Through a College Student's Eyes

Rating: 8/10 (8 July 2013)

12 years ago, Pixar took us into the world that lies behind our closet doors, into the world of Monsters Inc. Now, Monsters University takes us back to where one of our favorite dynamic duos began. Of course this is a movie any parent would take their children to see, but secretly Pixar made this for those small children who went to see the movie 12 years ago when they were in first or second grade. Now, these bright eye children are on their own way to college and what better way to send them off than my showing them a glimpse of college life with some of their favorite movie characters. I have just completed my freshman year of college as well as most of my friends and from what I have seen and heard, Monsters University stays close to actual college life with the idea in mind that it is appropriate for all ages and is full of Monsters.
This witty, silly, and all around fun animated comedy takes us back to when Mike met Sully. The movie begin with a young Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) on a field trip to the Monsters Incorporated building where he begins his dream to become a Scarer after graduating from Monsters University. Fast forward to Mike's first day of college at MU, where he meets his roommate Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi) and explores the campus. During his semester, Mike hits the books to prove himself for no one thinks he can be scary. He is constantly at odds with the naturally scary, James "Sully" Sullivan (John Goodman) who just has that scare factor. Mike is on his way until an incident during his end of fall exam. Sully and Mike are kicked out of the Scaring program and to get back in they must prove themselves in the Scare Games with their unlikely and adorable fraternity, Oozma Kappa. Monsters University is a movie that will touch the hearts and tickle the sides of many.
Monsters University shows not only a typical college experience but dives in deeper to actual college habits and life. When Mike is walking through campus on his first day, you see various college like activities going on such as ultimate Frisbee, students playing guitar on the quad, and trying to get you to join their club or Greek organization. Monster's University does a wonderful job depicting the typical college life, but it's the little things that only a college student would notice that make it truly unique in this animated film for kids. In one scene, Sully is getting recruited for the scariest and coolest fraternity, Roar Omega Roar, and you see them telling Mike he just isn't scary enough. All the fraternity members laugh at the poor Mike and you see the crab snap his claws, to the typical person this just is something a crab would do, but to a college student this is a frat snap. A frat snap is a way to snap with your hand with the fingers extended and moving your wrist in a certain manner, this is typically done by guys in a fraternity. And this is what I love about Pixar, it is the little things that make you go "wow." I thought this movie would just cater to the little kids the most but it turned out to cater to us new college students as well.
I had been excited to see this movie the second I heard about it, but my friends were incredibly skeptical. They were so worried that it wouldn't out do the first one that it made them unwilling to even see the movie. I knew though that it isn't the first movie, so I need to look at it in a different light. I will agree that it wasn't as good or out did the original Monsters Inc. but it defiantly pulled at my heart strings and made me want to see it again. Why was it not as good as the first one? To be honest, I have no idea. Maybe because it didn't have Boo or any little kids that we wanted to befriend. I just can't put my finger on it. But I have no doubt that if you go in with an open mind then you will enjoy this movie and all the silly things about it.