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Monsters, Inc. Customer Reviews (52 - 54 of 85 Reviews)

A monstrously funny film for all ages
"Monsters, Inc." is one of those great films to which both my 5-year old nephew and I can give our highest rating. A wonderful animated fantasy with suberb vocal performances, "Monsters" is full of both suspense and laughs.

Briefly, "Monsters" depicts a society of monsters that inhabits a world parallel to ours. Its theme is thus not unlike that of "Men in Black" or "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," which also imagine fantastic alternate realities that exist beyond the perception of most people. The monsters of "Monsters" routinely cross into "our" world in order to harvest the energy gained by the terrified screams of children. But the lives of our monstrous heroes are complicated when a human child crosses over into the monster realm.

The filmmakers do an excellent job of creating a complete monster society from this premise. The monster world is populated with some of the most visually imaginative characters in recent film history. My favorite (as well as my nephew's) is Waternoose, a multi-eyed crustaceanlike creature with an elegantly rolling gait. The voices to the monsters are perfectly cast: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, James Coburn, Steve Buscemi, and Jennifer Tilly have major roles.

There is a great action scene in the film that is as thrilling as anything in an "Indiana Jones" film, and some great satiric material which will particularly please adult audiences. The film as a whole has a bright, colorful, energetic look, and the filmmakers add in just the right amount of sentimental appeal. Although "Monsters" is partly about fear, the film ultimately celebrates the power of laughter, friendship, and courage. And don't worry, parents: our monster heroes are essentially friendly creatures who want to do the right thing for the little lost child, who becomes quite fond of them. This is a wonderfully entertaining film for viewers of all ages.

More Family Magic from Pixar! Great DVD Extras!
"Monster's, Inc." combines a fantastic cast, cutting edge imagination, and a tender storyline into a wonderful, delightful family film . . . it may even cure the nighttime frights of your wee ones!

Most of us were scared stiff at some point in our childhood by the spooky, imaginary "monsters in the closet," usually after we've read "Where the Wild Things Are" for the first time. "Monsters, Inc." plays on that near-universal fear by creating a rational explanation -- monsters live in a parallel universe, connected to ours by closet doors, and they power their land by the energy contained in human screams. Makes perfect sense!

Sulley (the hilarious John Goodman) is a celebrity in Monstropolis as the leading scare-getter for Monster's, Inc. Sulley is generally a lovable big blue yeti-bear-creature, but he can be quite terrifying. Blissfully unaware of the terror he unleashes, he enjoys his job. Basking in Sulley's reflected glory is his sidekick and assistant, Mike Waznowski (Billy Crystal, perfect as ever). Mike is a lime-green-yellow glob with one giant eye and an even larger mouth. He helps Sulley get the screams and stay one step ahead of the competition.

And the competition is fierce. The dragon-chameleon Boggs (Steve Buscemi, suitably creepy without being too scary for the kids) is right on Sulley's heels to be the scream champion, and he's willing to go to any lengths to beat his nemesis.

All is well in Monstropolis until Boo, a human child, accidentally finds her way through the closet and into Monstropolis. It seems that as scared as kids are of monsters, the monsters are equally scared of the kids -- their touch (allegedly) brings death and ruin. (This misunderstanding leads to great comic scenes as X-Files-type HAZMAT crews invade every time there's a kid sighting, usually to the woe of the monster who has seemingly been infected by the kid!)

Like all Pixar films, the glories are in the details. Check out the gentle satire of Hollywood celebrity culture, of mindless bureaucracy, and the perils of romance in the office. The animation is also wonderful -- Pixar continues to evolve with every picture. For example, Sulley's fuzzy hair is fully articulated as he zooms through various escapades.

The story is fast-paced, with enough jokes to keep the adults laughing . . . which is good, 'cause your kids will likely keep throwing this into the DVD player.

Speaking of the DVD -- there are lots of fun extras on this two-disc set. Personal favorites include the fake "outtakes," similar to those at the end of "A Bug's Life," a short film featuring Mike showing Sulley his new hi-tech car (with hilarious consequences), and an Oscar-winning short film, "For the Birds," which shows how funny animation can be, even in short doses. There are additional extras that will keep the kiddies occupied for hours.

All in all, a must for the family's DVD library.

A New Look At Monsters In the Closet
"Monster's Inc." is a great animated release of 2001, featuring the voices of John Goodman, Billy Crystal, and many others. It earned two Oscar nominations, winning one for Best Original Song (Randy Newman). Its hilarious and sensative plot is great for a variety of audiences to enjoy. Its uniqueness takes this film to a whole new level. This film desplicts a company in Monsteropolis that specializes in scaring kids by entering their closets. However, the kids live in another "world" that can only be entered through a door. If a kid enters Monsteropolis, disaster could occur. A kid enters.

The chain of events form a roller coaster ride that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. The variety of themes gives the film the passion and the humor in the perfect scenes. All are wonderfully expressed uniquely by the actors. Some monsters become scarier, some become more sensative, some become more greedy, and some become more funny thanks to them. Such film quality blends perfectly with the animation. The characters' physical features match with their personalities and the film theme. The uniqueness offers many unforgettable images.

"Monster's Inc." is a great film that will surely keep audiences entertained. The quality value proves that this will become a classic in the following years. Those wanting more should watch the special features, including the process in the making, two short features, a tour of Pixar, and others.

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