Paranorman

I have a thing for stop-motion animation, and this year there appear to be 3 stop-motion movies that have either been released or are being released. Paranorman is the second of these three films and probably the one I was the most excited for. Why? I don't really know, it just seemed cute and I really wanted to see it. So, I watched it, and it wasn't the least bit disappointed. Great music, great special effects, really good animation, excellent sets. 

The movie is about a little boy who sees ghosts. It starts off with him watching a movie with his grandmother who tells him he should get his father to turn up the heat, her toes are freezing. When he tells his dad this he freaks out and tells him again, his grandmother died months ago. I believe the city name was Blithe Hallows, which is a city that had a good ole fashion witch burning. This witch, while being burnt, cursed the city. Norman's crazy uncle, Mr. Pendergrast, had been keeping this curse at bay for years and had similar abilities to talk to the dead. Early in the film he dies and passes the torch to Norman who kinda botches his first attempt to keep the curse at bay. It then becomes a battle for Norman, his sister, his best friend among several others to figure out how to break the curse. 

This movie is not for the weak at heart. It is very much an adultish kids movie. Norman at times bleeds which is probably what surprised me the most, not only at one point is he violently assaulted. That's beside the point the movie is BEAUTIFUL, with well designed characters and sets, as well as very very good animation and music. The jokes are few and far between, but there are a few that made me laugh out loud. mostly it was just a really good time, and if you want a fun, exciting movie this one is DEFINITELY for you. Enjoy!