Perhaps the first grindhouse inspired, stop-motion, children’s horror movie about friendship, ParaNorman proves wickedly fun no matter what your age. Eleven-year-old Norman is unfortunately ostracized at home and school over his unique ability to see and speak with the dead. But when the ghost of his deranged uncle (John Goodman) tasks him with stopping a witch’s centuries-old curse, Norman has to work with friends, enemies and big sister alike to evade moaning zombies and break the evil spell. Saying any more would give away a series of unexpected, even mature twists the film boldly takes in its second half. ParaNorman was originally conceived in the ’80s for Disney, and decades later still has that small-town, retro kindliness shining through. Mix in some truly gorgeous animation, and you’ve got a pretty rare treat; a Halloween movie with brains and heart.
This article appears in Aug 16-22, 2012.
“The film starts out on a gradual burn, but give it time and I think you’ll be rewarded with some amazing animation, some dark plot twists and one of the most compelling third acts to grace a film in a long time. It’s the kind of animated film I’m glad exists, as it’s much more focused on delivering a strong message than anything else.”
Read my full review at: http://moo-cartoon.blogspot.ca/2012/08/par…