Mom and tot review: 'Monsters, Inc' on Blu-ray for the first time today (11/10/09)

November 10, 7:41 AMEarly Childhood Parenting ExaminerAngele Sionna

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Sulley and Mike are back and better looking than ever before - thanks to the brand new release today (11/10/09) of Monsters, Inc on Blu-ray. (Mike would be so proud!)

Monsters, Inc is my all-time favorite animated movie, even before I had kids. So it's not shocking that my daughters (3.5 and 2 years old) also adore it. We were all excited for its new release on Blu-ray for the first time. And it does not disappoint.

It feels like we're watching it in the theater with its high def visuals and sound. In this quality, it looks like you could reach up and pet Sulley's fur. His hair looks so real and course. And Mr Waternoose looks like he needs to brush his teeth. With this Blu-ray version you notice details you've never seen before no matter how many times you've seen it, adding to the enjoyment for myself and my kids (who are now back on a Monsters, Inc kick)! This new version has recaptivated my daughters. They watched and laughed like watching it for the first time, pointing out things to me in the movie that they thought particularly amusing, especially my 3.5 year old.

For those of you not familiar with Monsters, Inc it comes from animated genius Pete Docter (and others) who is also one of the folks behind WALL-E, Up, Toy Story and Toy Story 2. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film (but lost out that year to Shrek).

It is the story of two of the most lovable monsters you'll ever meet - Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sulley (John Goodman). They work at the power plant in the monster world, which gets its power from bottling up the screams of kids when monsters come out of closets at night. The story gets going when a little girl gets into the monster world and sends everyone into a panic because, after all, monsters think humans are scary. Though that description may sound kinda scary, it is anything but (see the trailer below to get a good idea of what to expect). In fact, I recommend this movie all the time to people who have little ones convinced monsters are in their rooms at night. Because in the end, the monsters turn to laughs not screams, which is reassuring to kids. The movie teaches some good lessons on friendship as well.

Here's a look at some of the all new Blu-ray bonus features:

• Filmmakers roundtable- Filmmakers Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Darla Anderson, and Bob Peterson reflect on the creation of the film, and share their most memorable anecdotes.
• Monsters Inc Ride and Go Seek- A look at the newest Monsters attraction in Tokyo Disneyland, with exclusive interviews of the artists and engineers behind the ride. (Makes me even more excited to go to Disneyland this year and ride the Monster's Inc ride there.)
• Roz's 100 Door Challenge interactive game-Think you have what it takes to be a Monsters, Inc. employee? Roz will be the judge of that with her 100 Door Challenge. Deal with whatever is behind each new door. It could be a puzzle, a trivia question, a mini-game.

Plus original DVD Bonus features:

• Academy Award nominated short film “Mike’s New Car“ (With Audio Commentary By Directors)
• Academy Award winning short film “For the Birds” (With Audio Commentary By Director)
• Banished Concepts
• Storyboard To Film Comparison
• Monster file
• Animation Gag Reel 1: Sulley/Boo/Waternoose
• Animation Gag Reel 2: Giraffe Gag
• Animation Gag Reel 3: Sulley Bowling Boo
   

 Here's the trailer:

And here's a special look at some of the bonus features included on the Blu-ray:

A look at the roundtable discussion

On the Job (Film clip described in “Roundtable Favorite Scene”)

Featurette: Tokyo Monstropolois (Bonus)

 All images and video clips courtesy Disney/Pixar and used with permission.

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• Read all my DVD and movie reviews HERE