Review of Monsters University (2013) by Redowlreviews — 10 Jul 2013

(skip to the last paragraph for a concise one-sentence summary and a number).

I don’t know why, but I felt powerfully attached to Monsters University. It may be because Monsters Inc. was one of my favorite Pixar movies of all time. It may also be because I am currently around the age of our protagonists, so I can attest to their struggles. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because Mike Wazowski and James Sullivan are the best frenemies to hit the big screen since Pixar’s older Woody and Buzz.

Mike Wazowski is determined, but at a disadvantage, since he isn’t scary. James Sullivan is laidback, but at an advantage, since he’s scary as hell (he’s also legacy, but I’d rather not rant about legacy kids on a film critique). So why is the banter between these polar opposites so amusing to children and adults alike? It’s because they’re both a little obnoxious. They’ve got enough sour taste in each other to animate the screen almost as well as the crisp-clear animation software used to make the film (which is seriously praiseworthy).

Technique-wise, the film rarely fails. Sure, the plotline may be a little formulaic and linear, but the plot twists are just enough to keep both the story and the character development moving. Even near the end of the film, you’ll find some sappy emotion we’ve come to expect from Pixar.

In conclusion, this is what I have to say: Monsters University is not only the best and most charismatic animated film of the year thus far; it is also a testament to Pixar’s glory years and a sign that maybe Cars 2 and Brave were just a depressing phase that Pixar is hopefully passing. (I’d also like to laud Helen Mirren’s character, Dean Hardscrabble.