Much is being made this weekend about the respectable box office performance of World War Z, and rightly so.
The Brad Pitt zombie thriller cost more than $200 million, required reshoots and rewrites, and could have become the summer’s ghastliest dud under different circumstances.
And then there’s Monsters University, the latest Pixar confection that is wholesome, charming and perfect for family viewing. Said Monsters crushed Pitt’s zombies, no questions asked.
Monsters University, a prequel to Monsters, Inc., shows how two creatures become unlikely pals during their tumultuous college days.
Score one for PG-rated movies, the latest sign that there’s gold to be mined in material aimed at the entire family. The Pixar brand remains catnip to movie goers, and parents know a Pixar film won’t include material that will make them squirm in their seats–beyond some eco-friendly messages implanted in films like Wall*E.
The folks behind World War Z did everything in their power to keep the film from flopping, including flying Pitt across the country to personally pitch his movie in person. The fear of a box office dud forced their hand.
In the end, they should have saved some fear for a one-eyed monster named Mike and his hirsute pal Sully.