Monster's University Review

 Dan wrote this awesome review of Monster's University (coming out on Friday, June 21st) and we thought our blog was the best place to post it since it documents us and our activities. If you haven't seen the movie yet, it's best to wait until after to read this as it might contain some spoilers!

Here's Dan with the logo two years ago at Disney World. It didn't disappoint!!!

My Monster’s University Review

3 words- Pure Pixar Magic. Monsters University is an extremely well crafted movie and does what Pixar does best. They have again made a film that entertains and touches the hearts of people of all ages.

            Is Monsters University better than Monsters Inc? Of course not. And it’s not trying to. For what it is though, it’s dang close to being on the same level. The original was so, well original, and different then anything we had seen at the time. Now, instead of getting a new genius world introduced, we get to return to a familiar genius world and learn much more about it. The creators of this movie did not want to make a Monsters Inc rehash. They wanted this to be a totally different experience from the first. And how original to do an animated college movie (never been done before) that could be for all ages? That’s no easy task. It’s the perfect setting for that time in ones life when you are trying to figure out who you are. Instead of trying to top Monsters Inc, this movie respects it and stays true to/expands the world and relationships we saw in the first movie. I consider it the first chapter to one big story that finds its emotional and epic climax in Monsters Inc. Monsters University truly enhances the original and now when I watch MI, I have a whole new perspective and understanding of these great, loved, hilarious characters Mike, Sully and others. I love how this movie opens with Mike and ends with Mike and how it is mostly his story of growth (while still being about his relationship with Sully of course). In Monsters Inc, the movie is mostly Sully’s as it opens and closes with him (while continues to deepen his and Mike’s friendship). Great storytelling.

            Monsters University is brilliant, clever and a perfect character driven prequel. It hits the story and emotional beats perfectly. The characters are fantastic and bring SO much heart to the film. Each new character is so funny in their own way and the voice acting and animation is incredible and top notch. The movie is perfectly paced and went by so fast for me. I couldn’t believe it was already over! It’s engaging, the action scenes are brisk and non-lingering and you can’t wait to see what happens next. The story may seem like just a college movie-with the loser frats against the popular frats- but there is so much more than that. Yah, all the classic college stereotypes are there but in a monsters world way. It is very clever, relatable and there is SO much going on in each shot that it’s a joy to look at/watch. I can’t wait to see it again to catch even more details (and more brief cameos/references from MI).

            The main messages and heart of this movie are incredible. Yah, the heart and emotion does not come from the adorable Boo and is probably not going to make you cry, but it’s a different type of heart that’s maybe even more relatable for me.

I could not relate more to the messages of this movie. As you see from the first Monsters Inc, Mike is not a “scarer”. Sully is. What you didn’t know until now is that Mike desperately wanted to be a scarer and worked his whole life to reach that goal. It was his lifelong dream. But here we see that Sully would not be the Sully we know without Mike and Mike would not be who he is with Sully. They need each other and play off each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately one of the main messages (which is SO different than anything I’ve seen before in a movie-especially a Disney kid’s movie that typically says “wish upon a star and your dreams will come true”) is that sometimes life DOESN’T work out the way you wanted and planned even through all the hard work. Messages that say “you can do anything if you set your mind to it” are great and sometimes true but I think this gives a more realistic view on it-that it doesn’t always happen the way you thought it would. We see Mike fail and basically ask “where do I go from here” and he ends up taking a new and different opportunity that works out probably even better in the long run. This movie is about doors (opportunities) in life closing (and closing hard) but also that new, unexpected and better doors are usually waiting around the corner. It’s about becoming what we were meant to be instead of who we thought we were meant to be. How many of us ended up exactly where and how we planned it without any diversions? How many of us wanted to be rock stars, doctors, astronauts, professional athletes, movie directors, etc…and didn’t end up there? Many have…but probably more have not. And those who did not, through detours, hard work and perseverance found something that fit them better and are probably better off. I relate because this is exactly what I’m going through in my life. I am trying to figure out what I’m meant to do-and I know I will probably be somewhere I never expected. Even my wife Brita, yes she achieved her childhood dream of being a nurse…but getting there has had twists and turns. She thought she was meant to be in one area of nursing at the hospital but has found joy in a new and different area of nursing (home health) because of a “door” opening. Yah it wasn’t how she planned it-but we are grateful because it is better than any job she previously failed at getting.

            Another heartfelt message this movie has is that everyone has different talents and abilities that contribute to the world. Not one of us is the same. I loved that and it meant so much to me because I have gotten down on myself because I don’t have that talent, or that one, or that one, and that guy is better than me at whatever…but this movie reminded me that I have something special and unique to ME to give. I also loved the other beautiful messages of friendship and acceptance that are found throughout the entire film.

            This is a strong movie for me and goes in unexpected ways. It is deeper than one would expect and I could see it over and over and catch something new every time. I loved the turns the movie goes through until the end and I loved that Mike and Sully had to work together to get through one of the main dilemmas in film’s engaging finale. It is non-stop fun, laugh out loud funny, relatable, fast paced and heartfelt from beginning to end. I could not stop smiling at the brilliant and creative Monster campus they created around such a fun story with characters you won’t soon forget. The amazing music by Pixar vet Randy Newman (Toy Story) really enhances the emotion with his memorable, upbeat, catchy score (mostly in the style of a college band) that will make you leave the theater humming.

             An instant classic and a great follow up to one of the best animated movies, Monsters Inc. Sequels are not easy and prequels are even harder because you know where it ends…but Pixar did it.