I am not the
world’s biggest animation fan. That
said, I tend to prefer DreamWorks Animation over Fox or Pixar (blasphemy, I
know). How to Train Your Dragon and both Kung Fu Panda films are some of my favorite of their respective
years. Stop-motion animation also
intrigues me; I enjoyed Coraline (some
of the best 3D I’ve ever seen) and The
Fantasic Mr. Fox, not just for their animation style but their witty and
smart writing. Thankfully, ParaNorman falls into that category.
There is
only one word to accurately describe ParaNorman
– incredible. From beginning to end, Norman is intelligently written and
beautifully animated, mixing fantastic stop-motion with more modern CG effects. The narrative is paced quite well, blending
horror and comedy with aplomb. I can see
smaller children getting very scared by the events of the third act of Norman; it goes to a pretty dark
place. Some of the greater themes on
display will most likely be lost on the children that this film is marketed to,
but adults will be able to appreciate the narrative arcs incredibly. Same goes for the dialogue. Norman
isn’t afraid to throw around some sexual innuendo or crude humor that will fly
right over the heads of kids. One of
the main character’s sexual orientation is turned on its head with a throwaway
line of dialogue – and it’s brilliant.
ParaNorman is just a fantastic film on almost
every level. The dialogue, story,
animation, and voice-acting are all top-notch.
If you enjoy animated films that are intelligent and witty, I cannot
recommend Norman highly enough. Just maybe don’t take small children to it.
ParaNorman is an incredibly engaging,
beautifully-made horror/comedy that’s just as smart for kids as adults.
The Bearded
Bullet
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