Movie Series Review - Pixar's Monsters

I wasn't really sure what to call this series, but Pixar's Monsters seemed appropriate so that's why I'm using that. Now it's been a good few years since the first film and a lot has changed since then in regards to the quality of CGI films and with Pixar suffering from bad reviews of some of their more recent films (Brave and the Cars films to be exact), I had high hopes for the prequel that is Monsters University because the first one was good, so yeah. But is it better than other Pixar films? Let's find out:

Incorporated

So taking the scenario of children being scared of monsters in their closets, we go to a city called Monstropolis which is home to a variety of monsters. Our main protagonists, Mike and Sulley (voiced by Billy Crystal and John Goodman respectively) work at Monsters, Inc. A company that powers the city with the screaming of children. Sully is the company's top scarer, having broken the scream record and becoming employee of the month many times. One night, he volunteers to sort out Mike's paperwork while he's on a date with his girlfriend Celia Mae (who is the company's receptionist and is voiced by Jennifer Tilly). While Sully is there, he comes across Randell (voiced by Steve Buscemi) who is trying to top Sulley's score, but seems to fail every time and as a result, he attempts to cheat. With the door that he has, a small girl comes out of it which causes Sulley to look after it, which as a result, angers both his pal Mike and Randell. Will Sully be able to get her back into her room, or will he suffer the consequences of possible banishment? Watch to find out. Being the first Pixar film to not be directed by John Lasseter, this is actually a pretty good film. It's not as action packed as Toy Story was, but with an original idea that is expanded into something bigger, it's a good and funny film. But it's the prequel that I'm worried about. Can it live up to the bad reception of previous Pixar films? Let's see. 9/10

University

So here's Monsters University, a prequel to the first film that no one wanted but we got anyway. So the story begins with a very young Mike going on a school trip to Monsters Inc. and given enough encouragement and confidence, he decides that he wants to be a scarer. Years later, he enrols at Monsters University to do the Scare Program and meets 2 monsters, both of which are also on the scare program, James P Sullivan (who's father is a scarer legend) and Randell. With a lot of work to do as well as trying to fit in with everybody, can Mike become the scarer he wants to be? Now a lot of things are needed to take into account before I give my verdict. I've never been to a University as I felt that I wouldn't cope with it, but I have been to a college which may mean something different outside the UK, but it sort of counts so I know what to expect here. Given that Pixar have gone downhill after Cars 2 came out, this film was one that still didn't have the magic that past Pixar films have had, but it was a good one that is slowly getting them back in the game. The film shows that Pixar defiantly did their research and stayed true to the source material (unlike other films) and there's plenty of laughs to be had here as well as a few very dark moments too. Plus for you Animaniacs fans out there, there is a very special guest in the film which I won't spoil, but I will tell you that his voice has no emotion. And of course all the usual Pixar Easter Eggs are in there as well. 9/10

Now as I did see Monsters University at the cinema, its only fair that I also do a review of the short film that came with it before I give you my series verdict, so let's go:

The Blue Umbrella looks in my opinion to be the most realistic animated short that I have ever seen with the visuals looking superb. Its much like the short film that I reviewed earlier this year, only different. On a rainy day, a blue umbrella is happy and is passing various objects that have a face of some kind and at one point meets a red umbrella whom of which he fancies (and then the rest of the film is him trying to get to the red umbrella). It's the most realistic film that I have ever seen and in way, kinda resembles anime. 9/10

So this was one of Pixar's best franchises and both films have done pretty well and I enjoyed both of them. 9/10