There, I said it. Please refrain from sending any hate mail my way.
Yes, Monsters Inc. trumps all other Pixar movies in my opinion. And when I heard the beloved movie company was adding on to the franchise, I was both excited and terrified to see the final product. Fortunately, Pixar continues their trend of producing solid and entertaining family films
Film Summary: Monsters University gives audiences the origin story of everyone's favorite scare team, Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan. The dynamic duo did not start out as friends, however. Beginning as rivals in the prestigious scare program, they must learn to work together to insure their place at MU.
Like always, Pixar delivers top of the line animation, and their designs never cease to amaze me. It's hard to think of a university setting filled with hundreds of uniquely built monsters, but they managed to pull it off. I was especially impressed with the looks of the scare school's dean, Mrs. Hardscrabble; a terrifying, yet sophisticated collaboration between a dragon and a centipede. And yes, I will admit, I melted at the sight of baby Mike Wazowski!
I was also shocked by the amount of vocal talent involved with the project. Unless it is heavily advertized through trailers or posters, I have a hard time picking out who is voicing who in animated features. This was not the case with Monsters University. Not only were several of the original cast members from Monsters Inc. back for round two, but along beside them came Helen Mirren, John Krasinski, Aubrey Plaza, and Nathan Fillion!
I believe Pixar made a smart move by not making an exact sequel to Monsters Inc. The first movie had a perfect ending, and I think it was a wise choice to make a prequel instead of a continuation from the first. I'm not saying this movie was completely necessary, but you can tell that the material and characters were handled with care and wasn't just a way for the company to make an easy buck. That's one thing I love about Pixar; everything they shell out (with the exception of Cars 2 perhaps) are passion projects. They won't release anything they don't think is up to par with their high standards of quality. Monsters University is a great example of this commendable principle.
There's not a whole lot of great conflict throughout the film because we already know where Mike and Sully will eventually end up. The main action comes from the duo having to team up with a fraternity of "loser" monsters to compete and win a scare tournament. Although, it could be worse. The tournament could have just been a way for the Mike and Sully to gain popularity or to reach the top of their class or the movie could have simply revolved around how the two become friends. Thankfully, the movie is so much more than that. A major part of the film deals with what happens when you can't have that one thing you've been dreaming of your whole life; an incredibly adult concept for a kid flick. And when the main characters do something incredibly illegal, there are actual consequences! They are not scolded and then forgiven five seconds later because of their heroic actions. This aspect was so refreshing to see from not only a family film, but from an all-around, general movie perspective.
Monsters University might not have been my first choice for a Pixar follow-up (I am still waiting for The Incredibles 2), but it did turn out to be a pleasant surprise.
FINAL VERDICT: It's worth seeing, but catch the matinee.
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