Review of Monsters, Inc. (2001) by Nick C — 23 Apr 2017

This is probably my favorite Pixar movie, and animated movie for that matter, other than possibly Up. It is imaginative, creative, funny, entertaining, and fun. I'll start with the concept. It's probably Pixar's most clever concept to date, other than Inside Out. The idea that the monsters in your closets and under your beds are not forces of evil, but rather just average everyday 9-5 office workers who scare to collect the energy of human screams is incredibly innovative and creative. Too many films stop there, though -- they have a cool concept, but the movie itself doesn't deliver. Monsters, Inc. more than delivers on its concept though. Enter Mike and Sulley, two buddies who work at Monsters, Inc. The chemistry between them is great, Mike is hilarious, and every moment with the two of them onscreen is filled to the brim with energy.

Then the plot begins, which, given the concept, was probably the best plot they could possibly think of: a kid escapes out into the monster world. Sulley finds her, brings her home, and the next day he and Mike try to put her back in her door. Sulley begins to develop a relationship though, which is handled very nicely -- it takes time to develop, and feels genuine.

By the end of the movie, my favorite sequence, they find themselves riding one of the many millions of doors through a giant warehouse in the factory. This is where the concept is extended to its creative extreme; it starts with the simple idea that maybe monsters scare you as part of their job, and by the end, we're allowed the visual of the millions of different doors stored in the factory. The chase scene at the end is very fun and entertaining, but what is best about it is the concept their dealing with, enhancing its creative energy. There is a chase scene after the door scene that is very cleverly organized as well, that I like just a much -- most of the fun of that scene is derived from the way everything comes together.

Then of course there's the touching ending between Sulley and Boo. Most Pixar movies lay their emotional, poignant themes and sequences on pretty heavily (Toy Story 2 & 3, Finding Nemo, Up, Inside Out, to name a few), but in this one, it's kind of subtle, and I like that. They give you just enough to emotionally connect with characters, and what I love most about it is how genuine it feels -- they've taken time to establish these characters and their relationships, so it doesn't feel forced. Their relationship is both a neat idea on paper, and heartwarming to watch.

On top of my main points for loving this movie, this is probably Pixar's funniest movie. I know there's people who can't stand Mike, but I find myself laughing at everything that comes out of his mouth. God knows Pixar has had comical relief characters that become more annoying than funny -- believe me, I've seen the Cars movies. But then there are characters like Mike and Dory, who don't overdo it at least for me, and end up becoming one of the most charming aspects of the film. The movie isn't too long, which is very admirable in a kid's movie, and builds tension perfectly to climax. I've seen this movie many, many, times, and it is always enjoyable and entertaining. This is one of my top 20 favorite films of all time, not because it does anything huge, but merely because of its charm, style, fun, creativity, and entertainment. This is one of the most underrated Pixar movies, usually considered to be the worst of the "good ones" (meaning not A Bug's Life, Cars, Cars 2, Brave, Monsters University, and the Good Dinosaur), which is a shame because it truly is a wonderful film.