 ***PLEASE NOTE: A Blu-ray 3D disc is only compatible with 3D Blu-ray players.*** Tagline: It's all fun and games until someone raises the dead. From the makers of Coraline comes the story of Norman, a boy who must use his ability to see and speak with the dead to save his town from a centuries-old curse. In addition to spooky zombies, he'll also have to take on mysterious ghosts, wily witches and, worst, of all, clueless grown-ups. But this young ghoul whisperer will soon find his paranormal abilities pushed to their otherworldly limits. Featuring the voice talents of Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin and John Goodman, it's a frightfully funny and magically thrilling adventure for the whole family in eye-popping stop-motion 3D. Storyline: 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 a 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. With that insight, Norman must resolve the crisis for good as only he can. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com) Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown on December 1, 2012 -- ParaNorman might just be the best Tim Burton movie that Tim Burton didn't have a hand in. Dark kiddie fare, classic horror references aplenty, a general love of all things macabre, a weird and wild cast of characters, bullied little boys, curse-spewing witches, needy ghosts, Puritan zombies... it's all tailor fit to the reclusive filmmaker's morose tongue-in-cheek sense and sensibilities. Never mind how ghastly uneven his own projects have been of late, though. Burton has become such a household Hollywood eccentric that he's inadvertently spawned his own genre, the crown jewel of which just so happens to be another Laika stop-motion animated film: Coraline, easily one of the finest animated films of the last ten years. But ParaNorman is no Coraline, which is perhaps the most damning thing anyone could write about directors Chris Butler and Sam Fell's lovable but lop-sided spin on an age-old scary story. Is it a fun ride? Absolutely. Will it lure you back Halloween after Halloween? Not quite. Poor Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Road) sees dead people. But while most would consider it a curse, lonely little Norman actually enjoys the company, conversation and well wishes from beyond the grave. The dead are friendly enough, and rarely do anything more than say hello. That is until the vengeful spirit of an evil Blithe Hollow witch executed three-hundred years earlier raises a horde of the undead and unleashes them on the boy's sleepy Massachusetts home town. Tasked with protecting Blithe Hollow from the witch's return by his recently deceased uncle (John Goodman, The Big Lebowski), Norman enlists the help of his new friend Neil (Tucker Albrizzi, Good Luck Charlie), a classmate named Salma (Hannah Noyes) and, to various degrees, a lineup of reluctant skeptics including his testy father (Jeff Garlin, Curb Your Enthusiasm), his protective mother (Leslie Mann, Knocked Up), his mean-spirited older sister Courtney (Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air), his ghostly grandmother (Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock), Neil's dim-bulb older brother Mitch (Casey Affleck, Gone Baby Gone) and lunk-headed school bully Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Superbad). ParaNorman tends to shuffle, lurch and lunge with a slack jaw and glassy eyes, exhibiting sharp awareness one minute and dull wits the next. First-time director Butler (working from a script of his own creation) and third-time's-a-charm hopeful Fell (whose previous directorial credits include misfires Flushed Away and The Tale of Despereaux) struggle to gain narrative momentum, whip up a cast of memorable characters, and walk the line between kid-friendly and nightmare-inducing. The story is a bit rickety and ungainly, even though its unpredictable nature and a few genuinely hilarious surprises make up for it. Everyone but Norman, Neil and Mitch are downright irritating (Courtney is nearly unbearable), and the more crowded the stage gets, the harder it is to endure Norman's torments. And parents would do well to watch the film before asking anyone under eight to even attempt making it all the way through. Lightness and levity prevails but the dark is dark, and the scares and spooks are rather touch and go. Brace for buried heads, fleeing children and general unease. It's by no means as unsettling as Coraline, mind you, but consider yourselves warned all the same, moms and dads. That said, older kids will find it to be a fun and delightfully creepy animated frightfest, and parents weened on '70s and '80s horror will get a sick kick out of just how clever ParaNorman can be. (The 17th century zombies' reaction to the modern world is worth the cost of admission alone.) And that's not even half of what awaits visitors to Blithe Hollow. Smit-McPhee and company are a touch wooden in their delivery but, for the most part, they imbue Norman and his unwitting cohorts with plenty of heart, humor and moxie; performances the spirited and inventive Laika stop-motion animation only embraces and enlivens. The biggest surprise, though, is the scope and scale of it all. Like Coraline, ParaNorman is ambitious. The tale told is a smalltown affair, but the scope and scale of the film's supernatural happenings is far grander than I expected. Raging storms, rising evils, zombie assaults, van chases, harrowing hauntings and otherworldly jaunts, all full of life even in undeath. It's tough to top a stop-motion triumph. Though not to everyone's tastes, the craft and sheer artistry on display goes a long way, and it doesn't take much to best whatever computer-generated magic most other animation studios churn out. It's almost too much for the eye to take in with one viewing. Now if only Norman's paranormal adventure were worth watching more than once... ParaNorman isn't as original, polished or unforgettable as Coraline, but its Blu-ray release certainly is thanks to its magnificent video presentation, rousing 3D experience, excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and solid supplemental showing. A few more special features would have been appreciated, especially a fuller behind-the-scenes documentary, but no matter. ParaNorman will still be breathing years from now, if only because its high definition release is so strong. Cast Notes: Kodi Smit-McPhee (Norman Babcock [voice]), Tucker Albrizzi (Neil [voice]), Anna Kendrick (Courtney Babcock [voice]), Casey Affleck (Mitch [voice]), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Alvin [voice]), Leslie Mann (Sandra Babcock [voice]), Jeff Garlin (Perry Babcock [voice]), Elaine Stritch (Grandma [voice]), Bernard Hill (The Judge [voice]), Jodelle Ferland (Aggie [voice]), Tempestt Bledsoe (Sheriff Hooper [voice]), Alex Borstein (Mrs. Henscher [voice]), John Goodman (Mr. Prenderghast [voice]), Hannah Noyes (Salma [voice]), Jack Blessing (Slob Guy / Civil War Ghost [voice]). IMDb Rating (05/26/13): 7.0/10 from 39,359 users
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