I'm guess the "4th Grade" line is gonna be ignored?....OK

Rating: 7/10 (31 July 2013)

THE GOOD This is one of the Pixar films that didn't need another film and yet somehow it got one! Still that doesn't mean it's bad. The favourite characters are back and I got a warm feeling seeing them and the factory again, same as seeing the Shire in the Hobbit film. The plot ends up pretty standard "jock and nerd team up" college film until the middle where the personas are switched, and the climax and ending of the film is very fun and thought provoking. The Scare Games scenes are all great fun and can be really tense sometimes. The main monsters, Mike and Sulley are good, Helen Mirren as the dean is a good character with a cool design. I love the score, the college brass band brought a great feel in the film. And of course, the animation is awesome, I like the little touches and tributes to real universities, like the huge clock tower, an obvious reference the Birmingham University tower.
THE BAD The story itself, aside from the ending is very simple, kind of standard college movie. There's recycled characters like the jock, the nerds, the bullies, etc. The dean herself tho I like the performance and design is a bit too unrealistic character-wise. Why would a dean accept a bet from a student and add a stipulation that threatens his place in the school even though she believes that student will flat out fail? Isn't it her job to help the students? And it's just missing that Pixar spark that's been missing since Cars 2.
THE VERDICT Overall, I like this film but it doesn't feel like that classic Pixar that I grew up with. I just hope that they'll get it back soon. But judging by this film, it may be the first step on the road to recovery.