Monsters University Review - Pixar Scares Up Some Laughs, Twists and a Lot of Fun

*This review is largely spoiler free, and most plot-details mentioned are evident in the trailers, but read cautiously if you haven’t seen the film yet*

Pixar are the gold standard of animation. Once upon a time that was Disney, and if all stays as is it might well be again sometime in the near future, but since 1995, Pixar have been fully leading the animation revolution. We've gone from a time when Disney was more or less the only source of feature animation, to a time when there's about a dozen mainstream animation studios. That's thanks to Pixar. Toy Story was a complete game-changer - revolutionary both visually and thematically - and since then the studio have created classics like The Incredibles and Up. Since 2011 and Cars 2 though, it seems faith in the studio has been broken: that film was widely panned, Brave got a much harsher reception than it deserved, and their fourteenth feature film, Monsters University, has been received - while rather more warmly than the previous two films - to a kind of glum acceptance unfitting of a Pixar film.

An editorial Munir wrote recently has stayed with me; Pixar haven't lost a step, they're not slumping, they're not making poor films, but it is undeniable that their last three films aren't their greatest. The key line, I thought, was "Toy Story 3 is Pixar's Lion King," meaning, once you have reached the absolute pinnacle of creative, critical and commercial success, there's nowhere to go but down. So, while Monsters University is not Pixar's finest film, while it's not as good or as groundbreaking as Monsters, Inc. was 12 years ago, it is still a fine piece of cinema, a testament to great storytelling, and proof that Pixar isn't going anywhere fast.

Monsters University Stars In the Focus

Although the stars of Monsters University are really the creative and animation forces behind the film's production, the famous faces who lend their voices to it give the film quite a lot of clout too. As such, Billy Crystal and John Goodman, the voices of the scaring duo of Mike and Sulley, have been making their rounds doing promotion for Monsters University too.

Watch: New Monsters University Trailer

While Disney are floundering about failing to promote their 53rd animated feature, they're doing a bang-up job hyping Pixar's fourteenth feature, (and, by the sounds of it, fourteenth hit) Monsters University. Today, that includes rolling out another hilarious new trailer for the Dan Scanlon-directed Monsters, Inc. prequel!

Monsters University Voice Cast Revealed - Here's Who John Ratzenberger's Playing!

As we march inexorably forward and Pixar's fourteenth feature film looms ever more, Entertainment Weekly have today got some exclusive details on who will be lending their voices to Monsters University - as well as some new posters and images from the film!

Billy Crystal on Monsters U: Voicing Mike Again and the Ending

Billy Crystal has always been vocal in his love of Monsters, Inc., specifically his own character in the film, Mike Wazoswki. And in a recent interview with THR, the When Harry Met Sally... star gushed about being back in Monstropolis for the prequel, Monsters University.

"He’s my favorite character I’ve ever played" the co-vocal lead says of Mike, while also singing the praises of co-star, John Goodman, and the chemistry the two have created on-screen, saying:

"We do it together and he’s a genius. That’s why I think there’s a lot of affection between Mike and Sulley on the screen -- the relationship between the two of us is so real. We really love working with each other."

Crystal (pictured, top, with Monsters U director, Dan Scanlon) also speaks about the film's ending so avert your eyes now if you want to avoid spoilers - that said, it's pretty tame given that it's a prequel:

"The movie ends with us walking into Monsters, Inc. and working in the mail room."

Monsters University looks every bit as great as the original, and the anticipation only grows and grows with every detail we're drip-fed. The film will be released almost 12 years after the original, on 21st June, 2013 (US) and 12th July, 2013 (UK).

Related news: Apply to Monsters University Now! No, Really. and Monsters University Plot Details Emerge

Via The Pixar Post.

Apply to Monsters University Now! No, Really.

Damn Pixar, you know how to market a film.

Pixar have gone viral with the marketing of their next feature film, the prequel to 2001's Monsters, Inc., Monsters University. The studio have launched a super clever, super cool and - oddly - super believable website for Monsters University - the place, not the film. It has an admissions page, a list of clubs, professors (that presumably will feature in the film), a map (below), a student portal and even a functioning MU store! Pixar have really gone the whole hog on this one!

Check out more awesomeness after the jump break!

Monsters University Plot Details Emerge

With Brave's US theatrical run pretty much over (though it's just started in the UK!), eyes begin to turn towards Pixar's fourteenth feature film, Monstsers University. Aside from the fact that it's a prequel to Pixar's 2001 classic, Monsters, Inc., and that it's set in college, when best-friends Mike and Sulley were rivals, we know little about the plot of Monsters U thus far. However, Billy Crystal is here to enlighten us a bit.

Though he famously turned down the role of Buzz Lightyear, Crystal leapt at the opportunity to lend his voice to Mike Wazowski in Monsters, Inc. and has a great love for the character and the film. So it's no surprise that in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the topic of the hotly anticipated prequel came up. Crystal spoke about the plot of the film, saying:

"[Mike and Sully] end up in the same fraternity where they have this scare competition — like Greek Games in college. They have to mobilize a group, sort of like Revenge of the Nerds-monsters, and get them ready to be scary.”"

So, expect to see more hilarious pranks and college-antics, like we saw in the teaser trailers a couple of months ago. Crystal also said that the duo are 17 and 18 in the film, adding "My guy has a retainer, even."

Monsters University is released on 21st June, 2013 in the US and 12th July in the UK, and the original Monsters, Inc. is re-released in 3D on 19th December (US only - UK re-release date likely in early 2013).

Via The Pixar Times.