bonus Features*
Blu-ray & Digital:
Miss Fritter’s Racing Skoool (Exclusive new mini-movie) – Enjoy blindsided testimonials from the Crazy 8’s, touting the transformative impact Miss Fritter’s Racing School has had in reshaping the direction of their lives
Theatrical Short: “Lou” – When a toy-stealing bully ruins recess for a playground full of kids, only one thing stands in his way: the “Lost and Found” box.
Let’s. Get. Crazy. – Get schooled in the world of demolition derby, the “rules” of figure 8 racing, and how Pixar puts the crazy in the Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 race. This piece is hosted by Lea DeLaria.
Legendary – a close, historical look at the racing legends Wendell Scott and Louise Smith, whose tenacity and perseverance got them into the race even when they weren’t invited.
Ready for the Race – Disney Channel’s Olivia Rodrigo and NASCAR Racer William Byron check out the Hendrick Motorsports campus to showcase how real-world race training influenced the filmmakers.
World’s Fastest Billboard – Blink and you will miss all of the graphics and “car-ified” advertisements created by Pixar’s Art team to make the ”Cars 3” world as believable as possible.
Cruz Ramirez: The Yellow Car That Could – Join Cristela Alonzo and the filmmakers on their journey to create a race-car trainer turned champion racer.
Generations: The Story of “Cars 3” – For the story team, creating Lightning McQueen’s next chapter didn’t involve just a tune-up, but a complete overhaul.
My First Car – A collection of illustrated first-car stories as narrated by members of the “Cars 3” cast and crew. “A Green Car on the Red Carpet with Kerry Washington,” “Old Blue,” and “Still in the Family.”
5 Deleted Scenes – Each deleted scene is set up with an introduction as to why it was removed from the film. Deleted scenes include “The Boogie Woogie,” “The Jars of Dirt,” “Lugnut,” “The Bolt,” and “More Than New Paint.”
Cars To Die(cast) For – Take a look at the phenomenon of die-cast toy collecting and the more than 1,000 unique designs that exist in the Cars universe.
Commentary – Brian Fee (Director), Kevin Reher (Producer), Andrea Warren (Co-Producer) and Jay Ward (Creative Director)
And more…
DVD:
Theatrical Short: “Lou” & “Commentary”
#95 by the #s in “Cars 3”
5 – As “Cars 3” gets underway, world-champion racer Lightning McQueen is riding high with five Piston-Cup wins under his hood.
11 – Lightning McQueen raced into moviegoers’ hearts 11 years ago—making his rookie debut in “Cars” in March 2006—and remains an iconic character today.
24 – The dramatic, slow-motion crash scene in which Lightning McQueen hits a wall and rolls several times takes 24 seconds.
95 – Lightning McQueen still sports the dynamic #95 with his signature lightning-bolt graphics. He displays five distinct looks in “Cars 3,” including one that pays homage to his original paint, a primer look he gets following the devastating crash, a custom wrap ordered by Sterling, and more.
198 – Lightning McQueen tops out at a speed of 198 miles per hour on his last lap with Cruz Ramirez on Fireball Beach. But Lightning’s nemesis—next-gen racer Jackson Storm—races at speeds pushing 207 mph.
