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Once upon a time, Pixar made original stories. Lately, though (with the exception of 2012’s Brave), the studio has focused on sequels and prequels, bringing familiar characters out of retirement for new adventures. But while Monsters University, the prequel to 2001’s Monsters, Inc., may not be new or original, it’s still a whole lot of fun.
Monsters University shows how Monsters, Inc.’s most dynamic scaring duo first met. Ever since he visited Monsters, Inc. on a school field trip, Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal) has dreamed of becoming a scarer. So when he’s accepted into the scaring program at Monsters University, he can’t wait to learn everything he can about being scary.
On his first day of class, Mike meets Sulley (John Goodman), an overconfident troublemaker who comes from a long line of scaring legends. Sulley believes that his family legacy will get him through the program, while Mike believes that his book smarts will make him come out on top. But when their competitive natures land them in trouble with the disapproving Dean Hardscrabble (Helen Mirren), they’ll have to learn to work together to make their scaring dreams come true.
Through the years, Pixar has become known for two things: stunning animation and smarter, more sophisticated stories. The studio has had a couple of missteps along the way (most notably, 2011’s beautifully shallow Cars 2), but it continues to surprise and delight audiences of all ages with each new release. And this wacky college-themed prequel is no different.
It’s no big surprise that the animation is top-notch. There are times, in fact, when you’ll swear that some of the footage is live—not animated. But the Pixar animators are just that good.
As for the story, it’s not exactly an original. In fact, it’s pretty much an animated version of the typical wild college comedy (think Revenge of the Nerds starring an assortment of monsters)—but that’s just a part of its grown-up appeal. We’ve seen (and enjoyed) this story before, but we’ve never seen it quite this way before. The crazy animated characters give it a fun new twist, while the clever comedy makes it even more entertaining. The kids, meanwhile, will just enjoy the (completely kid-friendly) college shenanigans, the film’s lovably geeky characters, and its playful sense of humor.
Of course, this isn’t the most sophisticated Pixar film. The humor is often still smart—and it’s happily free of fart jokes. It still has its share of heartwarming moments, too. But it isn’t as subtle or as dramatic as many earlier releases—which, if you ask me, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Though it goes on a little longer than necessary, it’s still action-packed and entertaining. It’s loaded with quirky characters. And it’ll keep kids giggling without talking down to them (or resorting to fart jokes). Like Monsters, Inc., it’s another fun animated film that parents and kids can enjoy together.
Blu-ray Review:
Disney’s home video releases tend to be loaded with extras—and the three-disc Blu-ray release of Pixar’s Monsters University is no exception. The set includes two Blu-ray discs: one with the film, an audio commentary, and the theatrical short, The Blue Umbrella, and one that’s filled with features, features, and more features.
Pixar’s fans won’t want to miss this opportunity to take a peek inside the world of Pixar with the behind-the-scenes features—like Campus Life, which follows Dan Scanlon and others around on a typical day for the animation studio, or Scare Games, which shows the studio’s own version of the film’s scaring competition, with different departments competing against one another in a variety of games and challenges. Both features give fans a look at the world of Pixar—and what it’s like to be a part of the Pixar team.
The collection of extras also includes a number of making-of features, which cover everything from the animation process (in features like Monthropology, Welcome to MU, Scare Tactics, and others) to the score (in Music Appreciation) and the story (in Story School).
There’s a lot to be learned here—and anyone who’s ever been amazed by the stunning animation, the lovable characters, or the clever storytelling in a Pixar film will want to take the extra time to check out these entertaining and informative features. So after the kids finish watching the movie for the sixth, seventh, or maybe the eighth time, be sure to borrow the disc for a while, so you can watch the extras.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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