Pixar has been at the top of the animation genre for years. Ever since
Toy Story revolutionized moviemaking in 1995, the studio has been a powerhouse for delivering technically superb, well-written stories that people of all ages can enjoy. Their filmography includes modern classics like
The Incredibles,
Up,
WALL-E,
Toy Story 3, and
Monsters, Inc. As I wrote in
this article, Pixar's immortal track record suffered some rough spots in the last two years.
Cars 2 was viewed as the studio's first real disappointment (it also is one of Pixar's lowest grossing films at the box office) and 2012's
Brave - despite winning the Best Animated Film Oscar - was seen by many as second-rate Pixar. Looking for a bounce-back year, the animation studio returned to the world of one of their most beloved entries in the prequel
Monsters University. Showing how Mike and Sulley became friends, Pixar hoped that nostalgia (a la
Toy Story 3) and good old-fashioned storytelling (most of their other films) would combine to give them their best film in three years. As a huge fan of the original, I was very much looking forward to
Monsters University. I have long wanted to return to Monstropolis and enjoy another adventure with this cast of characters. Having seen the film, I'm happy to say that
Monsters University is a solid return to form for Pixar. It's not as great as their earlier movies, but it's still very enjoyable. Here are five reasons why...
WARNING: MONSTERS UNIVERSITY SPOILERS FOLLOW Click "Next" to begin.