July 2013: Best Release

Seven months down, just five to go- Disney Pixar scoop our Best Release award as we move past 2013's halfway point!
From the moment the month began, it was clear that July wasn't going to be the busiest period for the entertainment industry's run during 2013. All the same, there were a good number of high quality releases over the course of the last five weeks, with The Wolverine and Now You See Me marking some surprise highlights among the roster. Equally, not every one of the particular Summer of Film blockbusters released in July impressed either- The World's End sadly marked one of the biggest disappointments of the year so far.

On the whole, though, our Best Release award for the past month can only truly to go to the one motion picture which innovated beyond the reach of any of its competitors. While The Wolverine significantly reinvigorated its franchise, Monsters' University went one step further by surpassing all of our expectations to become a prequel than nearly eclipsed its spiritual successor. Boo may have been absent from proceedings given the Disney Pixar film's narrative taking place before Monsters' Inc, but the young character was replaced by a great menagerie of new teen monsters at the humorous college.

Central to the appeal of the piece was undoubtedly the development of the character of Mike. Previously a borderline dislikable secondary protagonist in Disney's 2001 effort, in University Mike becomes our (green) eyes and ears, echoing those frequent modern-day sentiments that simply trying your best often doesn't seem to be enough anymore. Indeed, the screenplay authors' acceptance and manipulation of this strangely bittersweet sentiment proves to be one of the film's greatest strengths, lending new weight to Pixar productions in a time when viewers have too long seen them as overly idealistic.

Just as Toy Story 3 put a completely new spin on the animated genre in 2010, so too does Monsters' University do the same in 2013. Even if it can't quite attain the same accolades and plaudits as its 5* toy-themed predecessor, Monsters' University is still an absolutely smashing entry in the Summer of Film, the best movie blockbuster we've seen since Iron Man 3 and one of 2013's best movies as a whole!
JANUARY 2013- LES MISERABLES
FEBRUARY 2013- BEING HUMAN: THE TRINITY
MARCH 2013- BIOSHOCK INFINITE
APRIL 2013- GAME OF THRONES: AND NOW HIS WATCH IS ENDED
MAY 2013- THE GREAT GATSBY
JUNE 2013- THIS IS THE END
JULY 2013- MONSTERS' UNIVERSITY