Cars 3

Cars 3 is currently streaming in Australia on Disney Plus and Zee5, and in the US on Disney Plus, and it uses the format for more than just a visual hook. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 6,460 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. The visual style is immediately recognisable, but the writing is what keeps you watching. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Cars 3 is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Cars 3 has the visual identity that makes it immediately recognisable, and the writing to back it up. Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician with her own plan to win, inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet, and a few unexpected turns. Owen Wilson and Cristela Alonzo bring voice work that does more than the format usually asks for. It hit screens in 2017. What makes Cars 3 more than a curiosity is writing that would hold up in any format. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you have been sleeping on Cars 3 because of the format, the format is not the issue here. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Owen Wilson brings more to the role than the format usually demands. A harder one to justify skipping than to start.