Monsters University (2013)

Needs more schooling.

Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are the best of friends and partners for life. But of course that wasn't always the case. Flashback to when they were younger, college to be exact. When Mike and Sulley first saw each other, the only mutual understanding between them is to hate one another. Hence, their college life began. Flash further back, it focuses on Mike and how he always wanted to be the best scarer ever. Things don't go smoothly for him in Monsters University as he has to prove himself to everyone that he is capable of being a scarer.

There was so much excitement the moment this movie was first announced. The 2001 film Monsters Inc. Is one of Pixar's most prized jewels and I bet they thought that an additional jewel wouldn't hurt. Well... let's just say it stumbled a lot and got a few bruises on the way. However, I would choose Monsters University any day compared to the last film Pixar released which is the 2012 film Brave. Ironically enough, both films currently have a 78% rating in Rotten Tomatoes.

When Pixar officially announced Monsters University, I figured it carried two burdens on its shoulders. The first one would have to be its audience. Yes, this is an animated film intended to be watched by children. How about the children at heart though? One particular sector in the demographics that will absolutely be watching Monsters Univ. are the young adults or specifically college students. The children who watched Monsters Inc. back in 2001 will surely not miss out on a prequel of a movie that was part of their childhood. So pleasing the children and the young adults is a difficult task that Pixar definitely must have considered. The second burden that I thought of primarily concerns the plot itself. In the trailers, it is established that Mike and Sulley were not on good terms before they became the best of friends. Thing is, even before watching this movie, majority, if not all, of the entire human population might have watched Monsters Inc. already and know that they are friends. So the question that a viewer has on his mind when about the watch the film is that "How are you gonna tell the story and how are you gonna make me stay and watch?" Because technically speaking, the entire movie is spoiled to us already because of the first film. The latter of the problems I mentioned should have been carefully thought of because as I was watching the movie, I found myself checking for the time. Definitely not a good sign when you're watching a movie.

So was it a bad film? No it wasn't but Pixar could have definitely have done better. I appreciate how the movie makes the viewers, especially the old ones, nauseous of the first film and makes them go "Oh look! It's..." during the movie. I also like how they put certain twists and unexpected situations that negates the first film but explains it in the latter part of the film. It offers great historical background on the characters of Mike and Sulley. You get to know more about the two of them and why they act like they do in Monsters Inc. 

Moreover, certain themes and subject are also present in the movie such as the idea of false hope versus chasing your dreams despite all odds. Would you fight and pursue or give up and find something better? This is probably one of those rare films that tell you to give up something which you're not good at. Majority of the films keep on telling you to just keep on believing in yourself no matter what the people around you say. Idealism vs. Realism.

One of the things I look for in animated films is the character development. There must always be a character development or else there would not be an emotional hook to the audience. Monsters University manages to execute great character development not only in the two protagonists but also in the supporting characters. It deserves a round of applause since it's quite rare for the supporting characters to also undergo development. Now with regards to the emotional hook I mentioned, I find it weird that despite the character development in the film, it lacked the emotional drive present in the previous works of Pixar. It didn't have a single scene where it made me go "Awwwwwwww..." (hope you read this the way I wanted it to sound)

In conclusion, the movie despite some shortcomings is still great and manages to bring out laughs and enjoyment from the audience. Just needed a better way to keep the viewers interested not only in certain parts of the film but as a whole.

Rating: 3/5

P.S.

Before Monsters University started, a Pixar short "The Blue Umbrella" was really cute and entertaining. As a matter of fact, 6 minutes of it gave me more feels than the movie I came for.

Despicable Me 2: Humorous and Stylish

Cute and entertaining for children and adults alike.

In continuation with the first movie, ex-villain Gru (Steve Carell) is now a full-time father to his adoptive daughters Margo, Agnes, and Edith. He is an overly protective father and makes sure that his daughters get the best of things they deserve. He also stopped with his evil schemes and started using his inventions for more creative and harmless ways. Meanwhile, a secret laboratory in the Arctic which contains a biological weapon (no this isn't a zombie flick) is mysteriously stolen. This causes the Anti-Villain League (AVL) to respond and decides that they should get someone who knows how a villain thinks. What a surprise, they choose Gru. Initially refusing, he agrees to take on the job and is partnered with the eccentric AVL agent Lucy (Kristen Wiig).

This movie is actually one of the films I have been waiting for since last year. The first movie was great and it made me so excited yet also doubtful when I first saw the minion teasers. True enough, the movie did not fail. It may not have able to surpass its predecessor but its original and creative in its own way.

One reason why I was also doubtful about this movie before watching it was in regards to what direction are they taking the characters for the sequel. The first film ended with the villain turning into a good guy. That's almost the perfect ending and can make do without a sequel already. So the greatest challenge that this film had was how are they going to develop the characters even further and in what way will they make it work. This time, they chose to bring out the romantic element while still incorporating family values. 

What I really loved about this film is that it really kept me in a good mood from beginning until the end. The punch lines and slapstick were funny and was able to keep the audience, especially the children, entertained. BUT, not all is well. As the movie progresses, there are a few scenes where it can be a little dull and draggy. The sudden jokes and humor of the minions that come out of nowhere will just snap you back into the comedy film that it is. Speaking of minions, though they are cute, I felt that the movie was all about them. The minions have too much airtime that it's worrisome that the main characters might be overshadowed and left forgotten by the viewers the moment the movie ends. In relation to this, another problem that I have with the minions' humor is that they can get a little bit old and recycled as the movie goes on. They might have different scenarios and gags but some of them feel like one joke split into two and placed in both ends of the movie. I also noticed how some of the jokes also want to make the adults laugh. Not exactly innuendos but something that would make the adults laugh in a different way of understanding than that of the children's. 

In terms of the plot of the film, I really like looking at the bigger picture but once you start concentrating on the different parts and segments of the story can be a bit troublesome. If my memory serves me right, the movie can somehow be divided into three parts, each showing different characteristics of Gru. One is being an overly protective father, one being a hopeless romantic, and another one for being the hero. Gru being a hopeless romantic was given more importance in this film. It's basically where the entire movie revolves on as the rest follow. 

The characters in the movie suffered a bit from mediocre character development. Only Gru and Agent Lucy's development was highlighted. The children who used to serve a great role in the first film seemed to have been demoted to a lower position of character importance while the minions on the other hand was uplifted. On the bright side, the I like the additional characters in the film and how each and every one of them has his/her own remarkable traits that can be remembered. 

If there's one thing that I really loved in this movie is its animation and editing. I definitely love the new environments they designed for the film such as the mall and the huge mansion of the villain. There are so much more to see actually; from Gru's gadgets and lair to underwater hideouts and even exploding volcanoes. I loved how they paid great attention to details and managed to capture the beauty of how an animated film should look like. They were able to pull it off and show the viewers that Pixar isn't the only one capable of doing such animated movies.

In conclusion, the film was great and it offered some good laughs. Though it lacks the emotional drive that the first film had, it was good enough for a sequel. If you're looking for some laughs, then this movie might be for you but if you're looking for one of those animated films that are emotionally driven yet still funny, then this might not cut your list. 

Rating: 3/5

Epic: A Movie For Kids at Heart

Blue Sky Studio's latest animated film is sure to bring in not only children but also adults who are kid at hearts as well. Children would most probably enjoy the fantasy animated film while the adults might mostly appreciate the animation. 

Epic is about a young teenage girl named M.K. (short for Mary Katherine) who reluctantly spends time with his estranged father who is obsessed with the existence of tiny creatures in the forest. Things between the two of them don't go smoothly as planned which causes M.K. to try leaving him for good, but that plan doesn't go smoothly either since she soon finds herself in the secret world of the leafmen, protectors of the forest. She must now go on an adventure to save the forest from those who try to destroy it while learning valuable lessons along the way.

One aspect of the film worth praising is its great animation. The design and the intricate details make the movie vibrant and pleasing to the eyes without crossing the point of exaggeration and headaches. The setting of the movie would make your imagination go wild of how much possibilities and adventures can be done in a vast forest despite being very tiny. 

As for the characters, they are actually quite amusing. Each character has his/her own distinct personality that would make them memorable. However, the characterization is not as perfect as it seems. What makes an animated film successful to both children and adults is how well the character develops. A very common factor in animated films is a protagonist who is barely desirable at the start but would develop throughout the film and come out stronger, more memorable and someone that the kids can actually look up to. The protagonist must grow and must be able to inspire his/her viewers, especially the children. Sadly, the film wasn't able to do so. Two of the protagonist in the movie had very fast transition form their old self to their new one. By the end of the movie, it was as if a change did not happen at all. Other supporting characters were no different and suffered the same fate of the mediocre characterization. 

Another miss for the film is the fact that there's too much going on to the point of complexity and plot holes. Not to mention, the fact that you would remind yourself that what you just watched was only a children's movie makes it more frustrating. There are too many ideas floating around that it's a pity that they were ignored and weren't explored further. They should have been better left out or better yet, simplified.

Nonetheless, the film did bring out good laughs from the audience but it could have been funnier. A few lines were a miss but most of them are worth a laugh. The voice acting was well done and mostly believable. There are plenty of famous names who contributed their voice for the movie like Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, and even Beyonce that sometimes, I couldn't take it seriously knowing it's them speaking, but they all did a good job and that's all that matters.

Basically Epic is worth watching but don't expect to be blown away like you would be when watching a Pixar film. If ever they do make a sequel, which I think they will, they should improve on their characters and need to put more inspiration to gain the approval of both children and adults alike.


Rating: 2.5/5