Eleven and a half years ago, “Monsters Inc.” opened in theatres across the country to rave reviews and massive box office success. This was a time when N’Sync ruled the land, cell phones didn’t have cameras and Will Ferrell was just another SNL cast member. Flash forward to the year 2013; One Direction rules the land, cellphones are capable of immeasurable power, Will Ferrell is Ron Burgundy and we now have a prequel to that beloved 2001 comedy. The prequel is appropriately entitled “Monsters University” and depicts all the humor, superb characters and heart of it’s predecessor perfectly.
Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) has wanted to be a scarer at Monsters Inc. all his life, and the best way to get into that corporation is to enroll at the prestigious college Monsters University. Excited and hoping to become a great scarer like all of his heroes, Mike is hopeful for his college experience; until he meets James P. Sullivan A.K.A. Sulley (John Goodman), whose whole family is legendary when it comes to scaring. The two soon become rivals, until their rivalry winds up potentially hurting their enrollment at Monsters University. With the help of some monsters from a misfit fraternity Ozzma Kappa, Mike and Sulley hope to show the whole school they are truly great scarers.
Such a plot description doesn’t do justice to the surprisingly well developed plot and environment writer-director Dan Scanlon has crafted for these two characters. Interestingly, the world of MU is much different than the one seen in the original film, yet it still feels natural and fitting; after all, most college campuses feel a bit different from many major factories in the human world, why should the monster version of our society be any different? To boot, the college campus itself is so perfectly animated with little details that make it feel alive, with creaky and cracked floors that show an astounding attention to detail, the PIXAR animators once again show off the best animation in the business, hands down.
Ah, but all such beauty would be for nothing if not for a well made story. Luckily, rebounding after the poorly plotted “Cars 2” and thinly scripted “Brave”, “Monsters University” has a wonderfully created story with a message that’s delightfully mature and thoughtful. It’s emotion doesn’t quite hit the heights of “Toy Story 3” or “Up” (two of the greatest motion pictures ever created in my opinion), but these monsters come pretty dang close, especially with a final set piece that’s unexpected in both appearance and emotional resonance. I don’t doubt that this movie will leave many viewers, especially older aged ones like myself, with many thoughtful and fascinating questions about our own dreams and destinies.
But now for an element I wasn’t expecting from this film at all: the humor. Only “This Is The End” beats this flick in terms of hearty laughs, thanks to some superb animation (the oddball monster Art has a terrific design that’s perfect for physical comedy) and witty lines (“Don’t mind me! It’s just a heart attack!”) that work tremendously well. To boot, the films various new characters help contribute to the humor, especially the monsters of Oozma Kappa, who bring a delightful sense of hope and cheer to the film that’s irreplaceable. This boisterous group (consisting of the aforementioned Art, older monster Don Carlson, two headed beast Terri and Terry and self declared undeclared student Squishy) are responsible for creating much of the film’s best moments, especially some that are more emotional towards the end of the film.
The voice cast also excels, mainly because Billy Crystal and John Goodman have a perfect dynamic that transcends their own medium; their perils and dreams become undeniably engaging thanks to these two’s brilliant performances (you can also thank some marvelous animators for creating such perfect designs and movements for the two characters). Joel Murray is sublime as Don Carlson, and Charlie Day and Peter Sohn steal the show as Art and Squishy respectively. Nathan Fillion appears as another kind of captain, this time as the captain of a popular fraternity, a role he obviously had a blast with. Finally, Steve Buscemi reprises his role as Randy Boggs in the movie, and it’s truly a highlight of the film, with him and the script creating a fascinating creature in Randy, one whose subtle and tragic character transformation is one of the many brilliant aspects of a wonderful movie.
In terms of consistency with the first film, I felt they also were firing on all cylinders, especially in more subtle nuances, such as the opening credits being in 2D animation and some not so subtle, like old characters returning (no spoilers who, but let’s just say all cameos from classic characters got a huge laugh out of me) The best part is that they never let such callbacks interfere with the film’s story and with nothing feeling too gratuitous or over the top. They hit the perfect balance between acknowledging that there are other major events to come, and also allowing the story to stand on it’s own.
Prior to seeing “Monsters University”, everyone kept raving about the third act of the film and how perfect it was. I had a feeling it was pre-release hyperbole, and expected to be disappointed, but I’m afraid I must join such a choir of praise, as this final part of the film is masterfully created, with the addition of some brutal gravitas that is shockingly deep for what many will dub a “kids movie”. Time and time again, PIXAR has demonstrated how powerful their films can be, and “Monsters University” is no exception, with it’s finale likely to win over audiences still skeptic at that point and captivate people like who are already won over by the movie. Needless to say, the last half hour is both surprising and riveting, as these characters plights enter a new realm of realism and poignancy.
“Monsters University” looks like nothing more than a cash grab from afar, but it winds up being one of the best movies of the summer, and one of the most thoughtfully emotional flicks since last year’s “Silver Linings Playbook”. With instantly lovable characters, an unpredictable story and a never ending flood of hilarity, this is superb cinema with both funny quotes and a powerful message that’ll stay with you for days afterwards. For the first time in three years, PIXAR reaffirms why they’re the leaders in the world of animated filmmaking. Needless to say, “Monsters University” is top notch cinema that’s rare, because it’s got a story and crew that truly care.
