Entertaining Fare for the Whole Family

Rating: 8/10 (8 November 2001)

At one time or another, every kid in the world goes through the dread Monster-in-the-Closet experience; it's like one of Life's Rules. And for those who remember the chills of the dark bedroom, the stark terror of the moment the light goes out and you're left all alone with the Thing of your imagination, at long last there are some concrete answers to allay the fears of PCCSS (Post Childhood Closet Stress Syndrome), thanks to the good folks at Pixar. `Monsters, Inc.,' directed by Peter Docter, and featuring the talents of Billy Crystal and John Goodman, takes you behind the scenes of those haunted hours of childhood and explains the whole business. Which happens to be the whole point: It's a business. At Monsters, Inc., it's the job of all the scariest creatures around to supply the power for the city, which is generated by the screams of the children found on the other side of closet doors. The bigger the scream, the more power. From one floor of the factory that is Monsters, Inc., closet doors are affixed, assembly line style, so that the best of the best (or maybe that's the worst of the worst) can step through (it takes them into a child's bedroom) and do their thing. The screams are then collected in canisters and the city has power.
The monsters earn points for the most scream power collected, and at the top of the list is James P. `Sulley' Sullivan (Goodman) a big, hairy, hulking monster who is assisted by the one-eyed (and it's a big one) Mike Wazowski (Crystal), a monster in his own right, though not of the scaring kind. But Sulley has some competition; the number two scarer is Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi), more sinister than Sulley, and not beyond stooping to some underhanded schemes to get to the top spot on the roster. It's a tough racket, and Sulley and Mike have no idea just how low Randall is willing to go to get what he wants. It's a plot, however, that ultimately has a far-reaching effect on the whole city, and it falls to Sulley and Mike to try and put things aright with their world.
Beginning with the premise, the story is clever and funny, and it's all brought to the screen with exemplary execution. The Pixar process is simply amazing; the depth and dimension of the animation is brilliant and gives new definition to this genre as an art form. Consider, for example, how very real the expressions and emotions of the characters are conveyed. That, combined with the fact that the story moves along with an excellent pace and perfect timing, makes for a satisfying and enjoyable time at the movies.

Docter also assembled a top notch cast for his project. In addition to Crystal, Goodman and Buscemi (who are terrific), the cast includes James Coburn (Henry J. Waternoose), Jennifer Tilly (Celia), Bonnie Hunt (Flint), Mary Gibbs (Boo), Bob Peterson (Roz), John Ratzenberger (Yeti), Frank Oz (Fungus), Steve Susskind (Floor Manager), Jeff Pidgeon (Bile), Daniel R. Gerson (Needleman & Smitty) and Sam `Penguin' Black (George). Entertaining fare the whole family can enjoy, `Monsters, Inc.,' is a real experience for the little ones, and certainly presents something with which the adults in the audience will be able to identify, whether it be a memory from childhood or helping one's own child face the unknown of the Closet-in-the-Dark. It's a movie that actually offers a little bit more than meets the eye, and it's a demonstration of something I've always said, that it's a kind of magic. And that's the magic of the movies. I rate this one 8/10.