Tanner Life

More on the Magic of Disney
..and a VERY lengthy review of "Monsters Inc."

First let me start by saying, Andy and I are both having serious Disney withdrawals. It has been almost 6 months since we've been to Disney World and we can't take it. Yes, we went 7 times last year and no, we never got tired of it! Andy said this weekend "I wish I was walking up to get in line for Test Track". We are true Disney addicts, thank heavens Andy has it as bad as I do. I have friends who say "How in the world do you like it so much? Don't you get tired of the parks? The movies are cute, but come on, there's more out there." You just can't explain it to people who don't have it like you do!! (Believe me, I've tried)

The fact is that I cry when I walk down Main Street at the Magic Kingdom on both the first and last day of any trip. I will wait in line for 45 minutes (if I have to) to fly with Peter Pan for about 3 minutes. I listen to sound tracks from the rides and parks when I'm not there. I have several versions which include but are not limited to .. bootleg music from the parks & soundtracks from rides, Disney produced park music, movie music and Disney bluegrass music. I love the movies, all the movies. Animated, live action, classics, new Pixar, it doesn't matter to me. I love the merchandise and have a fantastic t-shirt, stuffed animal and snow globe collection. (Stuffed animals are my favorite!) I have been active on several Disney related websites and in fact found some of my best friends that way, who knew I'd go on to have life long friendships with these crazy people!

I've been blessed to share my favorite place on Earth with many of my favorite people of the years. I was going with my parents from the time I was a little munchkin myself and later as a kiddo and teenager, they let me take friends along for the fun. (Amanda and Stephanie are the two that I remember right off the bat) Then Andy & I started our adventures there with our honeymoon and many, many, many trips to follow. Andy & I have now gone with my parents on a handful of trips, it's great to put my childhood Disney love and grown up Disney love all together in a trip! We've gone with friends, the Kahle clan and the Shallenberger clan all love Disney as much as we do, which is fantastic! We've met friends down there from all over the world; Orlando, Illinois, California, Arkansas, New York and Sweden!! (Yep, Sweden!) We've taken trips with brothers & sisters in law and look forward to a Tanner family trip next year! (If you back out, you're going to break my heart you know) Then... there are the Disney Cruises, by far my favorite cruises of all time! We've done the short Disney Cruise twice and the magic surely continues out on the sea. Andy said last night how fireworks anywhere else doesn't compare when you've seen them over the castle with the music playing or better yet, over the ocean on a Disney Cruise!! I digress with my love of Disney travel.....

Last night I pulled out my brand new 2 disc version of Monsters Inc. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the extras on these movies and couldn't wait to see what goodies I'd find in Monster world. I decided to watch the movie first, I think it's been a few years since I've seen it. It was bed time for Andy or he would have watched with me, he likes the movies too!

Every time I watch a Disney movie, I am always joyously surprised about how much I adore each and every one. I have favorites yes, but they are all amazing in their own way. Sulley (John Goodman) has to be one of the most lovable characters ever created by Disney, despite the fact he's.. well, a monster!! When I see him at Disney's Hollywood Studios, I just want to run hug him every time!! Mike (Billy Crystal) is a hoot and full of energy, just like Billy Crystal. Randy Newman songs and music run throughout, there is nothing greater in Disney films than music that sets the stage, tugs at your heart strings and sticks in your head for days!! How can you not love "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story????

The detail in these movies are fascinating when you stop to notice!! I do love Pixar despite many "old school" Disney traditionalist who'd want to shoot me with that confession. There is something to be said for both kinds of animation I believe. The details in monster world are crazy: door knobs that are horns, paperwork and posters around that are designed for monsters, the props/characters that go into the "other worlds" when the monsters step out of monster world, the kids rooms and on and on and on... It's just one of the things that sets Disney movies out of the league with all the others! (I love the wall paper in Chicken Littles room that looks like chicken wire, for some reason that one comes to mind too)

The plot: Mike & Sulley are best friend monsters who work at the energy company in Monstropolis.. To get energy for Monster world, they must capture screams of children in our world, thus .. the monster in your closet. Then the worse thing to ever happen, happens .... a CHILD gets into Monster World!!! The monsters are terrified and much chaos follows. The child, Boo, is the cutest thing ever. Her unintelligible babbles (and singing when she's on the potty, yes on the potty) are the sweetest sounds! There are things to make you laugh out loud, a plot to be solved and some touching moments as well.

Which brings me to all my thoughts last night while I was watching... about our baby, our child, who we hope finds us very soon. Disney movies are fun, made for being family friendly and I can't wait to have someone else to share them with. Then I panicked a little, it seems to be happening to me on and off about becoming a parent with random situations. This one was: how will I know when our son or daughter is old enough to handle a movie about MONSTERS, after all, without being scared of them?? But, reality kicked in, thank heavens for that. My reality though.... Reality that the day we bring our little one home, we'll be listening to Disney music in their room. They will begin seeing and hearing Disney movies way before they have any idea what movies are all about. They will visit Disney World quite frankly, probably before they should and will become little Disney addicts right along with us! Andy & I have been talking about it for years when we are at Disney World, how we can NOT WAIT to have our own little one there with us! We have made plans, "when our son or daughter is with us...." for years now. We both confess that it's one, of the thousands, of things we can't wait for!!

Moving along..

If you haven't seen the "out takes" at the end of this movie, you have missed something incredible. I think this is my favorite part of Disney movies, when the characters have out takes. Are you kidding, who thinks of this stuff?? I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! It's in the details...

Then there is the bonus material. This may very well be my favorite bonus material of all time. It lets us look around the Pixar buildings where it all happens, the secret room (that even Roy Disney has visited) is just craziness. The monkey, what's with that? You get to see how much work goes from story boards and pencil drawings, to animation and character development, to adding color, details, shadows and lightning. It's a crazy process and I have no idea how people are so creative. I am thankful they are though! (I loved the entire walk through tour of animation at Disney's Hollywood Studio. I still love the tour, though it has changed a ton over the years.) I loved each and every minute of the extras and watching the movie again with commentary on. So much to soak in. (I especially love the "virtual ride" that you get to take on the "Little Mermaid" DVD extras, how cool is that????)

If you haven't pulled out a favorite Disney animated movie lately, do it, you wont be sorry!!!!