Parents' Guide to

Monsters University

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Monsters Inc. prequel is a fun college comedy for all ages.

Movie G 2013 110 minutes
Monsters University Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 6+

Based on 46 parent reviews

age 5+

Good!

I think this was a great movie! The characters are funny and sweet, even one of the villains at first. I saw this movie a long time ago and freaked out when I saw the fake kids but other than that it’s good. I recommend it. Everyone is freaking out about kissing but no one cares about Anna kissing Kristoff in Frozen, which is weird. Very dumb. My dad said it was a perfect movie and I agree. Good job, Pixar!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
age 5+

Monsters University Movie Review By Logan Strohl

Why it may not live up to the first movie. Monsters University still works really well as a prequel to the first movie. With a amazing cast and score familes and pixar fans will enjoyed this one for sure.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (46 ):
Kids say (132 ):

The Pixar crew has lovingly refashioned the R-rated fraternity comedy into a G-rated adventure that kindergarteners, frat brothers, and tired parents can all enjoy equally and without reservation. Monsters University is a clever mix. It draws from the best (and cleanest) of college comedies like Revenge of the Nerds, Animal House, Old School, and basically any movie in which a band of misfits rallies together and emerges victorious against all odds. As in Revenge, Monsters' much-ridiculed OK fraternity includes a hilarious group of misfits: mama's boy Squishy (Peter Sohn), two-headed Terry (Dave Foley) and Terri (Sean Hayes), mustachioed "mature" student Don (Joel Murray), and U-limbed Art (Charlie Day). Each is adorably memorable for their earnest enthusiasm and their complete lack of guile (although Art is, surprisingly, an ex-con).

The story arc is simple and formulaic, but that's fine. Most movies are derivative, so it's just a matter of how well the filmmakers put their own spin on a tried and true story. Pixar purists may quibble that the studio is becoming more mainstream and losing its artistic edge. But that doesn't mean that Monsters University isn't a beautifully animated comedy filled with nuanced jokes and perfect characterization. Watching Mike and Sulley go from frenemies to friends isn't a revolutionary as watching them save Boo, but Pixar still deserves an A for making audiences laugh and love these characters all over again.

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