An amazing creation

Rating: 9/10 (14 July 2013)

Monsters, Inc.
***1/2 (out of 4)
92 mins/ U
Cast: (voice) John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Rob Peterson, John Ratzenberger, Frank Oz
Directors: Pete Docter, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich
Plot: In Monstropolis, Monsters generate energy by scaring human children in their beds at night, but when one escapes her bed and enters the city, two scarers called Mike and Sulley have to hide her to prevent the rest of the monsters from knowing. Why? Monsters believe children are contaminated.
JJ's Verdict: Monsters, Inc. is one of the first films both children and adults can relate to. I can almost be certain that everyone in the world was once sure that there were monsters hiding in their rooms. It is funny, imaginative and full of lovable characters. The city of Monstropolis, unknown to the human world, creates all their energy from the screams of small children as designated scarers creep into their bedroom's every night. What humans don't know is that the monsters are as scared of the children as the children are of them. So when top scarer Sulley (John Goodman) and his assistant Mike (Billy Crystal) accidentally let a young girl loose and into the city, the pair have to try and return her to her 'door' while not letting anyone know how or who let her out.
Monsters, Inc. is a magnificent creation from Pixar. The depth of imagination and creativity is a delight and director Pete Docter should be congratulated for one of the most original children's film of all time. Each tiny detail in the animation is so precise and the world of Monstropolis is just breathtaking, as are the small insignificant characters that pop up along the way. It could only be Pixar that can actually create a film that has both hilarious verbal and physical/slapstick humour and it seems everyone involved can such a brilliant time working on the film. It seems like Billy Crystal and John Goodman were actually there in the animation and their characters have such great chemistry. Steve Buscemi is perfectly cast as Sulley's scare rival Randall, a slimy and slithering chameleon, who is always up to no good. Also in the voice cast are Pixar regular John Ratzenberger who plays the actually very nice Abominable Snowman, 'The Great Escape' star James Coburn who plays Mike and Sulley's boss Mr. Waternoose and voice of Yoda and Miss Piggy, Frank Oz who plays Randall's weak assistant Fungus. When people think of Monsters, Inc. they think of Mike and Sulley as the best team-up but the loving relationship between Mike and Boo, the little girl who enters Monstropolis , is the films finest part in terms of emotion, care and utter cuteness. John Goodman really put his all into this film.
Monsters, Inc., although very slow is enough to hold your attention and finishes on an excellent final chase scene which is genuinely threatening. Kids will adore it and adults will also love it with amusing pop culture references to Metropolis, Psycho, Tootsie, The Right Stuff, Toy Story, Fargo, Starship Troopers and Armageddon among others. And stay tune for an excellent credits scene.