REVIEW - MONSTERS UNIVERSITY

If the recent decline in standard at Pixar is a message to the world to quit comparing their current output to their previous, they're doing it wrong: sequels are not the way to go about that. Technically, Monsters University is a prequel; I'm probably bucking a trend by claiming that it is superior to Monsters, Inc., but enough of the comparisons. For though it may be lacking in the life-altering profundity and poignancy of Pixar's best, Monsters University is a delightful animated film, at worst competent, at best terrific. Its reach is short - well within the Pixar limits, despite that studio's usual success in expanding those limits - and so it is no classic, but it is every forkful of the sweet cherry pie it promises to be, and is thus very satisfying. The talent that Pixar boasts is put to good use in ensuring that every detail is spot on, be it issues such as the staging of major set-pieces, or the opulence in the animation. Indeed, Monsters University is stunningly realised, visually, down to the subtle chartreuse mottle on Mike's chin and the nubby frayed twill of his cap. And the characters assembled are outstanding, both in their aesthetic flair and in their vivid human characteristics - Squishy is a particularly strong, identifiable figure, actually so brilliant he puts Mike and Sully to shame. He's also one of the film's best comedic assets (as is his mother, and her taste in music), and Monsters University's most immediate virtue is its sense of humour - as astute as it is silly, this element of the film won me over almost entirely. Alas, it's a slight work all in all, not just from Pixar but in general, and yet most fulfilling in the moment.