Monsters, Inc. scares its way to the top

Remember when you were little and falling asleep in your dark bedroom could be pure agony as you anticipated the arrival of the barrage of monsters from the shadowy recesses in the corners, under your bed, and of course, out of your closet? Somehow your parents never saw them, but you knew they were there and you knew they were scary. What you perhaps did not know was that the monsters were only doing their job.

Welcome to Monstropolis, the setting for Disney/Pixar's newest computer-animated production, Monsters, Inc.

The monsters in Monstropolis come in all shapes, sizes and textures but share a common goal: to collect the screams of human children, the main power source in the monster world. At Monsters, Inc., the largest scream-processing factory in Monstropolis, an elite team of Scarers is responsible for gathering those precious screams. Unfortunately for the monsters, their job has become increasingly hard. First, the Scarers are scared of the "scarees," - i.e. the monsters believe that human children are toxic and direct contact with them is forbidden. Also, thanks to video games and television, monsters have lost some of their shock value, leaving many children unaffected by their nighttime visits.

The film follows the hilarious misadventures of master Scarer James "Sulley" Sullivan, an eight-foot tall teddy bear with blue hair, purple spots, and a terrifying roar, and his best friend, roommate, and co-worker Mike Wazowski, a feisty, one-eyed, green ball of a monster. The two accidentally become entwined in the chameleon-like slime ball Randall's plot to out-scare Sulley when the latter accidentally brings a human child back to Monstropolis. The adorable, vivacious little girl, whom Sulley calls Boo, is blissfully unaware of the potential danger she has stumbled into. At first, she terrifies Sulley and Mike, but they slowly develop a bond with the child which will compel them into courageous action to return her safely to her home.

Directed by Pete Docter, who was on the team for the previous blockbuster, Toy Story, Monsters Inc. is the fourth, and perhaps greatest, Disney/Pixar success in computer animation. Like its predecessors, Monsters, Inc. is a visual masterpiece. The film represents the studio's most advanced and sophisticated use of computer animation technology to date, as it required 2.5 million rendermarks (a measure of computing power) compared to the nearly 1.1 million used on Toy Story 2.

Among its many impressive technical achievements is the breakthrough depiction of fur and hair, which has the shadowing, density, lighting, and movement consistent with the real thing. This is easily appreciated via Sulley's feathery fur that includes nearly 3 million individual hairs (http://www.monstersinc.com) The scene where snow is blowing through his coat is particularly impressive.

The voices behind the characters are also well done. John Goodman brings Sulley to life with a warm and gentle yet manly tone appropriate to his character. As Mike, Billy Crystal is a bit too loud and abrasive at times, but he does succeed in emphasizing the garrulous nature of the green dot. Mary Gibbs has an easy role as Boo, mostly babbling in cute, gurgling coos. As Mike's girlfriend Celia, Jennifer Tilly delivers a top-notch performance in a breathy receptionist voice. Other actors include Steve Buscemi as the bad guy, Randall, James Coburn as Waternoose, the CEO of Monsters Inc., and Bob Peterson as the grouchy Dispatch Manager, Roz.

The movie is genuinely funny, with a plethora of hilarious site gags that appeal to all ages. Parents and big kids can appreciate the higher-level double entendres, while young children will love the goofy monsters. Most of the movie is not scary, and it may in fact help a few kids overcome their fear of things that go bump in the night. Monsters, Inc. teaches us all about the power of laughter in a comedy that the whole family can enjoy.