MU

The kids are huge fans of Monsters Inc, so today, I took them to see the new prequel, Monsters University:

image

Putting it simply, it was superb. I had been concerned that it wouldn’t live up to the first film, but it really did. The animation was – I don’t know – sharper, better. The characters were well thought out and believable (yes, I know they are monsters). But, as ever with Pixar, it was the attention to detail which made the movie, especially the many clever links to scenes in Monsters Inc.

One word of warning for parents of young children though: as with the original film, there is a short animation piece before the main event. With Monsters Inc, this was the bright, funny, brief For The Birds. For Monsters University, the intro piece is called The Blue Umbrella. No doubt that it demonstrates brilliant animation, but it is dark, lengthy and actual quite distressing in parts. Totally out of place in front of the main feature, and not great for your four year daughter or similar. So be aware.

Otherwise though, 10/10. Brilliant.
Go. Enjoy.

5 thoughts on “MU

  1. “I don’t like movies.”

    “People don’t seem to understand that not liking movies is actually completely fine. And I don’t understand people because people don’t understand that.”

    “So no, films are not for me. Thank you, but no thank you.”

    “Just follow my advice and don’t watch films full stop. Believe me, it’s a great way to not spend a couple of hours.”

    I guess terms and conditions applied, then? 🙂
    http://6000.co.za/the-promotion/

  2. Jacques > Sitting with bored kids at home or sitting with entertained kids at cinema. No contest.
    In my defence, it was my first visit to Mr Kinekor in over a year. And the last one was kid-related too.

  3. Completely agree about the curtain raiser – it was downright disturbing and completely inappropriate. Far more unsettling for the kids than any part of the actual movie (which we also loved).

  4. My 4 year old completely missed any of the darkness in the short before the movie. All she saw was the cuteness. I think sometimes we adults see things in a very different way to the innocence of a child.

    Or maybe it was the excitement of her first trip to the cinema to see a movie, the fun of having her own box of popcorn and cup of coke that left her not seeing anything bad.

    She did, however, really enjoy the movie. Even without ever having seen the first movie.

    A question though. Given that from about 2 little girls love Tinkerbell and so on, and little boys love whatever it is they watch these days, why is it that so very few kiddies movies come out in 2D. 3D may be great for an adult, but what 4 year old is going to sit still for an hour and a half with glasses on their face??? It’s just not going to happen!

  5. gmross > Yes, it’s a pain to find a 2D movie for the kids. And I’m not sure they get much benefit from the experience of 3D anyway.
    I have to disagree about the Blue Umbrella bit though. It becomes human, takes on a gentle and loving personality, draws us (and the kids in) and then we get to see it slammed into by a bus. Close up. Not ideal.

    Mingbean > Especially when compared with the brilliant, light-hearted short ahead of Monsters Inc.

    Leave a Reply