Monsters, Inc. Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)October 29th, 2001
MONSTERS, INC.
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The CEO of Monsters, Inc., Henry J. Waternoose (James Coburn, "Afflicted"), is struggling to cope with the city of Monstropolis' energy crisis. The screams collected from children around the world by the monsters he methodically unleashes from their closets are dropping in numbers - kids just don't scare as easily these days. Meanwhile lead scarer Sully (John Goodman) and his associate Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) seem assured of taking the all time scream record over scheming Randall (Steve Buscemi, "Ghost World"), when Sully inadvertently lets a young human girl, toxic to monsters, loose in "Monsters, Inc."
With this film, Pixar ("Tin Toy," "Toy Story," "A Bug's Life") should officially be declared a national treasure. "Monsters, Inc." is not only better than "Shrek," it's one of the best movies of the year. It's hard to believe the much anticipated "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" could be as good a family film as, let alone better than, "Monsters, Inc."
Screenwriters Andrew Stanton ("Toy Story") and Dan Gerson (voice of Needleman and Smitty) have taken director Pete Docter's story and created a holiday classic that will keep the parents howling while their kids are being entertained. Along with the legion of in jokes (an "Armageddon" spoof, a restaurant named Harryhausen's, a special appearance by Woody), the filmmakers affectionately recall "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," perennial holiday TV favorite, "Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and Disney's "A Nightmare Before Christmas." Little Boo (Mary Gibbs, daughter of a Pixar story artist), as Sully names her, is a descendent of Cindy Lou Who, and she charms Sully just like Cindy softened the heart of the Grinch. When Sully and Mike are banished into the human world, they meet Yeti (John Ratzenberger, TV's "Cheers"), an Abominable Snowman who may need a dentist if he keeps eating his 'Don't worry - it's lemon' snow cones. And Sully himself, in trying to correct a wrong, makes the right discovery just as Jack Skellington did when he got childrens' screams putting his own personal stamp onto Christmas. Mike, the walking eyeball, seems like a tip of the hat to "Toy Story's" vending machine aliens.
Technically, "Monsters, Inc" is on a par with "Shrek." Sully's aqua and pink hairs individually blow in the breeze and get coated with snowflakes that look startlingly real. Boo's facial expressions and childlike movements blend beautifully with her doll-like image. Pixar's animators get in plenty of visual jokes, such as Mike's sweetie Celia's (a well cast Jennifer Tilly) hair being composed of rattlesnakes, with their rattlers dangling like earrings
or a transparent pink blob disappearing into a sidewalk grate. The factory setting of Monsters, Inc. is inspired.
The vocal performances are all marvelous, with John Goodman, in particular, pulling the heartstrings. Director Pete Docter gets every mood, and this film runs from romance to comedy to adventure (Sully's hair raising sled ride), just right. Randy Newman's score ably assists.
"Monsters, Inc." even ends on a gloriously perfect note. The audience at the screening I attended let out a collective 'Awwww.' It also begins with the charming "For the Birds," which should be a candidate for an animated short subject Oscar nomination.
A+
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