Planes: Fire & Rescue

Sure, Pixar’s Cars franchise and its aviation spin-off, Planes, are perhaps less stimulating to adults than Toy Story or WALL?E. But it doesn’t take much imagination to realize that to lots of 6-year-olds, Planes: Fire & Rescue is pretty much the coolest movie ever. Talking aircraft and aerial fire-fighting? Come on. At the beginning of this sequel to last year’s Planes, Dusty (voiced by Dane Cook), the crop duster-turned-air-racing celebrity, learns his gearbox is damaged and the replacement parts he needs to keep up his high-speed showmanship may not exist. For a career change, he joins a forest-fire rescue team, which includes battle-battered veteran Blade Ranger (Ed Harris), spiritual heavy-duty copter Windlifter (Wes Studi), and air tanker Lil’ Dipper (Julie Bowen). Despite somewhat of a direct-to-DVD plot, the perilous and elaborate rescue scenes are certainly big-screen-worthy. Canny references to ’70s television and some genuinely funny moments will give grown-ups enough fuel to cross the finish line. B