A big, hairy deal: 'Monsters, Inc.' is an animation wonder that promises to scare up shrieks of joy
Fear has become the great American emotion, hanging unseen in the air like so many odorless, colorless toxins. Its omnipresence alone is enough to make "Monsters, Inc." clean up at the box office. Thinking about something as quaint and time-honored as monsters in the closet is downright comforting at a time like this.
"Monsters, Inc." takes things that go bump in the night and transforms them into cuddly pals, without ever seeming cloying. And that's the real magic of Pixar's fourth computer-generated 'toon, yet another winner.
The word "sweet" immediately comes to mind as soon as the end credits inch up the screen, a sweetness that both "Toy Story" movies almost achieved, but not as completely as "Monsters" does.
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"Toy Story" enticed with visuals and a great script; "Toy Story 2" appealed to adults with more solemn themes of loneliness as the playthings lamented the eventual rejection that comes with age. "Monsters" returns to brighter sentiments while making its characters warm and almost human. You'd have to be a brittle buzzard not to melt into moon-eyed sighs at the loving friendship that grows between main monster James P. Sullivan, or Sulley (voiced by John Goodman), and Boo (Mary Gibbs), the tiny girl who tumbles into his life and immediately dubs the 8-foot-tall, 800-pound monster "Kitty."
"Monsters, Inc." marks the animated feature debut of Pete Docter, who worked closely with director John Lasseter on "Toy Story" and continues examining secret childhood beliefs in the vein of that series. Sure, the "bogeyman in the bedroom" theme's been done before, but never this well.
Sulley, a furry cross between an overgrown blue bear and a purple polka-dotted yak, lives with his monocular best friend Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) in Monstropolis in a Brooklyn-ish brownstone. The resemblance of their workaday lives to our own makes Monstropolis' odd denizens familiar to all ages, from the tentacled grocer (or is it grosser?) who serves up blood oranges at the corner market to Mike's serpent-haired girlfriend Celia (Jennifer Tilly).
Monstropolis draws its power from children's screams, processed by Mike and Sulley's employer, Monsters, Incorporated. In the vast warehouse factory, monsters collect the screams by entering our world through closet doors, waking kids in their beds and dosing out a good scare. Kids shriek in horror, Monsters, Inc. fills canisters, everyone's happy — particularly Sulley, the company's top scarer.
Problem is, with kids becoming more jaded to images of violence on television, it's harder to frighten them, resulting in a scream shortage. Pressure to perform and competition from their scheming nemesis Randall (Steve Buscemi) keep Mike and Sulley on their toes.
Trouble at the office is compounded when Sulley stumbles upon a door cracked open after quitting time — a no-no for a number of reasons, foremost being that a child could stumble in. Any part of the human universe leaked into the monster world merits the "Silkwood" decontamination treatment. Thus when Sulley discovers Boo, his first instinct is to run. But the tiny girl's overpowering cuteness wins him over and, with Mike's reluctant help, he struggles to keep the playful toddler safely hidden until he can return her to her bed.
Top-shelf animation techniques make Boo giggle, frown and throw tantrums terrible as any 3-year-old. Sulley is even more of an animation wonder; his millions of hairs move realistically with the wind and Boo's hugs. Throw in Goodman's kindly good-guy voice, and it's no surprise that the tot's first impulse upon meeting him is to want to pin him down in a big hug.
Mike's most dazzling special effect is Crystal's unrivaled comedic presence, which Docter exploited to the utmost, allowing Crystal to improvise and punch up dialogue before animating his character.
"Monsters, Inc." may prove to be one of the best animated films ever made, a marvelous combination of lollipop visuals, brilliant screenwriting, sharp comedic timing and, above all, overflowing amounts of heart. The final moment delivers a deep satisfaction, leaving you with a profoundly delighted glow that stays with you for hours and days afterward. Given the nervous doldrums we're wallowing in at the moment, that feeling alone is worth the price of admission.
Name: James P. Sullivan.
Nickname: Sulley.
Voiced by: John Goodman.
Distinguishing features: 8 feet tall; horns; covered in blue hair and purple spots.
M.O.: Though Sulley's the top scarer at Monsters, Inc., he's really just a big pussycat.
Name: Mike Wazowski.
Nickname: Same, except screamed at top volume.
Voiced by: Billy Crystal.
Distinguishing features: Short in stature; lime green; one large eye. Contact wearer.
M.O.: Sulley's scare assistant and best friend Mike is the voice of reason and encouragement.
Name: Randall Boggs.
Nickname: None.
Voiced by: Steve Buscemi.
Distinguishing features: Multiple legs good for slithering.
M.O.: The No. 2 scarer has a poisonous competitive spirit that keeps Sulley and Mike on their toes.
Name: Unknown.
Nickname: Boo.
Voiced by: Mary Gibbs, 5-year-old daughter of a Pixar story artist.
Distinguishing features: Energetic laugh; big curious eyes; irresistible cuteness.
M.O.: Boo stumbled into the monster world thanks to a mistake committed by her personal scary monster, Randall. But she's got Sulley and Mike looking out for her.
Melanie McFarland can be reached at mmcfarland@seattletimes.com.