feeling listless

Film Monsters Inc is an exceedingly frustrating film. Technically, as you’d expect from PIXAR it’s superb – it’s distinctly unnerving to see fur looking so realistic. But on this occasion things feel slightly forced. There always seemed to a breezy effortlessness to the Toy Story films. The effects flourishes were there but somehow subservient to a story with some depth, with layers, which work for adults and children – and an unpredictability which meant we genuinely didn’t know how each story would end (did any really suspect Stinky Pete?). Here the story is too linear. We know from the minute Boo enters the Monsters world that she’s eventually melt the hearts of all around. More than ever this feels like a Disney film – if this had been Toy Story, the film would have ended with little really changed – instead we have the requisite happy ending.

More fatally perhaps we don’t really get to know this world. Like Shrek, a potentially fascinating world is partially introduced and then almost forgotten about. How did this place come into being? Why are all the Monsters different? Interspecies romance – how does that work really? (and I only bring it up because they do) In something which is otherwise seemingly complex the over simplification of the basic elements creates a hollow feeling. So as something which is y’know for kids – it’s great. But I suppose looking at the other films I was expecting something more.