Where the Wild Things Are.

Rating: 10/10 (10 November 2001)

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** MONSTERS INC. reminded me of the classic children's book by Maurice Sendak, "Where the Wild Things Are." Both stories are about the imagination of monsters living in children's closets, but these monsters aren't dangerous, they are harmful and friendly. Where in "Wild Things Are" the monsters enjoy the company and playtime with the main child character, Max. MONSTERS INC. the monsters are actually terrified by the presence of a child or anything that is human for that matter. In fact, the monsters are more afraid of the children than the children are of them, nice irony. MONSTERS INC. is about two power plant factory workers in the city of Monsteroplois, James P. "Sulley" Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal). Sulley is the number one monster frightner for the factory, as Mike is Sulley's loyal assistant, roommate, and friend. The monsters have assign doors placed in front of them which leads them to the closets of real world into children's bedrooms so they can scare the children. The monsters of the city need the screams a child gives when they see a monster, that is how they get their energy. The film even does a witty sub-plot to the real-life California rolling blackout energy crisis. Sulley is admired by his co-workers and his boss Henry J. Waternoose (James Coburn), while Mike has a flirting romance with the company secretary, Celia (Jennifer Tilly). Everybody likes the winning duo except for the jealous Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi) a chameleon-like monster who adapts his skin to his surroundings so he can hide. Randall has been putting in unofficial "scare hours" so he can be the top monster at Monsters Inc. It's when Sulley accidently opens up one of Randall's closet doors to find a small girl, who Sulley calls "Boo" has enter into the monster world. There is a eariler scene that is horrifying realistic in today's time when a child's sock is stuck to a monster and the decontamination a monster goes through for his and everyone else's protection. With Boo in the monster world, things can be catastrophic. Sulley and Mike try to hide Boo (even dressing her up like a monster) as they look through the billions of closet doors, to find the right one to her bedroom, as Randall wants Boo for a diabolical scheme that he plans to use her for. But it when Sulley and Mike try to help Boo find her way home, that they begin to both feel like parents and want to help and protect the infant child. After getting a sour taste of this year's computer animated films (yes I'm talking about SHREK), MONSTERS INC. proves that Pixar and Disney animation is a winning combination and shouldn't be competed with. Where SHREK was full of potty jokes and mugging the camera, MONSTERS actually tells a story that has a lot of depth and meaning behind it. SHREK wanted to do cut-down jokes (especially to Disney films), MONSTERS INC. instead takes a different path and does jokes about life in general and the monster's lives are similar to our own. I found MONSTERS INC. to be another winner from Pixar, who are so far 4 to 1 on my scoreboard for successful computer animated films (only Dreamworks SHREK being the only point for the other team). If people are asking themselves, "gee there's SHREK, FINAL FANTASY, and JIMMY NEUTRON, how can MONSTERS INC. be any better?" Well that's simple, it's like saying how is a ride at Disneyland better than a ride at a carnival. Where a lot of film studios and companies are adapting to computer animated films, Disney always manages to stay a few steps ahead of it's competitor's. First, look at the millions of hairs that cover the wooly Sulley, the scenes when he runs you can see the hairs gently move from the breeze. Second, the human child of Boo looks more realistic than any of the generic humans in SHREK. Third, there is much more color with the Pixar films, I figured this out when ANTZ and A BUG'S LIFE were released three years ago. Finally, the messages and morals behind the Pixar/Disney films are more original, where MONSTERS tells the viewer that don't judge a book by it's cover, that the most terrifying looking things can be the most caring. And that it's difficult to be a parent but with teamwork and care, it can work! Where SHREK is doing the things aren't what they seem moral which Disney did 60 years ago with DUMBO, and DUMBO was much more cuter, charming, and more touching than a obnoxious loud orge. It doesn't surprise me that MONSTERS INC. was directed by former SIMPSONS producer David Silverman, and Pixar veteran Peter Docter. Disney had some competition this year for computer animated films, while Dreamworks had a royal flush, Disney won by having the royal flush straight, and should win the Oscar for best Animated film this year. Until the magic and wonder of Mr. Potter is released, this is one film that Potter fans (children and children at heart) will love and wanting more, just like I did! ***** (out of five)