'Monsters' flick a screaming good time

As I left "Monsters, Inc." -- the new computer animated film from Disney/Pixar -- I felt privileged that I had been able to watch it. In fact, that feeling began even before the film started, as I watched with delight the animated short that preceded it. As that film ended and the feature began, I could feel a collective smile growing in the theater. \nWe all know that monsters have been living in children's closets for years and years, scaring the daylights out of them during the night. But what we didn't know was that the monsters are just doing their job to help their town, Monstropolis. We also didn't know that monsters are more scared of us than we are of them, because direct physical contact with human children is deadly. \nChildren's screams provide the town with fuel, so scaring kids is a very important job. But the job is tough, and lately kids have been getting harder to scare. Sully (John Goodman), a kind-hearted monster-of-the-people, is the best scarer Monstropolis has ever had. Along with his crew chief and best friend Mikey (Billy Crystal), Sully is on pace to break the all-time scare record. Late one night, when Sully goes to investigate an open closet door on the scare floor, the unthinkable happens: the young girl (Mary Gibbs) who lives there wanders through her closet and into Monstropolis. \nMonsters everywhere hear about this child -- although authorities will neither confirm nor deny the alleged human -- and there is widespread panic. It turns out that humans and monsters are very much alike. Sully and Mikey have her and unwanted contact leads them to believe she is not toxic. \nMuch of the film revolves around the relationship between Sully and Boo (Sully names the child that because of her scare abilities). The chemistry between these two characters is wonderful. \nWith technology today, many movies have great special effects, but the story has to be good for the movie to succeed. Here, like "Toy Story," the audience forgets about the computer animation and becomes enthralled in the story. The film is funny, emotional and surprisingly honest and true to life for a movie about monsters. \nThe filmmakers constantly bring new surprises to the screen without ever seeming showy: everything fits. It very well could become the first full-length animated feature to be nominated for Best Picture since 1992's "Beauty and the Beast"