Monsters University (2013)
Before you can be scary, you have to learn how to be scary.
Brief Backstory
A decade after Monsters, Inc. was released in 2001, Pixar returned to make another movie related to Monsters, Inc., known as Monsters University. This prequel would tell the tale of how Mike and Sullivan got their jobs and the pitfalls they struggled with in college. While not as highly rated as the original, Monsters University is still considered a success by most viewers.
Story
Mike Wazowski is hell bent on being a scary monster, as so is Sullivan. But when both men fail the scaring exam and get ejected from the scaring program, they team up with Oozma Kappa to win the scare games and prove Dean Hardscrabble wrong.
Random Facts
A drum corps (Blue Devils I think) was employed for the soundtrack.
Marcia Wallace (Edna Krabappel from the Simpsons) voices the librarian. Hah!
Scaring 101 is led by Satipo from Raiders of the Lost Ark.
One of the only (is it still?) prequels to a Pixar movie. Is this still true?
One of the monsters is named Carrie, presumably referring to the 1976 classic Carrie.
Unlike Monsters, Inc., there aren’t really any villains. Dean Hardscrabble isn’t really villainous and ROR ends up respecting Sulley (disregarding his actions) after the games.
Mike implying that he’s scary is likely right from Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story, however Mike himself is still fearsome with his brain unlike how Buzz was purely deluded (he was a brand new toy so it’s not too surprising that he’s confused in the beginning).
Random Opinions
I know Mike’s isn’t considered scary, but because he knew so much about scaring, why not have him become an instructor? The tactics he pulls in this are scarier than one would think and you don’t have to look scary to BE scary.
Monsters University seems to be somewhat right out of Acme Looniversity from Tiny Toon Adventures and that school from Aaahh Real Monsters. Both are great cartoons and I recommend watching them.
Mike was actually scary enough to win the final round. No need for rigging the match, Sulley.
“Entry of the Gladiators” plays in my mind when I see the canister flying around.
Pros
- Great animation, as you’d expect from Pixar.
- Voice work is great like it was before.
- Mike is actually scary as hell. Not from his features, but from his tactics.
- The monsters are more unique looking than how they were in Monsters, Inc.
Cons
- The scare games is just another one of those “been there done that” situations where a cadre of hopeless people end up winning in the end. Seen Dodgeball or the Longest Yard? You’re not going to get much out of this then.
- Doesn’t line up correctly with the original film despite the efforts to do so.
Rating: 8/10 – Great
While not as well made as Monsters, Inc. was, Monsters University comes off as a great prequel to one of the best CGI animated movies of all time.
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