There have been some fantastic animation movies this year, but Monsters University is the one that I enjoyed the most.
We are now nearing the end of our search for the Best Movie of 2013, and the latest offering from Pixar is in at number four.
It was back in 2002 that we were introduced to the characters of Mike Wazowski and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan for the first time - over a decade later they returned.
However, director Dan Scanlon took us back to their university days when they were not the best of buddies.
I have to say, I was pretty nervous when it was announced that a sequel to Monsters Inc. was being made, as I am such a huge fan of the first.
So many Pixar movies have come since Monsters Inc.’s release and yet it remains my favourite.
However, with Scanlon in the director's chair, these characters were in safe hands as he really did recapture the magic that made the first film so fantastic.
It is a very brave thing to go backwards and introduce us to new versions of characters that we have already fallen in love with - a risk that really did pay off.
Mike and Sulley are as great a duo as ever, as they still make a fantastic comic team even if they are at each other’s throats.
Billy Crystal and John Goodman are on top form as they bring these characters to life once again. You can really tell that they are having a ball with these roles, as their enthusiasm just pours through with every word that they utter.
Monsters University is about dreams and ambitions, and how you may not always get what you had hoped for. It is also about the power of friendship - we see the seed of the Mike & Sulley partnership well and truly being sown.
Monsters University is not a movie that treads over old ground - which makes a nice change - however, it does give little nods to the first film.
Throw on top of all that the fact that the movie also looks fantastic and you really are on to a winner.
It may not pack the emotional punch of the likes of Up or Toy Story, but Monsters University is hilarious, charming and a whole lot of fun.
Monsters University is the movie that I hoped that it would be, and fans of the first film will not be disappointed.
Tagged in Monsters University