Crystal, Goodman in monster form

"Monsters, Inc.," the latest film produced through the team-up of Disney and Pixar Animation Studios (the others being the "Toy Story" films and "A Bug's Life") was one of the most pleasant cinematic surprises of last year. I was initially turned off by the prospect of seeing some ham-fisted kid's flick, contrary to my deep like for the original "Toy Story." I was surprised that the film was not only both side-splittingly funny and very touching at times, but also just as geared towards adults as it was to children. Those of you who shared a similar viewpoint should seek out "Monsters, Inc." now that it's available in a beautifully produced two-DVD set.\nJohn Goodman and Billy Crystal voice the film's protagonists, the lovable galoot James P. Sullivan (Sulley) and his smart-alecky cyclops of a best pal, Mike Wazowski. Both work at Monsters, Inc., Sulley as the company's top "scarer" and Mike as his faithful assistant. All is going well for the two monsters. That is until their overly competitive co-worker Randall (voiced by the irreplaceable Steve Buscemi) unleashes a precious little girl (later dubbed Boo by Sulley) into Monstropolis, while cheating his way towards Sulley's scare record. \nThe computer animation and sound mix are beautifully captured in this stunning THX-certified transfer of the film. This two-disc set also has a bevy of extras that will impress even the most avid of DVD collectors. There are a few shorts included in the set: "For the Birds," which was screened with the film on release and later went on to win the 2001 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and "Mike's New Car," which is a charming extension of "Monsters, Inc." that features the voices of both Goodman and Crystal. Many of the special features are divided into two separate sections -- the Human World and the Monster World. Both are chock full of supplemental materials too numerous to list here, but contain standards such as deleted scenes, commentary and art galleries, among many, many others.\n"Monsters, Inc." is a saccharine-sweet film that should speak to the inner child within. It's the best animated film of 2001 (yes, even more than the expertly crafted, "Shrek"), and as such, it's more than worth a look or even a purchase on DVD.