"Monsters, Inc." is fantastic - I doubt you'll see a better animated film this year. As you'd expect from Pixar, it looks absolutely, unbelievably wonderful. So utterly beautiful, in fact, that I fear traditional cell animation may have had its day - and I consider myself a huge fan of that art form.
Here John Goodman and Billy Crystal spark off each other beautifully and it's thanks to their vocal talents that the lead monsters are as likable a cinematic double-act as we've seen since Butch and Sundance. In fact, I'd rather like Billy Crystal to voice animated characters in ALL his movies from now on, as it would be preferable to watching him act.
The script is funny, and the storyline comfortably entertaining enough to sustain for the 90 minutes, and - parents take note - there are enough in-jokes to keep grown-ups amused while the kids and I laugh at the slapstick.
To be picky, I don't think it quite has the genuine magic, or the ability to move you, which distinguished the "Toy Story" films. Unlike those earlier Pixar efforts, I doubt "Monsters, Inc." will keep making people's top 10 lists for years to come, but this year I certainly expect to see it on quite a few, and it'll be fascinating to see how it fares against "Shrek" in the battle for the first ever Oscar for animated feature film.
