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Movie Review — Monsters, Inc.
By Jim Sabatini, Wethersfield
Monsters, Inc. is the latest Disney computer-animated feature from Pixar Studios. And like the Toy Story films, it shows much imagination and rarely disappoints. While probably not appealing to adults as much as younger children, there is much to admire from the witty, talented direction of Pete Docter and the sturdy screenplay by Andrew Stanton and Daniel Gerson. The transferal to the world of monsters from toys and insects (A Bug's Life) is seamless, with the magical Monstropolis just a door away from the human world. As in Toy Story, Monsters, Inc. is able to provide decent characters which aren't victims of the rich graphics on view.
On the other side of the bedroom closets of kids is this world where commercial energy is mined from the screams of youngsters. Billy Crystal voices Mike Wazowski, a spunky, talkative one-eyed lime-green monster. John Goodman is the voice of "Sulley," Mike's roommate and the top kid-scarer working out of the massive factory known as "Monsters, Inc." Sulley's scare record is threatened by the chameleon, stealthy Randall, voiced with menacing glee by Steve Buscemi, while the enticing, serpent-coifed receptionist Celia (Jennifer Tilly) keeps track of their tallies. Their work involves the use of yellow oxygen-like tanks to accrue energy; the satisfaction of the plant's CEO, Mr. Waternoose (who looks like a centipede), is voiced with dignity and concern by James Coburn.
Monsters, Inc. is pretty straightforward as it offers a neat slogan: "We scare because we care." There have been power outages, and the screen is filled with all sorts of clever-looking monsters working for the betterment of Monstropolis.
Docter's versatility puts a creative spin on the ominous effect of monsters on kids; to the monsters, direct contact with children and the contents of their world is a serious threat. The CDA, not CDC, is summoned in like storm troopers when a child's stocking is tracked into the factory, and anyone presumed contaminated is treated like Meryl Streep was in Silkwood, or a letter with anthrax would be in our country now. Kids will enjoy this account of plague brought down on the monsters.
Yet, what gives Monsters, Inc. its heart is a young girl, who's called Boo (Mary Gibbs) by Sulley as she wanders into Monstropolis. And the efforts of Sulley and Mike Wazowski, whose name Boo likes to say to get herself back home, delightfully take up the bulk of the film.
Without the satirical edge evident in this summer's hit Shrek, monsters are given a working-class boost. Some alert adults will have fun with a date that Mike abruptly shortens with Celia at a swank sushi bar emporium once Sulley has gotten scared. The fear that children can create becomes important late in Monsters, Inc., but the relationship between Boo and the big monster with blue fur and large purple horns and spots is arguably more involving than in Ron Howard's live-action take on The Grinch nearly a year ago.
While it's not quite as clever as Toy Story, there's something endearing as a "business shriek" turns scares into laughs. Monsters, Inc. shows Goodman at nearly his animated best with his intimidating roar turning into Mr. Softy, and the rapport with the stand-up antics of Crystal recalls last year's holiday entry from Disney, The Emperor's New Groove.
There may be a feud between Disney and Pixar, which won't bode well for those awaiting the next Toy Story film, but Monsters, Inc. is a family-friendly delight expertly crafted like the hair on Sulley's arms—it gets the most out of its scare power.
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