Review of Monsters, Inc. (2001) by Brittany F — 01 Nov 2013

Re-watching Monster's Inc. recently made me remember what made Pixar so special before their recent fall from grace. The one thing that has always separated Pixar from every other animation studio is that their films are equally enjoyable for both children and adults and Monster's Inc.

accomplishes that feat extraordinarily. Let's take a stroll down memory lane for a moment. I was about 8 when this movie came out and I saw it in theatres. I remember absolutely loving it and getting quite emotional near the end of the film.

Flash forward twelve years and it still has virtually the same effect on me, though probably not as dramatic. Some films from my childhood I realize now are not as good as I once believed them to be, but Pixar films literally only get better with time.

As you grow older you're able to understand more of the jokes, and appreciate just how truly breathtaking these films can be. Now that I've basically written an ode to the Pixar films of yesteryear, I should probably discuss why Monster's Inc.

specifically is so good. First of all the animation is absolutely flawless. This movie came out in 2001 and still looks better than some of the animated movies releasing today. The colors are so vibrant and beautiful that this world feels completely realized.

Is there a single person who didn't want to step through their television and stroll through the streets of Monstropolis? Also adding to the completeness of the world is the cast of characters scattered across the narrative.

I'll discuss the leads later, but one of my favorite sequences is near the beginning of film when Mike and Sulley are walking to work. The two walk by many characters who never appear in the film again exchanging just casual "Heys" and "Good Mornings" that make the world feel truly lived in.

It may seem like a minor detail, but it's in the details where Pixar takes the extra initiative and separates themselves from their competition. While I'm on the more minor characters I'd like to give a shout out to Roz for being perfectly perfect in every way.

Now let me discuss Mike and Sulley along with their voice actors. Like Woody and Buzz before them it seems incomplete to talk about one without the other. The first scene we see with them is Mike coaching Sulley through their morning routine and it just establishes both of their characters so well while also highlighting their relationship dynamic.

Billy Crystal and John Goodman are also a main reason why the duo feels so real. They play off of each other really well, and their voices fit the character models so well it's insane. I should probably touch on Steve Buscemi as Randall who is great.

Like with many of Pixar's voice actors it's hard to imagine someone else embodying these characters. I haven't quite touched on the story and the writing, but if you haven't seen this movie at this point where the heck have you been? It manages to meet many emotional sweet spots for me, while also being pretty freaking hilarious at parts.

Before wrapping up I want to mention the music by Randy Newman. The song "If I Didn't Have You," though perhaps not as great as "You've Got A Friend in Me" is still a personal favorite of mine.

Also the score, particularly the song used for the opening credits is just superb. This movie was directed by Pete Docter who also did my very favorite Pixar movie, Up, and co-written by Andrew Stanton who was responsible for the Toy Story films so it really is no surprise how much this film works for me.

It is definitely in my top five Pixar films and should be seen by everyone no matter the age.