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First reviews for MONSTERS UNIVERSITY rolling in.
- Thread starter SCULLIBUNDO
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What? Since Monsters U takes place before Monsters Inc., of course the curriculum for the university would be outdated by the changes at the end of Monsters Inc.
In the timeline of Monsters U, the curriculum still makes sense lol
GoddyofAus
Banned
Ironic that would would say that in relation to Pixar, who are one of the very few studios to come out and blow that convention out the airlock with Toy Story 2.
Definitely! Saw the original right after, and I personally think the two are on par (nothing can top the fantastic opening titles in Monsters Inc though.) The character designs are some of Pixar's best in a long long LONG time (I feel like other studios have been beating them out in this regard for a while), and the new lighting theyve done really makes things pop. I thought a lot of the gags were great as well. The sequence where they keep rhyming names stands out to me, really well paced.
Kept expecting
the Dean to give them recommendations for jobs at Monsters Inc after the campsite incident. They definitely surprised me when its revealed they had to climb from the bottom
I think I'm gonna have to fall under the option of "good, not great". It was still a decent film and I'm glad I saw it, with some nice nods/references to the original (they handled Randall quite well), but I'm not entirely motivated to go see it again multiple times like other Pixar films.
My little sister thought the same thing. She said she wasn't a big fan of the original, but she really wanted to re-watch it after seeing this.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Seeing it again is pretty much my only option to hear the end theme. Not that I don't want to see it a shitload more times but damn.
IceDoesntHelp
Banned
I saw this last night, and I must say its definitely better than Cars 2 and Brave.
In fact I enjoyed it quite a bit, I have faith in Pixar yet.
EDIT: Seems like everyone wanted to see the original after seeing it, my girlfriend stated the same thing once the movie was over.
In fact I enjoyed it quite a bit, I have faith in Pixar yet.
EDIT: Seems like everyone wanted to see the original after seeing it, my girlfriend stated the same thing once the movie was over.
Winnie the Pimp
Member
Haven't seen it yet but i don't get the people who don't get the people that are "overreacting" to the decrease in quality of recent Pixar movies.
I mean, no one is saying they are now turning out BAD movies or anything, it's just that the last 3 efforts by them were LESS inspiring and exceptional than what they used to be known for, that is all.
We simply want the golden age of animation back where every single Pixar movie, one after the other was considered a masterpiece, an instant classic, so we simply mourn and regret the decrease in quality of the once greatest animation studio. They are now one of many, or worse, often surpassed by Dreamworks etc.
Personally i still watch and enjoy their latest movies, it's just not the same anymore that's all
I mean, no one is saying they are now turning out BAD movies or anything, it's just that the last 3 efforts by them were LESS inspiring and exceptional than what they used to be known for, that is all.
We simply want the golden age of animation back where every single Pixar movie, one after the other was considered a masterpiece, an instant classic, so we simply mourn and regret the decrease in quality of the once greatest animation studio. They are now one of many, or worse, often surpassed by Dreamworks etc.
Personally i still watch and enjoy their latest movies, it's just not the same anymore that's all
Ingueferroque
Banned
Can't we blame Disney for this?
Christopher
BDE (Big Dad Energy)
the biggest cheer/chap in my audience was Roz lol
Pixar have to take responsibility for their own films.
EatinOlives
Member
Yep. A big element in Monsters Inc was that their discoveries (laughs are far more lucrative than screams for energy and that children are actually not toxic) turned most, if not all, the knowledge of "scream power" in the Monster world on its head.
Makes you think how Monsters University adapted its curriculum after the end of Monsters Inc
Yep, which I found surprising because my theather was 80% kids and they immediately recognized the cameo. No way were they old enough to have seen the original in theaters either.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Haven't seen it yet but i don't get the people who don't get the people that are "overreacting" to the decrease in quality of recent Pixar movies.
I mean, no one is saying they are now turning out BAD movies or anything, it's just that the last 3 efforts by them were LESS inspiring and exceptional than what they used to be known for, that is all.
We simply want the golden age of animation back where every single Pixar movie, one after the other was considered a masterpiece, an instant classic, so we simply mourn and regret the decrease in quality of the once greatest animation studio. They are now one of many, or worse, often surpassed by Dreamworks etc.
Personally i still watch and enjoy their latest movies, it's just not the same anymore that's all
These descriptors are not applicable to the exceptional Monsters University, they just aren't.
At every point where they could have been unimaginative or predictable, they didn't. To wit:
Have Mike and Sully be roommates. Nope. Hi, Randall.
Have Mike and Sully join forces to thwart their frat nemeses? Nope. Sully cheats and everyone gets expelled.
Have Mike prove himself as a scarer and get the respect of everyone who thought he couldn't do it? Nope. He realizes he'll never be scarer when he fails to scare a girl.
Have that girl teach him a lesson about being yourself in some kind of precursor to Boo? Nope. Turns out the girl is in a sleepaway camp in a reveal just as joyously shocking as the Banishment in Monsters Inc.
Have them get back home through a retread of the door chase in the original? Nope. They have to scare a room full of humans.
Have Mike and Sully join forces to get back into the scaring program when they make it back? Nope. They get Monsters Inc jobs WITHOUT EVEN GRADUATING FROM FUCKING COLLEGE, probably the most progressive education-based thematics I've ever seen in a family film.
Have Mike and Sully join forces to thwart their frat nemeses? Nope. Sully cheats and everyone gets expelled.
Have Mike prove himself as a scarer and get the respect of everyone who thought he couldn't do it? Nope. He realizes he'll never be scarer when he fails to scare a girl.
Have that girl teach him a lesson about being yourself in some kind of precursor to Boo? Nope. Turns out the girl is in a sleepaway camp in a reveal just as joyously shocking as the Banishment in Monsters Inc.
Have them get back home through a retread of the door chase in the original? Nope. They have to scare a room full of humans.
Have Mike and Sully join forces to get back into the scaring program when they make it back? Nope. They get Monsters Inc jobs WITHOUT EVEN GRADUATING FROM FUCKING COLLEGE, probably the most progressive education-based thematics I've ever seen in a family film.
Oh, Pixar. When are you going to make an imaginative film again and stop being so darn predictable and uninspired. When, when, when.
Monsters Inc has as perfect an ending as a movie could have, it shouldn't have a sequel.
But I'm glad to see impressions of the movie are better than their last few movies.
I know it makes sense, but by watching Monster's Inc first, I just found it funny that we all know that their scaring degrees end up being useless.
thecouncil
Banned
very true. this movie was actually surprisingly great. the entire
camp scene with the cops searching for them (the deepest we've seen the monsters go into the real world... outside of a single child's bedroom.) and having to scare adults to reopen the portal
the movie took some interesting turns. unexpected, really. did not see it coming.
edit: killer soundtrack too.
Great post. Loved the movie as well.
WordAssassin
Member
Yes, completely CGI. Stunningly beautiful.
I really loved MU. Monster's Inc was my favorite Pixar movie for a while, and really it probably still is because it is THE most imaginative movie they've made. I remember feeling this incredible sense of wonder at the end of MI, it made me want to work for Pixar so bad.
MU was really great. Before it came out everyone was saying "If Pixar wanted to make a college frat comedy movie why did they shoehorn the MI characters into it instead of doing something new" but this movie is so much more than just a frat movie, it is through-and-through about the world of Monster's Inc and the characters of Mike and Sully. There were a LOT of really surprising twists and turns, and messages I didn't think they would go with but they did. It's not one of Pixar's best but it is absolutely a great movie well worth seeing, and I can't wait to watch it again.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
Seriously.
"I can be anything I want to be"
"No you can't"
"I'll work real hard!"
"Won't matter"
"I want it more"
"Tough Shit"
Which is ironic given how it worked to his advantage by the end of Monsters Inc. once laughter was discovered as a better energy source.
But yeah I was surprised at the brutal honesty of the messaging.
LegendOfGood
Member
You seem to agree entirely with the post you quoted, so not sure why you are so confused?
Would people that have seen this say that it's not on the same level as say Up or Finding Nemo?
I don't think it's on the same level, but I don't think it tries to be a movie on that level. You shouldn't go in with the expectation that it'll blow your mind, but something that will amuse you and make you laugh for the duration of the movie. Though I did enjoy the underlying tones of
how useless college life appears to be, and now hard working can't always get you everything you want in life.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Just got back, and I thought it was fantastic!!! One of the best movies I have seen this year!! Really fun call backs, but the movie isn't completely dependent on the first movie. Years from now, people can easily watch University and then Incorporated and not even realize that Inc came before U.
Like others have said, Pixar is back to classic form with this film. At every major plot point, they could have been predicable, but instead they just turned the story on its head.
Bravo Pixar! Bravo!
Like others have said, Pixar is back to classic form with this film. At every major plot point, they could have been predicable, but instead they just turned the story on its head.
Bravo Pixar! Bravo!
mingoguaya
Member
I saw it yesterday, and I have to say it really lives up to the original and then some (not so witty humor at times, but great nonetheless!!). What did it for me was how Pixar was able to capture so well the college atmosphere and the awesome attention to detail while doing this. Now, I saw Monsters Inc. this morning, and I have to say, the quality of the visuals in MU totally shatters everything that MI had (especially the lightning, ray tracing looks glorious on this film!).
Christopher
BDE (Big Dad Energy)
Hen they were in the "real world" they looked crazy good.
Didnt they "touch" real world items and water too to make their fear of objects in the human world stupid I the second film?
Didnt they "touch" real world items and water too to make their fear of objects in the human world stupid I the second film?
I liked it a lot. It was fun, funny and very creative. The overall message was also pretty good, and the last act, while not as good as some people were making it out to be, was a pretty surprising turn.
Continuity wise there were some solid references.
Continuity wise there were some solid references.
I don't think the "You've been jealous of me since third grade comment really matters. Easy to write off as an expression. In the final act, I don't think we ever see them actually touch a child's toy despite making use of them, so I'm ok with that too. The only thing I can think of is the Yeti. When they met in Monsters Inc, it seemed like they had never met, IIRC. But not the biggest of deals. Seeing the secretary pop up was *very* funny.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
So, Pizza Planet Truck and A113 locations?
Thought it would be the monster Mom's van license plate, but it wasn't. Imagine it was a room number somewhere.
Didn't see the Pizza Planet truck at all.
Thought it would be the monster Mom's van license plate, but it wasn't. Imagine it was a room number somewhere.
Didn't see the Pizza Planet truck at all.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Hmmm! There were so many roads and parking lots. It could be anywhere!!
TheAbsolution
Member
According to the Internet, The pizza planet truck was apparently parked at the Roar house during the Pig sequence. I don't know where the other one.
OrlanisWorks
Banned
Watched it earlier. I liked it. Definitely a better film then the past couple Pixar had made (although I enjoyed Brave, of which I prefer the soundtrack over Randy Newman).
Another reminder that Pixar is miles ahead of Dreamworks in both technology and writing.
Another reminder that Pixar is miles ahead of Dreamworks in both technology and writing.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Holy shit I forgot about that picture
.
God damn. So best.
with Waternoose
God damn. So best.
Really like this analysis man, true on all points.
imdb says "Professor Knight's lecture hall is room A113"
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Huh, so this is good? I may have to go see it then
thecouncil
Banned
i thought about that too but
the yeti doesn't look at them in that scene. has his back to them as he passes through talking about being banished
the continuity problem there while still getting in the reference and ratzenberger's voice.
benjaminbirdie's post outlines why it was anything but 'by the numbers', what made you think it was?
EatinOlives
Member
I don't think Pixar meant the theme to be that "brutal". I think what they were going for is (MU Spoilers)
what Mike told them when they broke into Monster's Inc, that success comes in all forms and sizes and just because you don't fit a predetermined description doesn't mean you're a failure.
Monster's Inc. wasn't confined to a child's bedroom, there was the entire sequence in the Himalayas.
thecouncil
Banned
yeah, thats true. i worded it poorly. by "real world" i meant one that allowed for human interaction. thats what made the camp scene something different and interesting. the himalayas may as well have been monster world. the only thing they ran into there was an actual monster.
IceDoesntHelp
Banned
Auron_Kale
Member
Thinking about the visuals of this movie, I have to say that my favorite moment was was when
though the school itself really feels like a great mish-mash of all the great colleges.
the gang approaches Monsters Inc. during their 'field trip' as seeing the Port of Oakland, especially the port cranes, was amazing
eudaemonic
Member
One of my favorite moments came from the audience. As soon as Sullivan came on screen, I heard a little girl very excitedly shout "KITTY!" It was so damn adorable.
Overall though, I had many laughs and enjoyed it a lot.
Overall though, I had many laughs and enjoyed it a lot.
Archie the Scare Pig FTW!
TheChewyWaffles
Member
It's almost like they saw it on DVD or something!
Christopher
BDE (Big Dad Energy)
Or the 3D rerelease that was just in theaters!
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