2016 Mitsubishi Lancer SEL AWD - A Fun, Inexpensive Family Car

Take a look at the fun to drive 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer SEL! I got to drive this beauty for a week and let's see what I thought about this car! The SEL is new to the Lancer lineup this year as an upper-midlevel in between the lower-midlevel SE and the sporty GT.

I headed back up to Northern California again and put in well over a thousand miles on the Lancer. The standard all-wheel drive (AWD) on the SEL handled the climb up the grapevine with ease.

The console is neatly laid out. Everything is easily within reach as well as easy to read. You get full power accessories, cruise control, a tilt-only steering wheel, climate control, bluetooth hands-free calling, a 140-watt stereo system with 6 speakers, a USB port, heated front seats, a rear-view camera, satellite radio, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.  

The 16-inch alloy wheels are ready to hit the road. They provide solid traction and grip the road tightly. You also get a ton of safety features including 4-wheel antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front side-mounted airbags, front and rear head curtain airbags, LED daytime running lights, front fog/driving lights, turn-signal-integrated mirrors as well as a remote antitheft alarm.

Dessert! Yes, dessert is the first food adventure of this trip! A banana creampuff, a banana pudding  and a banana tart round off this delicious plate at the buffet at the Gold Coast Casino.

Time to hop back into the Lancer and the plush leather seats and head out to the next food adventure!

Even the back seats offer leather and lots of legroom. And we will need all this comfort as we head to the Fisherman's Buffet at the Jackson Casino.

The first plate is full of King Crab legs!

Next up is a lobster with steamed clams and shrimp.

Last but not least is this plate of dungeness crab legs and more steamed clams. An amazing election of crab, lobster and more make this one of the best seafood buffets around. But get there early as they only allow so many people in for each hour the seafood buffet is offered.

I would fill all the crab legs and lobster into the trunk here if I could. But as you can see there isn't a ton of trunk space but it is more than enough for a trip for two or a small family.

On the way home from Northern California, I was invited by Dolby to attend an advanced screening of Kubo and The Two Strings and the latest Dolby Cinema Theater at the Del Amo AMC 18.

Super excited to see the newest movie from the amazingly talented folks at Laika.

The 2.4-liter I4 engine produces 168hp and provides more than enough power to get you anywhere you need to go. The gas mileage is listed at 23/31/26 and I got the exact same numbers.

A week of driving up and down the state of California showed me what a fun vehicle this is. An inexpensive (the review vehicle came in at $22,805.00) family 4-door car that has enough performance and comfort features to make you take a look.

Kubo and The Two Strings in Dolby Cinema Review - Laika Brings Us One of The Best Films of The Year

Monday night Kristen and I were able to attend the launch of the newest Dolby Cinema at AMC located at the AMC Del Amo 18. We also got to attend a Dolby Cinema Master Class and then see an advanced screening of Kubo and The Two Strings. As many of you know I am a huge fan of Dolby Cinema and continue to be blown away by the immersive cinematic experience that it provides.

For those of you not familiar with Dolby Cinema, there are three key components:

1. Dolby Vision - powerful dual-4K laser projection creating the most realistic images ever

2. Dolby Atmos - a reference quality sound system that moves audio around the theater in sync with the action to create a more immersive experience. There are 5 in-screen speakers with 48 surround speakers, 4 ceiling mounted subwoofers and in-seat transducers for extra rumble. 

3. Design - premium seating, a room painted matte black to reduce ambient lighting and a large curved wall-to-wall-to-ceiling screen to make the movie going experience immersive and memorable.

So now that you know a little bit more about Dolby Cinema, let's take a look at a behind the scenes featurette for Kubo and The Two Strings:

'Kubo and The Two Strings' in Dolby Cinema from Dolby Laboratories on Vimeo.

Now that you have taken a behind the scenes look into Kubo and The Two Strings, let's get into the movie review.

Kubo and The Two Strings is the latest stop motion animated film from the brilliant and creative minds at Laika. If you have seen Coraline, Paranorman or The Boxtrolls then you have seen Laika's work. I loved the first three films by Laika but Kubo and The Two Strings is the best by far.

Kubo and The Two Strings takes place in ancient Japan and is filled with powerful storytelling and visuals. The story surrounds Kubo, a young boy who lives with his mother. He spends his days entertaining the villagers with his story about a legendary warrior and his quest for a sword, a helmet and a breastplate that will make him invincible. Kubo tells his tale through origami figures that he magically brings to life with the use of his shamisen. Right when Kubo nears the end of the story, the town bell rings announcing that it is almost nightfall and Kubo must return home.

But one night Kubo doesn't return home before nightfall and he is taken away on a quest to find the armor. Kubo isn't alone on his quest as he is aided by an overly protective monkey and a brave samurai beetle. And in hot pursuit is the Moon King and two masked demons who are also his daughters. Without giving too much away, the enemy is part of Kubo's family and the story has some very unexpected twists and turns. As Kubo says in the very beginning of the movie, pay attention to everything.

The film is pure eye candy and is even more stunning in Dolby Cinema. You forget that you are watching painstaking stop-motion animation. The storyline is superb with a perfect blend of humor with an amazingly deep story about after-life mythology and lost loved ones.

Kubo and The Two Strings is a fully immersive experience in Dolby Cinema. The score emotionally pulls you into the movie with it's pure audio clarity. The sound effects literally float around you and further add to the experience. Wait until you hear the haunting voices of the masked demons. You will literally feel them around you. Then add flawless video with every detail being crisp and sharp. There is zero quality loss. This is what Dolby Cinema brings to the table, a full immersive movie going experience that is second to none. I cannot wait to see Kubo and The Two Strings again but I will only watch it in Dolby Cinema.

Kubo and The Two Strings is not only one of the best animated films of the year but also one of the best films of the year. I cannot wait to see what Laika brings us next.