Monsters University (2013)

Disney owes a lot to Pixar. The use of computers has completely and permanently changed how animated films look and feel, and has allowed a visual complexity which was impossible with traditional animation methods. As well as this, Pixar has completely changed what we expect from a film plot these days. Retold fairy tails or children’s books like Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, or The Jungle Book just don’t cut it anymore, and targeting a film at children is now no excuse for overly simple story-lines  As Rauld Dahl knew, children like to be scared, and they like to laugh, and soppy doe-eyed women being rescued by princes doesn't really manage that. Take Up! as an example – the hero is a grumpy old man and I know some adults reduced to tears by the opening montage. That would never have happened twenty years ago.

Because as old as it makes me feel, it is almost twenty years since Toy Story was released. I loved it, I still do and very surprisingly I loved the sequel, the uninspiringly named Toy Story 2. Even more amazingly, Toy Story 3, released much later, was also pretty damn good, although nowhere near the brilliance of the other two. Other Pixar enthusiasts and I have often disagreed over the best Pixar/Disney film to date, and I know many people rate Finding Nemo above any of the Toy Storys. Hopefully they’ll be pleased with Finding Dory, due for release at the end of the year. With any other production company I’d wonder how they could remake the fish looking for a fish story without overt and tedious repetition but, while there will be many a reference to Finding Nemo I’m sure, I have no doubt that it will stand alone as a solid film.

The same can be said for Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University. Again, a completely new story and one which I don’t think many people saw coming. The idea that the monster lurking under the bed, or in the wardrobe, has a life outside scaring kids and is doing it for a purpose other than just to be mean is fantastic. It’s also something that kids can relate to, just as they can to the idea of their toys coming alive when they’re not in the room or the secret exciting lives of insects in A Bug’s Life (although for my part I did prefer Antz).

Monsters University sees Monsters, Inc.’s heroes Sully and Mike during their training to be scarers. Naturally nothing goes to plan and the two find themselves in a scaring competition to secure their places in the programme. Many of the favourite characters from Monsters, Inc. are present, along with some great new ones. Helen Mirren voices the fantastically intimidating Dean Hardscrabble and I loved ‘Squishy’, a fellow student who is ridiculous and adorable. While I won’t say that it’s flawless this film made me so happy. There’s so much you can do with animation and the Monsters platform really lets the animators have fun. The visual complexity mentioned earlier is also present and most apparent with Sully’s fur – there’s so much detail there – it’s a beautiful thing. 

Dreamworks Animation needs to sort itself out and come up with something new and exciting. There’s only so much they can flog the Shrek franchise, as good as the original film was. I hear Puss in Boots 2 is due for release later this year – that’ll make at least 6 in the series. Then there’s Madagascar 1, 2 and 3 (plus ‘The Penguins of Madagascar and potentially a Madagascar 4 on the way); Kung Fu Panda 1 and 2; and How to Train Your Dragon 1 and the soon to be released 2 and 3. Enough with the sequels!

Go Pixar!