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Master scream-maker James "Sulley" Sullivan (John Goodman) and his wisecracking best friend Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top dogs at Monsters, Inc., Monstropolis's sole source of "scream power." With clockwork-like precision, monsters work around the clock on the "scare floor," popping into children's bedrooms the world over and "capturing" their screams. Voila! Instant energy! It's all innocuous, of course (no actual children were harmed during the making of this movie), but what would happen if a child were to sneak into this monster world? Thanks to a nefarious scheme by Sulley's archenemy Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi), Sulley and Mike are about to find out, and Monstropolis will never be the same...

Even Disney has had their share of hits and misses, but with Monsters, Inc., Pixar is batting four for four. Utterly cute, charming and clever, modern animation doesn't get any better than this. Some found the story a bit too kiddie-friendly compared to the more adult humor on display in the Toy Story films, but it worked for me just fine. Both Sulley and Mike are immediately lovable, and just as funny are Mike's long-suffering girlfriend Celia (a perfectly cast Jennifer Tilly) and the Nurse Ratchet-esque "dispatch manager" Roz (voiced adroitly by Pixar's own Bob Petersen). Admittedly I have to agree with some of the criticisms leveled at the only human character, little Boo (well voiced by Mary Gibbs), who ends up being the film's weakest link. She does nothing but react and play the precocious kid role, but there are so many other colorful, inspired creations stuffed into every frame of Monsters, Inc., that it's hard to care.

Perhaps that is where the real power of Pixar ultimately comes from. Never content with just a great story and inspired characters (as if that wouldn't be enough), their talented team of filmmakers and voice talent seem to always find effortless ways to lift every scene to the next level. Whether it's a clever sight gag or seemingly throwaway visual details, it is more than just great writing, animation, direction and visual spectacle. Whatever it is that Pixar seems to have caught in a bottle, the only word to describe it is "magic."

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Unlike the myriad of Toy Story and Bug's Life DVD editions available, Disney and Pixar have streamlined the Monsters, Inc., assault, offering but one single release with all the extras and both 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and full screen versions included on the same disc. THX-certified, both of these transfers are another pair of winners. Created entirely in the digital realm, Monster's, Inc. boasts pure digital-to-digital transfers; sourced from the original masters (the full screen version has also been significantly recomposed for home viewing) the film-to-video step has been eliminated, resulting in an amazing clear and vivid presentation free of any film-related defects.

Absent is any grain, faded blacks or other chemical anomalies to distract. Colors are vibrant, sparkling, beautiful. In fact, they are so striking I kept squinting to try and catch even a hint of error, but I was out of luck. As you would expect, detail is quite striking and three-dimensional, with excellent sharpness and shadow detail throughout. I also noticed no edge enhancement (why would there be?) and even with two versions of the film on one DVD, no compression artifacts.

However, I do have one caveat with this release, and that is with only one disc for both aspect ratios, space is limited and bit rates slashed, thereby reducing (possibly) overall resolution and detail. I popped in my Ultimate Toy Box set, and indeed those transfers appear to be the slightest bit sharper and more detailed. Certainly, this is a sparkling presentation with little room for complaint, but I'm not sure if it matches either Toy Story or A Bug's Life as demo material. But no matter...this is still another Pixar-perfect presentation.

Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

Presented in Dolby Digital Surround EX, the highlight of this soundtrack is definitely the wonderful sound design by Oscar winner Gary Rydstrom and his team of talented engineers at Skywalker Sound. One of the most exciting aspects of any Pixar production is not just what new visual wonders they're going to dazzle us with next, but how clever and creative the sound designers have to be to make these worlds really come to life. Since nothing in an animated film can be recorded live "on the set," it all has to be created from scratch. I'm sure is a painstaking ordeal, but tremendously exciting for anyone who loves the art of movie magic.

As you would expect, this is a first-class mix, with excellent dynamic range across the entire spectrum. Even the subtlest sounds display excellent depth and detail. Rydstrom knows how to craft a 360- degree mix, with terrific deployment of key effects throughout the entire soundfield (and enhanced by EX decoding for those so equipped.) The dialogue is very important throughout Monsters, Inc., perhaps more so than even Toy Story or A Bug's Life, and the effects and Randy Newman's score are perfectly balanced. Surround use is aggressive but not overpowering, with a nice use of discrete rear effects and excellent transparency across all channels. The .1 LFE is also nice and supple, with the mix reproducing the lowest octaves nice and cleanly. Too bad there is no DTS option, but this is another topflight presentation that leaves no room for complaints.

As a testament to Rydstrom and his team's talents, a separate 5.1 Dolby Surround EX effects-only track has also been included (accessible on the widescreen version of the film only.) Admittedly, a little bit of this goes a long way. It's great that it is included, and will certainly be of interest to those contemplating a career in film sound, but most casual viewers will likely want to skip it.

Also included are English subtitles and English Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

They're back with another feature-packed special edition! When it comes to extras, Pixar, Disney and the team at Kurtti/Pellerin long ago raised the bar, so any release following such trendsetters as Toy Story and A Bug's Life has its work cut out for it. I'll probably sound like a spoilsport - and make no mistake, this is a great set - but Monsters, Inc., doesn't really break any new ground. It's got the same basic features and format as what has come before, not that there is anything wrong with that. But while those new to DVD or a Pixar release will likely be blown away, those who already own any of those previous releases will likely enjoy what they get but find little that's truly new.

But let's start with disc one, which in addition to the isolated effects track, also includes a new screen- specific audio commentary by director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, executive producer John Lasseter, and screenwriter Andrew Stanton. (This commentary is accessible only via the widescreen version of the film.) Just like their previous tracks, this is a fun, boisterous commentary, but one that never sacrifices knowledge for entertainment, or vice versa. And the Pixar gang always makes everything they do seem effortless: I imagined they are quite well- prepared and have a good idea of what they are going to talk about beforehand, but yet it totally feels improvised. They even make a phone call to a surprise guest to figure out a lost plot point, and listen for that chimp playing obviously in the background near the end. Kids may be bored with this (does anyone under the age of 12 even listen to commentaries?), but if you're at all a fan of the film, it is well worth the investment.

Most unique about Monsters, Inc., are the dual menu options on disc two, for the "Human World" and "Monster World." More than just alternate menu styles, both of these sub-worlds offer different sets of supplements, the "Monster World" more geared towards the kids and the casual viewer, while the "Human World" will likely appeal most to the animation buff. While "Monster World" is a bit slimmer in terms of overall extras, it's more appealing in terms of pure fun. Three options are available via both the main menu and inside "Monster World." A real highlight is the all-new animated short film Mike's New Car, a totally charming 5-minute quickie about, well, Mike's new car. Needless to say, all doesn't go as planned! More fun includes another Pixar short (and the 2002 Academy Award winner for Best Animated Short) For the Birds, seen in some theatrical showings, and a set of Outtakes (these outtakes are not tacked onto the end of the film, but only available as a supplement.)

Inside "Monster World," we have three sections: "New Monster Adventures," "Behind the Screams," and "Orientation." All feature lots of cute little vignettes, and maybe a secret surprise or two? Favorites include the Orientation quickies, including "Welcome to Monsters, Inc.," "Your First Day at Monsters, Inc., Orientation Film," and some "History of Monster World' pencil animation drawings that inspired the film. You'll also find a surprisingly clever and detailed fake "Employee handbook" with guidelines on how to be a better employee, a "Monster of the Month" gallery, and "Scarer Cards," cute little narrated trading cards for nearly 20 characters in the film.

In Behind the Screams, you'll find the same Outtakes from the main menu, the cute TV broadcasts (2:33) as seen in the film but here shown in their entirety, and the fake Company Play Program alluded to but never seen in the movie. (The actual play itself, also not seen in the film, can be found on the disc if you search hard enough...)

Finally, New Monster Adventures includes Mike's New Car, a little over a minute of cut Monster TV Treats spots, the "If I Didn't have You" music video presented in anamorphic widescreen and 5.1, and some hysterical "Ponkickies 21,' Pixar-created animations exclusively for the popular Japanese television show "Ponkickies 21." Very weird, very surreal, very trippy! Also included in "New Monster Adventures" are the Boo's Peek-A-Boo game and Disney Storytime read-along (see ROM features below.)

Moving on to the "Human World," here is the stuff from the grown- ups, a detailed, often interactive tour of Pixar and the creation of Monsters, Inc. Pop through the door and you're confronted by multiple access options and seven areas: "Pixar," "Story," "Monster Files," "Design," "Animation," "Music and Sound," and "Release." Each section includes a short 1-3 minute intro with the Pixar gang - including John Lasseter, directors Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich, producers Darla Anderson and Andrew Stanton, and more - and if you select Production Tour off the main "Human World" menu, you can watch the 20-odd minutes worth of intros strung together. Almost a Pixar recruiting film, watch these guys have way too much building giant paper airplanes, skateboarding with monkeys, and visiting the "Love Lounge." Where do I sign up?

Then, investigate each subworld and you'll discover even more. Story is the best place to start and see how it all began. First we have the Monsters are Real (1:29) and Original Sulley Intro vignettes, plus the film's Original Treatment (13:40) via an animated storyboard montage, and a videotaped Story Pitch (4:36) for the "Back to Work" sequence, which offers a good idea of how Pixar creates a scene before the voices are recorded and characters animated. Finally, Banished Concepts reveals four scenes that didn't make it into the finished film - "Assistant Sulley," "End of Day," "Bad Scare," and "Scream Refinery" - along with an intro, while Storyboard to Film Comparison provides a multi-angle look at the Boo bedtime scene via a storyreel, final composite or split screen comparison.

Up next is Monster Files, which while a relatively small area, does include one of my favorite features on the entire disc. In addition to the "What Makes a Great Monster?" vignette (1:24) hosted by creature conceptualist Bob Paulen, most excellent are the Character Design Galleries, an extensive collection of stills with all forms of discarded and early versions of the monsters in Monsters, Inc. I found this really fascinating, and it was fun to compare the various versions of each creature and decide which one I liked best. Cool.

The Design section guides us through the next step of the process, actually designing the world that the characters live in. For Monsters, Inc., Pixar set up a new division, "Set Dressing," which creates various 3-D rendered models and mockups of the various worlds. Setting the Scene offers us a "Set Dressing" vignette (3:24) and Step Through still collection illustrating the process of how the sets are built up. Color Scripts and Master Lighting are still collections that allow you to interact with rough drawings and final composites of various scenes, using the remote's step buttons and angle button to view the various stages of completion. Most unique are the Location Flyarounds, four video segments giving us really cool tours of empty Monsters, Inc., locations (with a few surprises) - "Downtown," "The Apartment," "Monsters, Inc.," "Simulator," and "Boo's Room." Even more rough stills can be found in Metropolis Art, with another few dozen hand-drawn concepts of various locations. Finally - and I am not sure why it is in this section - but we have The Guide to "In" Jokes, which is just that, a primer on all the cute little visual sight gags and hidden asides littered throughout the film.

With the story, character and locations set, now its off to Animation. Here, enjoy 8 minutes of Early Tests (with commentary by Thomas Porter, ) which are rendered if unpolished completed scenes (without voices) used to see if the film was moving in the right direction. You'll also find four vignettes - Opening Title Animation (2:06), Hard Parts (4:58) and Shots Department (2:12) - plus a multi-angle Product Demonstration that allows you to see four views, "Storyreel," "Layout," "Animation," and "Final Color," plus an intro.

Nearing the end of our journey, it is time for a little post-production Music and Sound. Monster Song (3:15) is a behind-the-scenes peek at the recording of the Oscar- winning "If I Didn't Have You," while Sound Design (4:13) goes on a trip to Skywalker Ranch with Gary Rydstrom and Tom Meyers, and a little insight into how they build up the sounds from scratch. Also nifty is Binaural Recording, a weird headphone experience that, well, I'll let this little feature speak for itself...

Rounding it all out is Release, a collection of promo materials. In addition to a 1-minute snippet of premiere footage from Disney's El Capitan Theatre, we get two trailers and one teaser (both in non- anamorphic widescreen) and three full frame TV spots, plus three featurettes on Toys, international Inserts (all the changes that have to be made to text that appears anywhere in the film) and a Multi- language Clip Reel of the film dubbed in no less than 30 different languages. Last but not least, there's a poster gallery of various ad concepts, and - yep! - yet another 7 minutes of outtakes.

In case you need help navigating all of this, packed inside the keepcase is a 12-page booklet with some notes on the extras, and handy features schematic with a flowchart for all the different menus. As always with a Pixar release, a nice touch.

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

Bettering the ROM extras on most other Disney DVDs these days, if not their most extensive set ever, pop the disc into your drive and you'll find a few goodies. All are geared towards the young ones: the Boo's Peek-a-boo game, a "Let's Make A Deal" style challenge with three mysterious doors, The Lunch Room, another simple hide-and-seek puzzler, and the Disney Storytime "Welcome to Metropolis" read-along, with options to read to yourself or with voice-over narration. Both the read-along and Boo's challenge are replicated on the DVD-Video portion of the disc.

Parting Thoughts