ParaNorman
2.5/4
Starring (voices): Kodi Smitt-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Jodelle Ferland, John Goodman
Rated PG for Scary Action and Images, Thematic Elements, Some Rude Humor and Language
Watching "Paranorman" brings to mind Steven Spielberg's early movies, like "ET" and "Hook." It also brings to mind "Super 8," which was produced by him. It's got the earmarks of it: outsider characters on the verge of adolescence, the setting in suburbia, the lead character is misuderstood by just about everyone, and the sci-fi/fantasy plot. I was actually looking forward to this movie, since these days it's all superheroes and vampires. Sadly, directors Chris Butler (who wrote the script) and Sam Fell aren't able to match Spielberg or Abrams' touch. The film is lively and active, but cold. Quite frankly, it's kind of depressing.
Norman (Smitt-McPhee) is an odd duck in the town of Blithe Hollow. He can see, and talk to, ghosts. Unlike Cole Sear in the overrated "The Sixth Sense," everyone knows about his gift. As a result, he's made fun of by cro-magnons like Alvin (Mintz-Plasse). Norman is a lonely kid, although the local fatty, Neil (Albrizzi) wishes to be his friend. But it turns out that he's not the only one with the ability to speak with the dead. His ostracized uncle, Mr. Prenderghast (Goodman), has the ability too. Because he was the only one who can speak with the dead, he had to read to the legendary town witch to keep her from rising from the grave and bringing the dead with her. But since he's newly deceased, the task is left to Norman. Something goes wrong, however, and all hell breaks loose.
The most interesting thing about "ParaNorman" is that, save for the last scene or two, the film takes place in one day. Most movies stretch out the timeline to make it more credible. That doesn't happen here. Like "Halloween" (which is explicitly referenced) the action is condensed. In this case, it works.
The voice acting isn't the problem. Kodi Smitt-McPhee is a natural as the lonely Norman. There's no sense of artifice in his performance. Ditto for Tucker Albrizzi, a young actor with mainly TV and direct-to-DVD credits. Anna Kendrick is unrecognizable as Norman's bitch older sister, Courtney, and Casey Affleck makes Kyle, a dumb jock, into a really, really, dumb jock. Christopher Mintz-Plasse sheds off the geekiness that has typecast his career after "Superbad" and makes for a decent bully. Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Jodelle Ferland and John Goodman provide solid support.
This movie should have been better. It's got the materials (the stop-motion animation is excellent, and the effects with the witch are particularly good), but it just doesn't quite get there.
Starring (voices): Kodi Smitt-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Jodelle Ferland, John Goodman
Rated PG for Scary Action and Images, Thematic Elements, Some Rude Humor and Language
Watching "Paranorman" brings to mind Steven Spielberg's early movies, like "ET" and "Hook." It also brings to mind "Super 8," which was produced by him. It's got the earmarks of it: outsider characters on the verge of adolescence, the setting in suburbia, the lead character is misuderstood by just about everyone, and the sci-fi/fantasy plot. I was actually looking forward to this movie, since these days it's all superheroes and vampires. Sadly, directors Chris Butler (who wrote the script) and Sam Fell aren't able to match Spielberg or Abrams' touch. The film is lively and active, but cold. Quite frankly, it's kind of depressing.
Norman (Smitt-McPhee) is an odd duck in the town of Blithe Hollow. He can see, and talk to, ghosts. Unlike Cole Sear in the overrated "The Sixth Sense," everyone knows about his gift. As a result, he's made fun of by cro-magnons like Alvin (Mintz-Plasse). Norman is a lonely kid, although the local fatty, Neil (Albrizzi) wishes to be his friend. But it turns out that he's not the only one with the ability to speak with the dead. His ostracized uncle, Mr. Prenderghast (Goodman), has the ability too. Because he was the only one who can speak with the dead, he had to read to the legendary town witch to keep her from rising from the grave and bringing the dead with her. But since he's newly deceased, the task is left to Norman. Something goes wrong, however, and all hell breaks loose.
The most interesting thing about "ParaNorman" is that, save for the last scene or two, the film takes place in one day. Most movies stretch out the timeline to make it more credible. That doesn't happen here. Like "Halloween" (which is explicitly referenced) the action is condensed. In this case, it works.
The voice acting isn't the problem. Kodi Smitt-McPhee is a natural as the lonely Norman. There's no sense of artifice in his performance. Ditto for Tucker Albrizzi, a young actor with mainly TV and direct-to-DVD credits. Anna Kendrick is unrecognizable as Norman's bitch older sister, Courtney, and Casey Affleck makes Kyle, a dumb jock, into a really, really, dumb jock. Christopher Mintz-Plasse sheds off the geekiness that has typecast his career after "Superbad" and makes for a decent bully. Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Jodelle Ferland and John Goodman provide solid support.
This movie should have been better. It's got the materials (the stop-motion animation is excellent, and the effects with the witch are particularly good), but it just doesn't quite get there.
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