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The latest Pixar gem
by Craig Roush
The interesting thing about all of the movies from Pixar Animation Studios (with the exception of 1998's A Bug's Life) is that, unlike the rest of the offerings in the history of animated cinema, they haven't chosen to attempt the theatrics of exotic, fantastical settings and characters. Instead, they've gone after the domestic American childhood, the stuff of such thematic elements like favorite toys and monsters under the bed. It's a fitting choice, because like the years of innocence they portray, these computer-generated movies are still the new kids on the block, enduring that adolescent period of refinement. Pixar's films have been an evolution before our eyes, and Monsters, Inc., the latest in their lineage, is, if not the best of their films, then at least the most streamlined, imaginatively packaged yet.
Toy Story 2 is still the king of Pixar's features, mostly because the work done there by John Lasseter and company built on the foundation of Toy Story and achieved a level of complexity and depth that was the parallel of Hollywood's finest live-action pictures. Despite engaging the simple times of a child's formative years, it nevertheless proved to be the narrative equal of many an adult picture.
In some ways, then, Monsters, Inc. builds on the Toy Story films, although it only does so in an indirect sense. Audiences will expect the same level of intelligence and wry humor coupled with physical comedy and sight gags in the same seamless fashion that has come to represent the Pixar brand of comedy.
Having already established an audience, director Peter Docter and his supporting team of creative talent -- the ungainly large pool of personnel common to animated features, including co-directors David Silverman and Lee Unkrich and writers Dan Gerson and Andrew Stanton -- are free to streamline the process already established by Lasseter in the Toy Story movies and A Bug's Life. This is most obviously accomplished in the animation itself, which gets better with every outing, but also in the story and in its content. Monsters, Inc. features far fewer pop culture references -- they aren't as crucial here as they were in Pixar's previous films (or even more so in DreamWorks's Shrek) -- and with less time devoted to standup comedy, this film is by far the fastest moving of Pixar's titles.
It is the souped-up Porsche of the bunch, ready for the open road in its nonstop delivery of images and sounds. Reminiscent of the classic Warner Brothers animated series, or even the Hannah-Barbara creations in its frenetic energy level, Monsters, Inc. does those staples one better by serving up a surprisingly coherent story. Behind our world exists the world of bedtime monsters, who frighten children in order to capture the screams that will power their world. Despite this seemingly cruel-hearted plot, though, the monsters are actually benevolent types who are deathly afraid of any infection from the human world -- a stray sock prompts a SWAT team-like response from a decontamination squad.
Most of the monsters are good-natured, like the leading "scarer" James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) and his assistant Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal). But evil is afoot in the form of the serpentine Randall (Steve Buscemi), who plots to economize the monsters' scare collection by extracting them directly from the child.
It's a difficult call as to whether this paranoia-based comedy is enhanced by the presence of high-priced voice talent like Crystal, Goodman, and Buscemi. They certainly don't have the seasoned rapport that Tom Hanks and Tim Allen developed by the time of Toy Story 2, but Pixar's features have long outstripped conventionally animated pictures in garnering the best names -- it's been a long time since a gathering like that of The Lion King took place. Still, Crystal and Goodman have their own give-and-take, and one that might compete with the Allen/Hanks combo by the time an eventual sequel is made.
The best thing that Crystal and Goodman have to offer is an unquestionably fluid integration into the story world -- the viewer will not find himself watching the film and pointing out Crystal's polished Jersey drawl or Goodman's rumbling bass tones. Instead, the gigantic hair blue beast that is James P. Sullivan or the lone eyeball that is Mike Wazowski are expected to emit the voices they actually do.
As always, they have plenty of great lines to say, and if the film is less partial to the ubiquitous pop culture references that became trendy overnight (again, watch Shrek to find out), then it is masterful of situational comedy. Much like Toy Story 2, the film doesn't play out like a bunch of gags strung together, but rather a constantly moving laugh-fest that will have the viewer rolling in the aisles. The jokes are equally as good as the writers' ingenuity.
As always, though, if the Pixar features suddenly and shockingly became un-funny, they would still be guaranteed three-star movies (well, not quite, but you get the point) because of the animated excellence. If there were a fine example of Pixar's unparalleled skill in combining visuals, sound, adventure, and creativity, it would be the wild roller coaster-like ride through the innards of the Monsters, Inc., factory near the end of the film. It provides the final burst of energy in a movie that is perfectly paced and timed at about 90 minutes long (the ironclad running length for current animated features), and it raises the bar for Pixar's future releases.
The constantly escalating expectations of fans may be Pixar's only challenge, because they've clearly mastered the formula while managing not to seem formulaic. The tradition that began with Toy Story and continued with A Bug's Life and Toy Story 2 is still going in Monsters, Inc., another superb addition to Pixar's library of priceless titles.
Craig Roush, 2001
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