Monsters University

[DyeLorean]

I have a question for the people who have seen it already. Without spoiler stuff -I'm seeing this next week- I want to ask, is there something in the final act that's reminiscent to the 'room of doors' from the first film? Something similar, like a surprise?

 

[Ultimatehero]

Spoiler

Nope.

 

[DyeLorean]

Ugh. Damn. I wanted to see more of that. Oh well...

(thank you)

 

[redhawk23]

I was not really looking forward to this movie at all, I was aware of it, but haven't really followed the production or anything. I was open to seeing it, but not particularly interested.

I was surprised by how much I actually ended up liking this movie.

The movie is very entertaining and does a lot to develop a number of different aspects of the monster world and of course, the characters at the center of it, Mike and Sully.

I must say though, that for a movie called Monster's University, the film is surprisingly anti-college.

 

[CGHulk]

 

[BlueLightning]

It was for the best.

 

[redhawk23]

Well that was kind of my thing with whole prequel concept: It's established in the first film that their entire society is driven by a lie and is pretty terrible.

 

[TheVileOne]

I was not really looking forward to this movie at all, I was aware of it, but haven't really followed the production or anything. I was open to seeing it, but not particularly interested.

I was surprised by how much I actually ended up liking this movie.

The movie is very entertaining and does a lot to develop a number of different aspects of the monster world and of course, the characters at the center of it, Mike and Sully.

I must say though, that for a movie called Monster's University, the film is surprisingly anti-college.

Not everyone should or really needs to go to college. College is not for everyone.

 

[terry78]

Well the entire concept of creatures actually entering a kid's room and terrifying them is disturbing as is.

 

[TheVileOne]

Yeah, but the monsters are actually scared of the kids too.

Also it's not necessarily a lie. Scaring does give the world energy. They are just misinformed. Maybe the bubonic plague made them think humans were toxic.

 

[Quasimod0]

Maybe it's just a movie and we shouldn't look that far into it... Lol

 

[redhawk23]

Not everyone should or really needs to go to college. College is not for everyone.

Very true, just a surprising turn for a movie prequel about the characters going to college and has University in the title.

But not even just in terms of "College isn't for anyone" this movie did not paint college in a particularly good light, particularly when they go to Monster's Inc and remark on how little the workplace reflects the realities of college and the makeup of the student body. Again, totally true, but surprising that it makes it way into this film.

 

[redhawk23]

The Umbrella short film that plays before the film is pretty well fantastic. Pixar's new lighting system is crazy good.

 

[redhawk23]

Yeah, but the monsters are actually scared of the kids too.

Also it's not necessarily a lie. Scaring does give the world energy. They are just misinformed. Maybe the bubonic plague made them think humans were toxic.

Scaring is the Monster equivalent to fossil fuels, a dirty negative fuel that the society has been built around, that companies profit hugely from, at the expense of a more positive form of energy. Laughter is essentially Monster green energy.

 

[CGHulk]

 

[Octoberist]

The best thing about the film is the sound design.

That joke with Squishy's Mom listening to her 'tunes' worked they used a authentic hardcore/metal band, and not a mock-up. Same thing when they went to that frat party; the key thing that made the scene effective was the bass, which is something that other movies featuring parties should pay attention to. The bass.

 

[terry78]

Disney is starting to use more real world artists for their in-movie music. Skrillex in Wreck It Ralph, and this.

 

[redhawk23]

For the metal music you mean, or the music in general. Because wasn't the music here done by Randy Newman? I really liked it overall though.

 

[terry78]

Two songs that are supposed to not be scored. The one in the van, and the one at the party was done by Swedish House Mafia.

 

[redhawk23]

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/interview-director-dan-scanlon-monsters-university.php A pretty good interview with director Dan Scanlon. Seems like a pretty down to earth guy.

 

[MrMaooz]

Do you guys think this just kind of came and went?

 

[Drizzle]

Yeah, it kind of did.

For what it's worth, I enjoyed it for what it was. It just didn't come close to the original. Having said that, it wasn't the worst thing that Pixar's put out.

 

[Persona]

good movie for what it is but what it is is a bit ill-advised. a CG G-rated college movie. some of the new characters are okay but Art is the closest thing to unique and something we haven't seen before while most of the rest are stock with slight twists. it's basically just Pixar applying the Monsters world to your standard college flick tropes minus anything racy. there are some nice aspects of exploring the early stages of Mike and Sully's relationship, the world is beautifully realized (seriously, that light engine), a lot of mildly funny sight gags and details, i probably could have watched a whole movie about kid Mike Wazowski...i mean, compared to dull tripe like Epic, Monsters U looks like a friggin' masterpiece. But it's definitely "minor" Pixar. if there's one aspect that disappoints me from a design standpoint is that too many of the "extras" monsters are about as interesting to look at as human extras, so that was a bit of a missed opportunity, but i get that it's asking a lot to want all these hundreds of monsters to look thoughtfully or imaginatively designed. i just think they went a little too cartoony, create-a-character with so many of them. you look at Sully, Mike, Randall...there is just a sharp disparity between how those characters were designed and how most of the characters in MU come across, with the exception of the Dean.

 

[redhawk23]

Judgin from certain comments I've seen thrown around from those in production, the designs of the monsters might have gotten carried away focusing on little details due to a desire to make use of new software they developed for hair.

This is something I actually noticed while watching the movie. There were a lot of more "smooth" looking monsters that upon closer inspection actually had matted hair like seals.


While I wouldn't put this film up with the best Pixar has to offer, I would say it is a worthy follow up to a film that didn't need one, and has the problems expected of making one anyways.

The animation and most of the designs are quite good though, and as I've mentioned before I was quite taken aback by film's message overall. Also the entire section of the film where they get trapped out at the summer camp and have to fight/scare their way back is as good a setpiece as Pixar has ever made.

 

[BlueLightning]

I loved Monsters University! It was bold, one of the boldest movies I have ever seen in terms of the message it carries. It is a very complex theme to take on a film aimed at children.