A sense of nostalgia

JUST two years out of university myself, there is nothing I love more than reminiscing on the good ol’ times. Not to mention, I tend to be easily attracted to anything that stimulates a sense of nostalgia … so it goes without saying – I thoroughly enjoyed Monsters University.

The clever university theme consisting of party scenes, fraternity competitions as well as class lectures had me wishing I enrolled into an American university but, nevertheless, it still had me wishing I was a student again, even if only for a moment.

And, the nostalgia doesn’t end there either … I got to spend time with Mike and Sully again, 12 years after we were first introduced in Monsters Inc.

Monsters Inc was definitely one of the few animated features that had me blabbering on about it for weeks. It had the adults, as well as the kids, engrossed with the visual wonders that dazzled and surprised the audience.

Monsters University is Pixar’s first attempt at a prequel and as one of its most beloved computer-animated films, it was very risky. Although it was successful enough to make box office gold, it lacked the heart that Monsters Inc had. However, it was fun, funny and cute! Of course, the animation is top notch and the vocal expressiveness was excellent.

It made the monster universe almost feel real. I opted to watch the movie in 3D and it worked. The colours were bright, the movement was smooth and there wasn’t too much being thrown at the screen – it was a visual enchantment.

The film starts with a much younger Michael Wazowski (Billy Crystal), a brace-faced one-eyed monster who doesn’t have many friends. On a school field trip to the Scare Academy, Mike follows a ‘scarer’ into the bedroom of a little girl.

The monsters’ city runs on the power generated by the screams of kids the monsters terrify in the real world, but it is not the place for a young monster. However, Mike is glad he broke the rules and is left in awe and admiration at the whole process.

Skip years later and Mike has used his book-smart attitude and work ethic to make it into one of the best scare universities, Monster University.

On his first day as a ‘scare’ major, he meets the big, bad and, mostly, blue Sully (John Goodman).

Thorough, but distinctly non-scary, Mike works hard to raise a more terrifying profile, whilst Sully (who comes from a long line of distinguished and very scary alumni), uses his raw talent and family reputation to get by.

After a frightful incident with Dean Hardscrabble, the boys are both kicked off the course. However, the Dean agrees to let them back in if they compete and win the ‘Scare Games’ challenge.

The hapless pair is eventually forced to join the Oozma Kappa’s, the loser fraternity on campus, in order to compete. And, surprisingly, with some coaching, alongside a motivational redemption song and montage, they evolve into a force to be reckoned with.

There’s nothing innovative and the plot has been tried before, but no parent will regret taking their children (or going themselves). It’s got a great script and the chemistry between Goodman and Crystal is not something to be missed.

In addition, there are a few additional cameo voice-overs such as John Krasinki as Frightening Frank, Steve Buscemi as a caterpillar-like monster, the mono-toned Aubrey Plaza and Helen Mirren as the cockroach-eque Dran.

The Oozma Kappa characters were all very likeable and playful and added an extra dose of cute to the film.

There’s the mature student Don (Joel Murray) who’s been trying to major as a scarer for quite some time now, the gullible kid Squishy (Peter Sohn) who lives at home with his metal-head mum, two-headed dance major twins Terry and Terri (Dave Foley and Sean Hayes) and my favourite, Art, voiced by Charlie Day. As a fan of the TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, it was nice to see Day hadn’t changed his recognisable delivery of speech.

Yes, the movie, as predicted, did teach the younger movie-goers valuable lessons about friendship, working hard to get what you want and making the best of what you are given, but I wasn’t there for all that … I was there to laugh, smile and become reacquainted with Mike and Sully.

All in all, I was not disappointed!