I loved it! I didn't even like the original because it was too slow and emotional. This had big laughs, fast pace and emotion without feeling boring. The energy and tone was what I thought the original would be. I wasn't expecting the first to be so slow and serious.

The question you have to ask yourself is "did we need a prequel to 'Monsters Inc'?". In my opinion no, but here we are anyway. Detailing how Mike and Sully met at university, they participate in the "Scare Games" in order to be taken forward in the "Scare Program". Not all is plain sailing though, Mike wishes to be a "Scarer" but ultimately is too cute for the job. It's a story about proving people wrong, proving yourself right and coming to terms with the realisation that dreams may not be necessarily fulfilled. Let's start with the good. John Goodman and Billy Crystal reprise their unique voice acting roles again, they are simply irreplaceable. The animation was vibrant, colourful and included a glossy aftereffect to enhance the youth of our characters. The story was engaging, although slightly unfocused, and moves along at a consistent pace. The inclusion of past characters will put a smile on faces albeit felt occasionally forced for the sake of fan service to the original. There is one scene that blew me away and that was the conversation between Mike and Sully in the human world by the lake. Monochrome filter, moody atmosphere, tense discussion...I felt it. The overwhelming realisation that Mike isn't scary, the script could've milked that scene into melodrama but instead it was kept light yet powerful. Maybe it's just me, I like me a good dark scene in a child-friendly animation. The problem with this film lies with its characters. What made 'Monsters Inc' so captivating was the dialogue between just two characters. In this we have far too many supporting monsters thrown into the fray which blurs the focus from Mike and Sully, the latter being sidelined to a supporting role. This story is purely focused on Mike, personally I think that was the wrong decision. It should've been balanced. There really was no antagonist, any threat or danger levels were completely omitted. It's a fine prequel, just feels unnecessary.

Monstres Academy (2013) The first "Monsters Inc." had an exciting premise both on a visual and story level, it created a parallel universe with monsters of various forms, designs, sizes and bodies: Mike Wazowsky (Billy Crystal) looked like an alien, James Sullivan (John Goodman) was a conventional grizzly-looking monster and then there were animal-like creatures like Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi). The most 'fun' aspect of these monsters was less their differences than their similarities with us humans. So we had to see it to believe they were monsters and then came the whole plot centers on the Monsters, Inc., the door system and the encounter with a little girl named Boo. You know the story.The plot was simple although not devoid of a few contrivances here and there, but the charm lied in the simple things, in the sweet relationship between Sulley and Boo, something that felt like an early version of "Masha and the Bear" and the friendship between Sulley and Mike, served by great vocal performances from Goodman and Crystal. The ending where they realized they could obtain the same energy power by making kids laugh instead of screaming was a nice resolution that only left as a cliffhanger the slight possibility or visiting Boo again, but that's not the approach the sequel took. "Monster University" as its title indicates is a prequel to all the aforementioned events and answering to the questions that kept our mouth salivating for 16 years: how did the two monsters get their jobs? How did they become friends?There's a bit of sarcasm in my introduction but it's not mean to diminish the merit of the film, which can be summed up as great entertainment with a wonderful gallery of colorful and colored characters once again, driven by a plot so rich it's a real credit to the intellectual dedication of the screenwriters. This is perhaps its greatest blessing and its greatest curse. At first, I was just thrilled to see little Mike being too funny-looking and enthusiastic for his own good, we all know Disney movies have always been about believing in your dreams, but when our little green Cyclopes says "I want to be a scarer", not only we don't take him seriously but we know he won't succeed, because we saw the first film.So we know it's not exactly the destination that will matter but the journey. I liked the journey but I didn't expect it to be so technical? So we follow Mike as a first-year student in the university, discovering his roommate Randall Boggs, following the scare program, having his first course in the amphitheater and undergoing the mockeries of more credible monsters and the popularity of Sullivan who belongs to a prestigious family of scarers, not to mention the no-nonsense authority of Dean Handscrabble, voiced by Helen Mirren. I could relate to Mike and the film is perhaps the first animated feature to realistically portray the universe of universities. It also had its share of action and it carries that "underdog"' team aspect with the Oozma Kappa misfits and Mike being perfect in theory but not scary enough while Sulley relying on his looks like the hare on his fast legs. Still, I was surprised by the attention given to the contest, the graduation, being expelled or admitted. I liked the film but I wonder whether the script shouldn't have taken a much simpler and less convoluted path.The plot is well-written but a tad over-written, even if we accept that this is a universe that is exactly like ours (though it doesn't play with the same rules), it's just too grounded on a bureaucratic and institutional reality, too real for its own good. And it just takes for granted that because it's monsters, we'll get more excited by its series of twists and revelations. There are some great moments but they're lost in a double-character's arc that doesn't inspire much escapism or dream-like animation, something that really wows you at the end, it's fun, it's a nice buddy movie but maybe we got too blasé when it comes to animated pictures and it takes some really inventive material to blow you away. Grade 7, I guess it passes the test but it's one of these Pixar movies I wouldn't want to see again and again.

I may be a little harsh on MU, but I have two major issues which bucked me after watching it. More on them later, let us start with the good stuff. MU took our favourite monsters, Sully and Mike, and added so much to them as characters. It was a pleasure watching them and their interactions at MU. Even Randall has had a different relation to them in their past. The general idea is interesting enough. At the same time, we are acquainted with new and well executed characters. Everything is well done so far. My two problems with MU are as follows: Firstly, when Mike and Sully's team enters the competition to prove themselves worthy of being at MU, we only get to see a couple of the challenges. The rest is just quickly showing us the crossing of finish lines or something. I would have liked to see more of that competion! The story was very rushed at that moment.Secondly, the climax when they accidentally get into the human world felt like it was just squeezed in. That just how it felt to me, a little unnecessary filler. And if adult screams are more effective than child screams, why weren't they using them in Monsters Inc.?I would be eternally grateful if Pixar some time in the future will make and actual sequel to Monsters Inc. The ending of Monsters Inc. made obvious to begin working on a sequel. Perhaps something with Boo being a teenager and meeting Sully and Mike again? Or something with Boo having children being scared by monsters? It would be great! But back to MU. It is an enjoyable watch, I just have a few problems which bug me.