We consume these animated films with about the same amount of reflection on their creation as Halloween candy. However, if we take a moment to consider all the careful creative thought that goes into the engineering of these one-movement-at-a-time puppets and placement of every miniature prop used to compose the background in any given scene - I think we'll enjoy them all the more - as well as simply drop our jaws in awe.

ParaNorman bursts on the screen with a tongue-in-cheek remaking of a classic monster movie from the mid-1900's. Simply a googly monster with a very low IQ and a screaming actress. However, the expressions and careful camera angles work in concert to create a hilarious stop-motion opening to a ghostly stop-motion film.

Getting to understand Norman's everyday life is the fun part. We sympathize as Norman meets and greets with dead people no one else can see, then has to field all the jabs, jokes, and scolds by the real people that rule his real life. This is fascinating on its own, but then when you take in all the beautiful juicy details in each scene: the wood trim on the station-wagon, the garden hose wound on the spindle, the monster mouth slippers in his room, all the posters, signs, and lovely weird shapes of the animated characters - well, you become just as googly-eyed as the monster from the movie clip. And the 3D makes this all the more juicy. It's not the flying-out-of-the-screen type 3D, but more like you feel like you're in the snow globe type 3D. I was glued to this film for that first third set up.

The second third is less interesting, less emotionally connecting. While it does host some important plot progressions, it's more of a nod to "Scooby-Doo" with a sequence of sleuthing and scares. Though.

The last third, though shorter, is beautiful - quietly existentially beautiful. It's the emotional connection so lacking in the noisy middle third.

Imperfect, but absolutely fascinating and worthwhile. I love how the filmmakers could take a simple scene and develop it visually for optimal comedic value. For example, Norman needs to enter a scary house and take a book that's in the hands of a corpse. This could be done in 10 seconds, but what if the corpse won't let go? Timing and physics add up to a gut-jiggling laugh sequence the likes of which, I think even Charlie Chaplan would applaud.

ParaNorman is exactly the Halloween film I wanted to see!

-- Books by Ross Anthony, Author/Illustrator --