The best Pixar effort so far.

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 2008)

I know. That's a pretty bold statement. Don't get me wrong, "The Incredibles" is certainly worthy of mentioning in this post as is "Toy Story" & "Finding Nemo". Hell, there hasn't been a weak Pixar film yet. "Cars" is definitely my least favorite, but was still miles ahead of anything Dreamworks has done.
But for me "Monsters Inc." is just the complete package. Obviously the animation is stellar. That pretty much goes without saying for this company. But the animation isn't even the greatest strength of this film. Like "Toy Story" before it, the characters in this movie possessed depth and personality, as much as any live action film. Whoever didn't fall in love with Boo upon first introduction, is either heartless or a robot. And furthermore the relationship that develops between Sully and Boo is absolutely touching, while the dynamic of Mike and Sully's relationship is complex and anything but uninteresting.
And then there's the real accomplishment of "Monsters Inc." which is the originality and creativity inherent in every aspect. This film has such a rich imagination that can be found in everything from the Characters to the films sense of humor. And the plot is one of the most original pieces of screen writing I've ever seen. The first thing I thought after seeing this movie for the first time (And I went to catch the Star Wars: Episode II trailer, not expecting too much from the actual movie!) was "How in the hell did they dream that up?!?" I always admire when a movie provides a story that you know was given the utmost thought and attention, and this is no exception.
Upon further viewings I began seeing it as timeless fairy tale. Like a household bedtime story that's been around for centuries. I was certain it would have at least an 8.0 rating on this site and was a little confused to see otherwise, especially with other Pixar works in the top 250. But alas I know that this is all just my own opinion and not everyone agrees. Is there anyone else that feels so strongly about this movie? Am I crazy? Dellusional? Maybe all of the above.
But at the end of the day this truly is a great piece of film. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and walk, no run... you know what take your time, but get somewhere that has this movie and watch it. Alright, you know what? Forget about the whole "take your time" thing. Go now!