Monsters, Inc.’s Most Perfect Stills

To celebrate Monsters, Inc.‘s 20th anniversary which was just last week, we’ve decided to pick out what we think are the three most perfect stills.

This is something we’ve said on repeat for a while now, but: Pixar movies have really been stunning right from the beginning. The animation studio knew from early on how to make use of lighting and angles, and make a scene look good. Yes, Monsters, Inc. was released in 2001, and yes, it was only Pixar’s 4th feature length movie. But it was ground-breaking. It received a nomination for the Academy Awards’ first ever Best Animated Film category, and it still looks beautiful today, 20 years later.

Here are our picks for the most perfect stills from Monsters, Inc. These are stills that we feel have that ‘@OnePerfectShot‘ quality (a Twitter account that you should definitely have a look at if you haven’t already).

Maya’s Pick

Almost always, I find it hard to choose a single scene from a film I adore. However, for this film, I knew which one I would go for immediately. The reveal of the world of doors is arguably one of the best moments from any Pixar film. The huge variety of bedroom doors on both sides of a seemingly endless space is a thrill to see.

The mission to find Boo’s door is exciting of course, but it’s also a magical moment to see this creative view of the human world. Monsters are a fear for children everywhere, and this is the shot that effectively communicates just how big this world, and ours, is.

Joanna’s Pick

I’d feel bad about choosing literally the final frame of the movie as my favourite still if it hadn’t come out 20 years ago. But this iconic image must come to mind for a lot of you when you think of Monsters, Inc.

The relationship between Sulley and Boo is what brings so much heart to this movie. There are the heart-warming scenes of Boo melting Sulley’s tough exterior, and then there are the heart-breaking scenes when Boo is presumed dead at one point (I still can’t believe Pixar went there), or when she has to say goodbye to her new-found monster friends.

Monsters, Inc. contains one of Pixar’s first examples of an ‘above and beyond ending’. The movie could have ended when Monstropolis being saved by the laughter energy revolution, but Pixar went further. Mike painstakingly fixing Boo’s door so that she can still be in Sulley’s life is an act of true friendship. The slow off-screen reveal at the end can only be described as perfect.

Simoa’s Pick

Pixar movies have massive sets and Monsters, Inc. is no exception. I was so struck by this screenshot that I knew I had to choose it. Imagine the vibrant concept art it was before this final render. All those millions of doors, brightly colored, some in the light and a vast array in shadow. It’s actually quite staggering to think of how the computer program was able to produce so many shapes. Without context, it looks like a computer program. I would love to see it in one of Pixar’s color palettes.