REVIEW: Monsters University

July 8, 2013

By Zach Geibler

Pixar has as of late been able to strike the generation of children who have grown up watching their movie emotionally and genuinely through sensitive themes of growing up and moving on. Toy Story 3 was a blockbuster hit in 2010, even being nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Pixar’s newest story is another reboot of a beloved movie Monsters Inc. This was the first major director attempt from Dan Scanlon. Lead Voice actors of Billy Crystal and John Goodman also returned.

The usual short film opened the movie. This one was about Umbrella love (Yes, umbrellas can love too!). This short was some of the best animation I have seen thus far, as the whole city was not only realistic, but glazed in a wet layer of rain. The story was fun, and even a tad romantic for inanimate objects.

Monsters University is the prequel tale of Mike Wysoski and James P. Sullivan (commonly Sully) as they reached the college level of life, both planning to make it big the Scaring Major.  Mike, although small and cute rather than scary, plays it by the books, studying terms and acing tests. Sully is a legend, being son of already a well –known scarer. Sully scares from the gut and natural talent rather than his head.  The two feuding ideas from rival culminate into both student messing up and getting kicked out of the scaring major. After this, a true rivalry is born as Mike and Sully grow to be natural enemies. Both still have dreams of becoming a scarer still and need to find a way in. Their answer is found in the scare games, where the university’s fraternity and sororities compete in a number of scare themed activities and challenges to prove who is out the top. To get in, Mike and Sully are forced to join the lovable loser frat Oozma Kappa, and fight their way back into the Scaring Major. The enemies have to work together to achieve their dreams and victory.  The rest of the scares are for your own entertainment.

The movie to be mentioned and not forgotten is still predominantly a children’s movie despite the college theme. Though there are some adult based jokes such as frat and pledging processes. Though the frats have parties, there is still a childish feel to the film, and not in a negative way.

The movie had a ton of laughs and references, from boring professor to the perky mom listening to heavy metal. The movie was everywhere from cute, when a young Mike Wysoski got his MU baseball cap, to the frightening real world, and the toxic humans. Some of the funniest parts seemed to be a result of the ignorant and nervous frat brothers learning to scare. The awkward old man on his second stint in college and the young boy who never grew up give the frat its real personality. The move in day team with their ridiculously long rhyming scheme and the garbage cuisine (oh I seem to be making a rhyme myself) will all cause some laughs. There is much subtle humor that will be picked up on to anyone who has an idea of college (or at least Animal House). The movie though also got deep, as Sully gives a speech that all of us college students have played out in our minds about being lost and confused in a big world.  The movie was touching, proving the age old lessons, of working with what you have, and with work anything can happen.  Towards the end when the movie began to come full circle with Monsters Inc., I cannot deny my stomach was filled with butterflies, and I was truly happy.

The movie may have been a bit predictable. It may have been corny at times. But what can you expect from a kids movie? It was still well written and visually stunning as always. The movie will definitely be up early next year for the Best Animated Feature Oscar (As Pixar always is).

I give this movie 3.5 out of 5 Stars.

8/10 IMDb

PS- This is the first Pixar prequel, who knows if any more are ever to come.