Monsters University

Dan Scanlon directed Pixar’s prequel to Monsters, Inc., which was released in 2013. Starring everyone from the first film, plus Helen Mirren and Nathan Fillion, Monsters University grossed $743.6 million at the box office. And had music by Mastodon and Mötley Crüe. While it was nominated for numerous Annie awards, it only won two for storyboarding and editorial. It also wasn’t nominated for any Academy Awards and lost its bids for the Kids’ Choice Awards and Saturn Awards.

Enrolling in Monsters University in the Scarer Program, Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) forms a rivalry with James Sullivan (John Goodman). Eventually, their rivalry get kicked out of the program and conspire to get back in by joining the fraternity Oozma Kappa and enter the Scare Games.

Monsters University is certainly interesting. It has many standard tropes that are in most prequels, but it still has the charm its predecessor had. Mike and Sully, as stated above, don’t start out as friends and the rivalry is nothing short of bitter. And Randall, who is Mike’s roommate, starts out as a guy who just wants to get in with the popular crowd. But all this really foreshadows who they become. Randall ends up the weasel who will do anything to make it to the top and the duo become the well-oiled machine that becomes one of the most popular Scare Teams.

And that development is really highlighted in the film showing that being knowledgeable and having the skills to back that up are two completely different things. Mike has mastered every technical detail, but makes kids laugh. And Sulley has the ability, but he just uses that to coast by. But that furthers to show that the two need each other as Mike uses his knowledge to coach Sulley to become one of the best.

This is also seen in the other members of Oozma Kappa. They’re complete losers mainly because none of them have utilized their talents. And Mike helps them all to see that, which brings them to shoot to the top in the Scare Games. And, even after Mike and Sulley get kicked out, they get into the Scare Program and use everything they acquired during the games to excel.

It may not be as good as Monsters Inc., but it’s close.

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Monsters Inc

Pixar released another film in 2001, this time centering around a world of monsters. Starring John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, and Jennifer Tilly, the film made over $560 million. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, which also won a Grammy. It was also given a prequel in 2013.

James P Sullivan (Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Crystal) work for Monsters Incorporated, a company that produces energy from the screams of children. Life is great for them until a child (Gibbs) enters their world and threatens everything. Now they must get her back before their work and entire lives are destroyed.

Monsters who scare kids because it’s simply their job is such a fun concept and this film takes it and runs with it. Some, like Mike and Sully, really don’t want to hurt them, just do their jobs. Others, like Randall, find a sadistic pleasure in doing so. And those like Waternoose just want to find some way to keep the energy from disappearing.

Pixar’s animation also only keeps getting better with every film they put out. For this one, they individually animated every hair on Sully’s body and the textures on other monsters really stands out. Also, It would have been so easy to just have the film be in the Monsters Incorporated building, but Pixar designed an entire world for them. And it’s so unique and creative, looking like a lighter version of Lovecraft. 

The humor and drama is also perfectly intertwined, with the monster's reactions and terror of a small child joined by Boo's childlike wonder and happiness. 

#8