Monsters, Inc.

The amazing folks at Pixar have done it again with this witty, warm and wonderful CGI cartoon about the scary, hairy nocturnal beasts that lurk in our closets and under our beds. Monsters, Inc. takes place in a parallel monster world where electrical power is generated through the bottled screams of Earth's children. Unfortunately, since kids have become jaded and harder to scare, a serious energy crisis has developed. But big, burly, blue-furred, horn-headed Sulley (voice of John Goodman)--the top scare-maker at the electric utility plant--has a bigger problem: a giggly little girl, who isn't afraid, has slipped into the monster's world through a closet door left open. Sulley and his best pal (a squat, green, one-eyed walking pool ball voiced by Billy Crystal) have to sneak the toddler back home before anyone finds out because, you see, monsters are deathly afraid of children! Blessed with an infinite reserve of hilarious comical asides and a refreshingly original screenplay, this marks another amazing leap forward in computer-generated cartoon realism. Definitely recommended. [Note: DVD extras on this two-disc extravaganza (although sometimes repetitive) include audio commentary by director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, executive producer John Lasseter and executive producer-screenwriter Andrew Stanton; and two separate "worlds." "Humans Only" includes a fun factory studio tour of Pixar, seven segments on the story (including five "banished concepts"), "Monster Files" (voice cast and character design details), seven featurettes on design (with a guide to 21 "in" jokes), a production tour, three segments on music and sound (including one on binaural recording), five featurettes on the animation process (including a multi-angle production demo), and film release info (at the premiere, products, multi-language clip reel); and "Monsters Only," which includes orientation for potential Monsters, Inc. recruits (welcome, historical background, 10-subject employee handbook, monster of the month and scarer cards), "Behind the Screams" which includes the program from the company play, and six "New Monster Adventures." In addition, both monster and human worlds feature outtakes and several Easter eggs (many of which include a jaunty monkey). Finally, the shorts "Mike's New Car" and the 2001 Academy Award winner for Best Short Film "For the Birds" round out this huge DVD package. Bottom line: a stellar extras package for a wonderful film.] (R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—Nov. 10, 2009—Walt Disney, 4 discs, 91 min., G, $40.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2001's Monsters, Inc. sports a stellar transfer with DTS-HD 5.1 sound. Blu-ray extras include a new intro by director Pete Docter, audio commentary (by Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, writer Andrew Stanton, and executive producer John Lasseter), a “Filmmakers' Roundtable” segment with Docter, Unkrich, producer Darla Anderson, and voice actor Bob Peterson (22 min.), a production section with featurettes and pitches (22 min.), a storyboard-to-film comparison (15 min.), a tour of the new Monsters, Inc. “Ride and Go Seek” ride at Tokyo Disneyland (12 min.), “Banished Concepts” scenes (10 min.), mock orientation videos for the Monsters, Inc. company (6 min.), the Oscar-winning “For the Birds” short (4 min.), the Oscar-nominated short “Mike's New Car” (4 min.), a “Pixar Fun Factory” tour (4 min.), “On the Job with Mike and Sulley” (3 min.), “Roz's 100-Door Challenge” interactive game, various TV spots and vignettes, the music video for the film's Oscar-winning Randy Newman-penned anthem “If I Didn't Have You,” and trailers. Also included are a DVD copy of the film with the original extras, and a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: an excellent Blu-ray debut for a popular Disney/Pixar family film.]