The good news is, “Wall-E” no longer bears the shame of being my least-favorite Pixar movie. The bad news? The overly glitzy “Cars 2” has taken its place.

I know there are a lot of people who didn’t like the original “Cars” movie, but I thought it was a lot of fun. It was also the first movie Poppy ever watched, so Lightning McQueen and the gang will always have a special place in my heart.

Even so, I was a little concerned when I heard they were making a sequel to “Cars,” because I couldn’t fathom where they might take the characters and the story. Not that I’m an expert at that sort of thing, but “Toy Story” at least had Andy’s growing up as a ladder on which to build. “Cars” had … ummmm … another racing season? In which McQueen mentors an arrogant up-and-comer? It’s a good thing I’m not in charge, because that would’ve been lame.

But the Pixar actually did make was almost as bad. They turned “Cars” into a James Bond tribute, and the result feels like a direct-to-video release. One of those awful things that have nothing in common with the original save a few characters and a company’s yearning for more dollars (See: “The Return of Jafar“). Except that instead of renting this, I paid a ridiculous amount of money to see it in the theater.

“Cars 2” did have a few laughs here and there, but it was lacking that Pixar warmth that makes their movies so special. (Well, most of them.) I was already having my doubts about “Monsters U.” I’m hoping “Cars 2” isn’t a hint of things to come.