It is a long-awaited reunion. After the success of Monsters, Inc (2001), it has taken 12 years for well-loved characters such as enthusiastic one-eyed Mike Wazowski and genial blue-furred Sulley to appear in a new movie.
Unfortunately, Monsters University is nowhere as magical. Add to that the clunky ride that was Cars 2 (2011) and one begins to wonder if Pixar is losing the lustre of its early years.
And is it mere coincidence that both titles rehash old material rather than creating something new from scratch?
The Pixar of old often told the most engaging story in a most beautiful way.
Its first feature film Toy Story (1995) pushed the envelope on computer animation with a simple but entertaining story. The film was filled with memorable characters, from Woody the steadfast cowboy doll to Buzz Lightyear the arrogant space explorer.
And Monsters, Inc’s central concept of children’s screams powering a city was fresh and different, even as Pixar made strides in animation techniques to make Sulley’s fur appear more life-like.
It is no accident that key Pixar figure John Lasseter is a big admirer of Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli and its co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki is the man behind modern classics such as Spirited Away (2001) and Ponyo (2008), beautifully imaginative works which thrill the eye and warm the heart.
Pixar’s creations embodied that same generosity of spirit and fecundity of imagination. But with Disney’s acquisition of the company in 2006, there has perhaps been a touch of greater corporatisation in the studio’s works.
The critical reception to Cars (2006) was less enthusiastic compared to previous Pixar flicks, but it was Cars 2 that bottomed out with a 38 per cent rating on review-aggregating website rottentomatoes.com.
Merchandise-wise, this franchise is a winner – its anthropomorphic cars are seen everywhere in shops.
This is not to say that Pixar was previously averse to commercialism.
The Toy Story series (1995, 1999 and 2010) was an obvious candidate for spin-off toys and I personally have a soft spot for its three-eyed aliens. More importantly, the trilogy shows that sequels can be done thoughtfully and make a story more layered and fulfilling.
Nowadays, it seems as if the merchandising deal is signed, sealed and delivered at the stage of the movie’s conception. Sell toys, T-shirts and towels by all means, but Pixar needs to hold to heart Lasseter’s mantra that story is king.
Pixar, post acquisition by Disney, has actually delivered quite a few winners. The sci-fi flick Wall-E (2008) was a poignant cautionary tale about environmental preservation which was gorgeously animated and movingly told.
Director Terry Gilliam said: “A stunning bit of work. The scenes on what was left of planet Earth are just so beautiful: one of the great silent movies.”
And the stirring Up (2009), about an unlikely friendship between a cranky widower and an earnest little boy, is one of three animated movies ever nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.
Not forgetting last year’s inspiring Brave (2012) which featured Pixar’s first female heroine, feisty princess Merida, in its first fairy tale.
The question about whether Pixar has lost its touch is not a straightforward one to answer. It could be that after an extraordinarily successful start, it is going through some growing pains.
In a way, it is a victim of its own success. If viewers have high expectations of it, it is only because we have been spoilt by its stellar creations in the past. So, please, continue to spoil us.

BEST 3 PIXAR MOVIES...
FINDING NEMO (2003)
It is testimony to the depth and quality of Pixar’s work that picking its top three films is a deliciously difficult task. But no matter what your criteria are, Finding Nemo is likely to land a spot because it brings the aquatic world spectacularly to life, features great voice acting from Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres, and has a timeless, exciting and humorous story about fatherly love.

TOY STORY (1995)
Any of the Toy Story instalments could have made the list but the first one is special. It introduced enduring characters from Woody the cowboy to Buzz Lightyear and catchphrases such as “To infinity... and beyond!”. And it made me go: “Wow, so that’s what computer animation can do. And I’ll have a three-eyed alien please, thank you very much.”

THE INCREDIBLES (2004)
Pixar’s sixth feature was the first to have human protagonists and writer-director Brad Bird knocked it out of the park. It was a smart take on the superhero genre and wittily answered the question of why capes are strictly a no-go when it comes to costumes. Bonus points to Bird for voicing the imperious fashion designer Edna Mode.

...WORST 3
CARS 2 (2011)
The ills of sequel-itis struck hard. Cars 2 featured international settings such as Paris and Tokyo and was louder, bigger and brasher, with an overblown story involving spies and an international conspiracy. They should have slammed the brakes on this one.

CARS (2006)
This was Pixar’s final indepen- dently produced movie before its purchase by Disney. Too bad it was not much of a last hurrah. Instead of humming and purring like a top-notch vehicle, this was merely a ho-hum offering about talking cars.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (2013)
This prequel to Monsters, Inc lacks the element of surprise and coasts by on the goodwill generated by characters such as Mike Wazowski and Sulley from the earlier film.
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