how to scare (or fail) 101

Rating: 8/10 (25 June 2013)

A minor film from Pixar, but all the same massive fun, lots of creative monsters and exacting detailed animation, and on a more concrete level it actually does something I have never seen in a Pixar movie, almost as if they were smuggling this in under the radar in one of their franchise efforts: for the first time we have a story without a very clear antagonist.
Yes there is the d***ish jock (voiced aptly by none other than Nathan Filion) and the serpentine dean (Helen Mirren, nuff said), but really there is no 'big bad' here, no Sid or super computer or bear that smells like strawberries. The enemy here in as least pretentious a way it can be put is failure. both the main characters Mike and Sully have to face this their own ways, with Mike facing the potential failure of just not being scary, and Sully as not living up to the Sullivan name (hes a bit of a legacy you see).
The heart of this movie is in part in the usual way of Pixar taking a formula or just straight up another movie (Toy story 3 was a prison break out flick, bugs life seven samurai, this time its revenge of the nerds and back to school) and how the underdogs get inspired against all odds. But the other chunk of heart and where it struck a chord with me was that its about what happens when you go to college: you're faced with great possibilities and even greater challenges, based on what you put up for yourself, and it will make you (un?) prepared for the rest of your life.
Some stretches of the film I wasn't sure what would happen next just due to what one characters morality would effect on another. Yes, monsters university is silly kids stuff, maybe more-so for kids than anything aside from the cars series (not to say this film doesn't have some sophisticated jokes amid the 'aw mom!' stuff with one of the frat members at O.K., you just have to listen close). And its only a little better in terms of some parts of its story than Monsters inc. At the same it also does another incredible feat I only realize now typing this: this is one of the rare prequels you can see without necessarily the original.
The filmmakers set up this world from the get go, what getting a scare means (or in the real world, what you are good at.. or not) and taking it from there. hell, just writing this out I like the movie more. It's not great, but within its dimensions it sets out winningly what it wants to do, which is more than can be said for other films this summer. Its vibrant, colorful, and has something to say and, again, without the basic black-and-white good and bad guys aside from genre conventions. 8.5/10