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Monsters, Inc. is another practically perfect gem from Pixar Studios. In just four films, Pixar mastered a filmmaking style that even its Disney distributor must envy. Pixar mixes equal doses of sentimentality, comedy, fresh perceptions, technology breakthroughs, and respect for its audience into each of its feature films. The phrase "more of the same" is an insult when applied to any other studio; it is high praise when directed towards Pixar.
Monsters, Inc. tells an adorable fable about monsters that haunt children’s closets. All the monsters’ character designs seem inspired by the more eccentric designs to emerge from the late Jim Henson’s imagination, particularly the film Labyrinth. Sully (voiced by John Goodman) is a shaggy, oversized beast who holds his company’s title for "most scares," and Mike (voiced by Billy Crystal) is his dwarfish partner. The monsters’ world, invisible to adults, is one in which scaring is a corporate profession. Unauthorized breaches between the worlds of monsters and children are immediately intercepted with SWAT team-like proficiency, and most monsters actually live in fear of the very children they frighten.
While the plot seems simplistic on the written page, it is rich enough to not only support a feature film but to leave one begging for more. In fact, the plot contains more wide-eyed wonder than many recent live-action fantasy films. Contrasted with most animated features (which use celebrity voices as a crutch), Monsters, Inc. provides both John Goodman and Billy Crystal with fleshed-out characters that make the most of Monsters, Inc. loose plot. Even the supporting characters possess a vitality that’s rarely seen in current animated films. Add a typically terrific score by Randy Newman, and Monsters, Inc. is another Pixar winner destined to be replayed long after contemporary animated films are collecting dust.
Technically, the film is marvelous. Pixar leads the way in computer animation the same way that Disney lead the way in cel animation in the 1930s, which means that audiences may take some of the wizardry for granted. Animators and artists marvel at Pixar’s ever-increasing subtlety, while general audiences forget they are watching animation after a few minutes. For those who wish to, pay close attention to the animation of Sully’s fur, the body language of the children in the film, and the reflections in all the characters’ eyes. You’ll be rewarded with a better appreciation of how good Pixar really are at what they do.
Go ahead. Enjoy Monsters, Inc. I guarantee all but the most hard-hearted will love it.
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