4. It Has Something For Kids And Adults
It makes sense that an animated film would be enjoyable for the whole family. After all, little kids aren't going to drive to the theater by themselves. Pixar understood this early on and have been very good at putting something in their films for the older crowd as well. Perhaps the smartest element behind
Monsters University was that Pixar set the prequel in a college. The people of my generation, who were children when the first one came out, are now either in college or recently out of school. It helped make the story that much better for someone like me because it was fun to see a monster spin on the usual college elements. There's fraternity/sorority parties, academic pressures, athletic rivalries, difficulties adjusting to dorm life, and other things that older moviegoers should be able to relate to or find funny. This is what makes Pixar films so rewatchable. Unlike
Cars 2, which was heavily criticized for being aimed squarely at the youngsters,
Monsters University makes sure there's something for everyone. Even some of the jokes can succeed from both viewpoints. Take for example, the Oozma Kappa initiation scene where poor Squishy is trying to be serious towards his new fraternity brothers. His sweet mother comes down to do the laundry (the fraternity house is Squishy's own home) and starts doing a little dance in the background. For kids, this is funny because the monster is doing a silly dance. For someone in my generation, this is a worst fear fully realized; being embarrassed in front of your friends. Little touches like this are scattered throughout the film and were greatly appreciated. Kids will be able to get some strong lessons about teamwork, being acceptive of others, and believing in yourself and there are some serious character moments for the older audience (more on those later) that help make the film high quality family entertainment.