Richard Corliss of Time magazine had a chance to see Pixar's "Cars" and interview director John Lasseter.

I think Corliss liked the film: 

Existing both in turbo-charged today and the gentler '50s, straddling the realms of Pixar styling and old Disney heart, this new-model Cars is an instant classic.

Also, for those wishing that Lasseter would bring back two-dimensional animation at Disney, his comments to Corliss will spark considerable optimism.

Before buying Pixar, a desperate Disney had scuttled its traditional animation unit. Lasseter may restore that. "Of all studios that should be doing 2-D animation, it should be Disney," he says. "We haven't said anything publicly, but I can guarantee you that we're thinking about it. Because I believe in it."

Illinois Route 66 preservationist extraordinaire John Weiss and his crew on Saturday dug out part of a pedestrian tunnel that once was used to walk under Route 66 in Odell, Ill., according to a report by the Bloomington Pantagraph.

About 30 volunteers from the association and town members helped to dig up the first four steps and put up a railing.

When the tunnel was built, Route 66 was nearly impossible to cross because of the large amounts of traffic. School children who lived on the east side of town but attended St. Paul’s School on the west side used the tunnel. The tunnel was blocked and the stairs covered in the 1940s, when Route 66 moved to the west side of town.

…

While digging up the dirt, Ike Widner of Morris found a marble sitting on the second step. The marble will be saved and placed in the historic gas station in Odell that was also preserved by the association.

“It was just sitting there on the step,” he said. “It is a piece of history, too.”

The Illinois Route 66 Association's Web site also has a story from the excavation here, including one of the photos I've posted down below to show what the remnants of the tunnel look like once it was unearthed.

Two public viewings are scheduled for the Vision 2025 initiative's Route 66 Master Plan in Tulsa County.

The news release I received a few days ago says this:

The Route 66 Project was selected as part of Vision 2025 to create a tourist destination that would appeal to several generations — those with memories of traveling along Route 66, and those who haven't grown up traveling Route 66, but who would visit fun, new attractions near the historic road.

Route 66 as a tourist attraction also would encourage commercial investment and economic development of the corridor, which through Tulsa includes 11th Street, Southwest Boulevard and Admiral Place.

The master plan will be on display at:

– Zarrow Public Library, 2224 W. 51st St., from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

– East Central High School cafeteria, 12150 E. 11th St., 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 23.

Comment forms will be available.

As a sweetener for Route 66 fans, cruise-friendly vehicles will be displayed at the meeting sites, including a 1942 Chevrolet pickup, a 1956 Chevrolet Bel-Air and a 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle.

If you can't make it to the meetings, the plan can be downloaded in three parts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

And here's an archive about developments with the Route 66 Master Plan.

The Upcoming Pixar site reports that the iTunes Music Store is preselling the "Cars" movie soundtrack for $9.99, with an expected release date of June 6 — three days before the film opens wide.

ITunes is already selling Rascal Flatts' version of "Life is a Highway" for 99 cents. Podcasts are available.

But what I found fascinating is that the film's major characters each have playlists of their favorite songs that you also can download, along with comments on each track. The songs alone hint at the personalities they are, but the comments are even more revealing and sometimes funny.

Lightning McQueen's hard-rocking listing suits an adrenalin junkie:

• "Roller Coaster," Blink-182
• "Banquet," Bloc Party
• "Song 2," Blur
• "Butterfly," Crazy Town
• "Mama Said Knock You Out," LL Cool J
• "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Nirvana
• "Move Your Feet," Junior Senior
• "I-E-A-I-A-I-O," System of a Down
• "An Honest Mistake," The Bravery
• "Westbound Sign," Green Day

Mater's songs lean strong toward country, but he also like a bit of mullet rock — the Queen and Skynyrd songs prove it:

• "We Are the Champions," Queen
• "Amos Moses," Jerry Reed
• "Lookin' Back to See," Justin Tubb
• "Come On In," Patsy Cline
• "Company's Comin'," Porter Wagoner
• "Elvira," Oak Ridge Boys
• "Guitars, Cadillacs," Dwight Yoakam
• "Long Time Gone," Dixie Chicks
• "Runnin' Down a Dream," Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• "Sweet Home Alabama," Lynyrd Skynyrd
• "Daytime Friends," Kenny Rogers

Sally's track listing is about the most eclectic of the group, as befits a smart, driven woman who's been around the block a few times:

• "I'm Not in Love," 10cc
• "Choctaw Hayride," Alison Krauss & Union Station
• "Come On Eileen," Dexy's Midnight Runners
• "Sunny Road," Emiliana Torrini
• "Let Me Blow Ya Mind," Eve and Gwen Stefani
• "Make Your Own Kind of Music," Mama Cass
• "Back in Baby's Arms," Patsy Cline
• "Sparks," Royksopp
• "Sara Smile," Daryl Hall & John Oates
• "Second Time Around," Rickie Lee Jones

The hippie van Fillmore and his songs take us back to the psychedelic '60s:

• "Day After Day," Badfinger
• "In My Room," Beach Boys
• "Here I Go Again," Country Joe and The Fish
• "I Chase the Devil," Max Romeo
• "All the Young Dudes," Mott the Hoople
• "Long Red," Mountain
• "Heart of Gold," Neil Young
• "Settle Down (Goin' Down that Highway)," Peter, Paul & Mary
• "Stone Free," The Jimi Hendrix Experience
• "My Conversation," The Uniques

Doc's favorite tunes sound like something your grandfather would listen to, not that it's a bad thing:

• "As Long As I Live," Anita O'Day
• "When the World Was Young," Anita O'Day
• "The Good Life," Tony Bennett
• "Roly Poly," Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys
• "You Can't Sit Down," The Dovells
• "Lonesome Road," Frank Sinatra
• "The Race Is On," George Jones
• "Abilene," George Hamilton IV
• "The Bounce," Olympics
• "King of the Road," Roger Miller

Ramone's track listing has a saucy Latin flavor:

• "Low Rider," War
• "She's a Bad Mama Jama," Carl Carlton
• "The Message," Grandmaster Flash
• "Callin' Out," Lyrics Born
• "Born to Roll," Master Ace Incorporated
• "Represent," Orishas
• "Coming Up - Cumbia De Los Muertos," Ozomatli
• "Listen and You'll See," The Crusaders
• "Beatbox Cha Cha," Ursula 1000
• "Spanish Grease," Willie Bobo

If you don't have an iTunes jukebox, you can download it for free and surf to the Music Store if you have an Internet connection. You can get started here.

Also, it sounds like portions of the Web site are streaming the soundtrack album.
The "Cars" Web site also has started offering online tokens. Information about it can be found here. Registration is required. You can swap images of "Cars" characters with other people online.