Movie Review: ParaNorman

From the artists and directors who gave us Coraline and Corpse Bride, ParaNorman is a smart, funny, non-traditional family film satire on the horror genre, which also transcends the boundaries and expectations of animation in the process. In the town of Blithe Hollow, Norman Babcock is a boy who can speak to the dead, but no one besides his eccentric new friend, Neil, believes his ability is real. One day, Norman's estranged eccentric uncle tells him of an important annual ritual he must take up to protect the town from an curse cast by a witch it condemned centuries ago. Eventually, Norman decides to cooperate, but things don't go according to plan. Now, a magic storm of the witch threatens Blithe Hollow as the accursed dead rise. Together with unexpected new companions, Norman struggles to save his town, only to discover the horrific truth of the curse. 

This is just one of those films you must see in order to fully appreciate it. The animation overall was beautiful, seeming to combine the stop motion technique used in Coraline and Corpse Bride with the CGI setting of modern animation (used to greatest avail by Disney/Pixar). Everything from the construction of Blithe Hollow to each character is extremely detailed, and at times, there are great moments dedicated to just the scenery. The voice acting from the cast was very well done. Kodi Smitt-McPhee does well as the title character, and John Goodman, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Casey Affleck all give good supporting performances. The script is very smart and well-written, providing plenty of great moments for both children and adults. And above all, the film teaches us in a subtle manner the importance of family and friendship, and how anything can be achieved through both. A great film, and a serious contender for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. It's not just for kids, and I implore you to go see it. 

Rating: A