Ok. I admit it. I'm addicted to animation. I love animated movies and I still watch cartoons. I have a large collection of Disney animated movies on VHS, and I have started my collection on DVD now. I first saw previews for Monsters, Inc. on my DVD of The Emperor's New Groove, back in the spring I think it was - I can't remember exactly when now. Ever since I saw the preview for the first time, I have been waiting anxiously to see it. The preview made the movie look so cute. Of course, I had to see it in the theaters. It was wonderful. Pixar has created another masterpiece in computer animation, and raised the bar for the standard in this type of animation.

Before the actual movie started, there was a short cartoon called For the Birds. There are some cute little birds sitting on an electric wire. They are chirping away at each other - gossiping in bird talk I guess. Then they notice a bigger bird sitting on top on the near by pole. The big bird acts like he wants to make friends. The little birds twitter and chirp, like they are making fun of the bigger bird - he was rather funny looking. Then all the little birds move further down the wire. Well, the big bird is not taking the hint, and he just comes on over and joins the little birds in the middle of the wire. That is all I’m saying. You have to see it to appreciate it. The way it ends is so funny. For the Birds won the 2001 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

PLOT

The movie begins showing Sully sleeping peacefully right before his alarm goes off. Then he and Mike go through their mourning routine, getting ready for work. Sully and Mike are best friends and co-workers at Monsters, Inc. They are also monsters. Sully is a tall, blue furry monster. He has some purple spots, a tail, spines down his back, and horns. Mike is a short green monster with one eye. He is actually shaped like a giant eyeball with arms and legs. They live in Monsteropolis.

Monsters, Inc is a power plant where Mike, Sully, and many other monsters in Monsteropolis work. Monsters, Inc is the power plant for the city. Some of the monsters work as scarers and they have handlers. The scarers and handlers work on the scare floor. Each team has a station. A desk for the handler to keep up with the files and paperwork, and a place for closet doors for the scarers. Closet doors are brought to the scare floor by a conveyor belt type rail thing and set up at each monster's station. The doors hang down from the rail thing. When the rail is in motion, moving doors in and out of the scare floor, they swing back and forth a bit. The handlers get files from Roz. The files have information on the children the scarers are supposed to scare that night. At the stations, the handlers swipe a card through a reader - sort of like a credit card reader - and that brings the right door to the right monster. The scarer goes through the door, which leads into a child's bedroom. The monster scares the child and collects the screams in a canister. The screams are then used to power everything in Monsteropolis. Not long after the movie starts, we find out that children have become jaded and aren't as easy to scare. Because of that, there is an energy shortage in the city. According to the newspaper, rolling blackouts could start anytime.

Sully is the top scarer at Monsters, Inc. He is close to breaking the all time scare record. Mike is his handler, so it is his responsibility to get the files, get the doors, and take care of the paperwork, which he is always neglecting to do. So Roz has to get after him about that at times. Sully is very loyal to the company. He has been with them for a long time, and learned from Henry J. Watermoose, the owner of the company. It is has been in his family for years. He is afraid he might lose the plant if the energy shortage doesn't end soon. Sully is willing to do all he can to help end the energy shortage, even walking to work. Mike wasn't was willing to do that - he wanted to drive his car - but Sully wouldn't let him. Sully is well know around the city. He has been in commercials for Monsters, Inc. He is well liked by his co-workers, except for Randall Boggs, another scarer. Randall wants to over take Sully as the top scarer, and break the all time scare record first. Randall is a color changing lizard type monster with about eight legs. He can blend right in to background of whatever room he is in. He is a nasty monster.

Being a scarer is dangerous for the monsters because children are toxic to them, or so they think. They think anything from the child's room is toxic too. So they always have to be careful not to touch the children or any of their belongings. That is covered in their training. There is a simulation room in the plant, where monsters who want to be scarers have to practice their techniques before they are allowed to actually go into a child's room. One funny scene showed a monster in the simulation room having some trouble. He kept tripping over and getting tangled up in things in the child's bedroom. If a monster has been contaminated by a child, then the Child Detection Agency - CDA - shows up to handle the situation. The CDA monsters arrive wearing bio hazzard outfits and they have all kinds of equipment. One poor monster comes back from a child's room with a sock stuck to his back. His handler sees the sock and sets off an alarm. The CDA arrives to decontaminate the monster. That scene was really funny. And that poor monster ends up being contaminated again later in the movie.

Mike is dating Celia a receptionist at Monsters, Inc. She also has one eye, but she doesn't look just like Mike. She is taller and slimmer, and not green. She also has hair, though it is made up of snakes, who also only have one eye. When she gets irritated about something, the snakes start rattling, and sort of move toward whoever she is irritated with, like they are going to attack or something. She has a silly nickname for Mike. I think it is Googly Bear. He had a nickname for her too, but I can't remember what it is now. Mike has plans to take her out to a dinner at a trendy restaurant for her birthday. Sully got Mike the reservation. Mike again forgot to turn in his paperwork, and Roz is after him about it. Sully goes to take care of it so Mike can go with Celia. The scare floor is empty since it is the end of the work day. Sully is looking for the paperwork on Mike's desk when he notices that there is still a door on the scare floor. That is not supposed to happen. A little girl ends up in the plant, chasing after Sully, calling him Kitty. Her door is sent back to storage before Sully can get her back in her room. Sully is terrified of her because he thinks she is toxic. He keeps trying to get away from her, and she keeps chasing after him. He is trying to keep her hidden because if anyone sees her, the CDA will be called in and do who knows what to her. Mike ends up involved in keeping her hidden and trying to get her back home. Sully starts calling her Boo. Sully and Mike try to get Boo back home before any other monsters see her. Along the way, they stumble onto something Randall is plotting. They also meet the abombinal snowman, who looks just like the one from the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer cartoon.

CAST

John Goodman - James P. Sullivan - Sully
Billy Crystal - Mike Wazowski
Steve Buscemi - Randall Boggs
James Coburn - Henry J. Watermoose
Jennifer Tilly - Celia
Mary Gibbs - Boo
Bob Peterson - Roz
John Ratzenberger - Yeti
Frank Oz - Fungus

Directed by - Peter Docter and David Silverman
Writers - Jill Culton and Dan Gerson

92 minutes

This movie was rated G. There were a few scenes that may scare some children, but it is suitable for all ages.

Monsters, Inc. is a wonderful movie. I loved it. It is very funny, though it does have a bit of a moral. It is also touching in places. It is a movie that children and adults both can enjoy. There are a few scenes that could scare young children - like when Mr. Watermoose gets Sully to give a demonstration of scaring to some new trainees in the simulation room. The movie might even help some children that are afraid of monsters get over their fear since the monsters in the movie are afraid of children. Also, the monsters are shown as being just like humans, living in apartments, having cars, and going to work.

I thought that the plot of the movie was very original. I loved the story. The movie has many funny moments in it. I have already mentioned a few - like when the monster is decontaminated. I think my favorite is when Mike and Sully are back at their apartment, trying to figure out what to do with Boo and how to get her home. By that time, Sully was warming up to her, and not really scared of her anymore. Mike, on the other hand was still afraid she was toxic. He was trying to stay as far away from her as he could. He was wearing oven mitts and some sort of goggle or visor over his one eye. He is also carrying a can of disinfectant and he keeps spraying down everything Boo touches. He is running around the apartment like he is on a sugar high, spraying down practically everything. He takes off his goggle - or visor - for some reason. Boo ends up right there by him. That alone freaks him out. Then she spits in his eye. He goes into a panic, screaming. Then he sprays himself in the eye with the disinfectant, which makes him yell again. Boo just laughed at him. It was really cute how Sully and Mike dressed Boo up as a little monster. More funny things happened when they tried to get her back home. I also really liked the scene where they were riding on the doors that were racing over all the rails like a roller coaster. It was really touching and sweet to see how Sully came to care for Boo. He went from being terrified of her, to being protective of her. Sully comes some realizations about his job too. There are several touching scenes in the movie. There are a few scenes that may scare young children. There is a little bit of suspense in the movie. Overall, it is a really funny, enjoyable movie.

The animation in this movie is wonderful. Pixar made the first full length computer animated movie in Toy Story. Ever since, they have been improving with every movie they do. I was truly amazed at the animation in this movie., especially with Sully. He is a big monster, covered in long blue hair. His hair waved with his movements. Each individual strand would move and wave with Sully's movements. At the beginning of the movie, when Sully was asleep, he was snoring. With each snore, it blew the hair on his arm back and forth. The most impressive was when Sully was in a blizzard with strong winds blowing his hair all over the place. That scene really was amazing. The movement of Sully's hair made him look life like. He looked so soft and cuddly - yes even with spines down his back and horns. I can see why Boo called him Kitty. This movie has the best computer animation I have ever seen. The computer animation in the Final Fantasy movie was really good. That movie had more realistic looking animated people. I have seen Shreck, and I do think the animation in Monsters, Inc. is better. I liked both movie, but I did like Monsters, Inc. a little better. I also think it is more appropriate for children. There were some things in Shreck that shouldn't be in a movie aimed at children.

The setting of the movie is a city called Mosteropolis. It is just like a regular city. There are apartment buildings, grocery stores, newspapers, television stations, cars, and trendy restaurants. The only difference that the city is populated by monsters instead of humans. There is even an energy shortage in the city, like there has been in much of California. The plant itself seems much like a plant here would be. There is a parking lot. There are lots of employees. There is a reception area when you first enter the plant. There are different jobs in the plant. Paperwork has to be done, and some monsters - like Mike - don't like to do it. There is a locker room, bathrooms, and offices. The inside of Sully and Mike's apartment is just like any other apartment, except for some larger pieces of furniture to accommodate Sully's large size. The monsters really aren't that different from humans.

The voices for the characters are perfect. John Goodman's voice fits with how Sully looks. You can really hear the emotion in his voice in some scenes. Billy Crystal sounded hyper at times, but that fits right in with how Mike acts a lot of the time. Steve Buscemi's voice is just right for Randall, the creepy lizard like monster. His voice has this creepy quality to it that is perfect for the character. Boo didn't really have any lines. It was mainly just baby talk and jibberish, but every so often a word or two would pop out. That voice seemed so realistic in how a young child talks, or tries to talk. The casting for the voice talent in the movie was wonderful.

CHARACTERS

James P. Sullivan - Everyone calls him Sully. He is a giant, hairy, blue monster. He works at Monsters, Inc as a scarer. He has been the top scarer for months, and it very close to breaking the all time scare record. He is kind and gentle despite what he does for a living. He is best friends with Mike, his handler. Sully has been in commercials and his picture has been in magazines. He is very well known, and well liked. When Boo ends up in the plant, he is scared of her at first, but he learns that she is not dangerous to him. He comes to care for her and will protect her.

Mike Wazowski - He is a short, round, green monster, with one eye. He is Sully's handler and best friend. He can be hyper at times, and he panics easily. He seems to always forget to do and turn in his paperwork. He is dating Celia, and doesn't want her to find out about Boo. Mike is really scared of Boo, thinking she is toxic. He is not happy she is there and he is afraid they are going to get in trouble and be exiled over this. He is in a hurry to get Boo back home.

Randall Boggs - He is a color changing lizard like monster. He has eight legs. He is very creepy when he blends in with the scenery, or appears out of nowhere. He is a bit nasty. He wants to be the top scarer and wants to break the all time scare record before Sully does. He is up to something.

Celia - Mike's girlfriend. She has one eye too, but is slimier and taller than Mike. She also has one eyed snakes for hair. They rattle when she is upset. She isn't green either. She works as a receptionist at Monsters, Inc. She doesn't know what is going on with Boo, and is upset that Mike is keeping something from her.

Boo - Small child that ends up in Monsters, Inc when Sully finds her door on the scare floor after hours. She is a cute little girl, about 2 or 3 years old. She talks in jibberish most of the time, but can say a few words. She really likes Sully and calls him Kitty. She is adorable.

Henry J. Watermoose - Monster that owns Monsters, Inc. The plant has been in his family for years. He is afraid he will lose it if the energy shortage isn't ended soon. He trained Sully, and seems to be sort of like a father figure to Sully. Mr. Watermoose is a strange monster. I'm not sure how to describe him. He has several legs, sort of like octopus or crab legs. His upper body is more normal - one head, two eyes, and two arms. He wears a suit jacket and I think he had a monocle.

Monsters, Inc. was a wonderful movie. I loved every minute of it. It is truly one of the best movies I have seen this year. The one thing that disappointed me was that there wasn't the blooper reel thing running during the credits like there was for A Bug's Life and Toy Story 2. I loved those. My friend and I saw through all of the credits, hoping they would show up, but no such luck. Now I have seen new commercials for the movie on tv saying the bloopers will be added started December 7. I have been wanting to see the movie in the theaters again. The addition of the bloopers just gives me more reason. I will definitely be adding this movie to my DVD collection when it comes out on DVD.

Anyone who likes animated movies, young and old, should really like this movie. It is great. It is worth seeing this one in the theaters.


****Update****

I now own Monsters, Inc. on DVD. There are two discs for this movie and they are full of extras. People can choose to watch the movie in either Widescreen (1.85:1) or Fullscreen (1.33:1) versions. The picture on the DVD was gorgeous and the animation looked just as amazing to me as it did on the big screen. I’m still blown away by the animation in this movie. There is a booklet with the DVD that lists all of the things that are on the two discs. There are some descriptions of some of the extra features. I still haven’t had a chance to check out all of the extras, but I have seen most of them. The last two pages of the booklet is a picture of several of the monster characters from the movie. It is made to look like the monsters autographed the picture.

The actual movie is located on the first disc, along with a few of the extras. The short cartoon that played in theaters with the movie, For the Birds is on this disc. There is also an all new cartoon called Mike’s New Car that was made just for the DVD. There is a commentary by the filmmakers on this disc, but I haven’t listened to that yet.

The second disc is loaded with most of the extras. When it starts up, you can choose between two doors, once labeled Humans Only, and the other is labeled Monsters Only.

Humans Only


Pixar

This shows a tour of Pixar.

Story

This has all kinds of information on how the story was developed. The plot of the movie and several characters went through many changes before the movie got to it’s final version.

Monster File

This has a list of all the characters and information about them. There is a character design gallery that shows pictures of the characters.

Design

This shows how different settings and parts of the movie were designed. There is also a guide to in jokes here. For example, a doll of Jessie from Toy Story 2 can be seen in Boo’s room.

Animation

This shows many different things related to the animation in the movie, including how they were able to make Sully’s hair so life like.

Music & Sound

This shows how the sound was added to the movie.

Release

This shows the trailers, tv spots, and footage from the premier of the movie. It also shows some of the toys tied in to the movie. The outtakes can be found here as well. Those are the outtakes that were added to the movie later that I didn’t get to see in the theater.

Monsters Only

New Monster Adventures

Mike’s New Car can also be found here. There are a few games and things like that here.

Behind the Screams

The outtakes are also here.

Orientation

This is set up to show what a monster would see and go through when they started to work for Monsters, Inc.

I love Monsters, Inc. and the DVD is wonderful. It is definitely worth buying if you are a fan of the movie.

Pixar Movie Reviews
A Bug's Life ~ Cars ~ Finding Nemo ~ The Incredibles ~ Ratatouille ~ Toy Story ~ Toy Story 2 ~ Up ~ WALL-E ~

Other Animated Movie Reviews
The Emperor's New Groove ~ Sleeping Beauty ~ Lilo & Stitch ~ Treasure Planet ~ Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius ~ Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas ~ Brother Bear ~

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up to Age 4