| Site locale: United States |
|
||||
|
||||||
|
Best Blu-ray Deals  
|
Best Blu-ray Deals, See All the Deals » |
Top deals |
Price drops
|
 $4.99 |  $14.26 |  $4.99 |  $14.99 |  $5.00 |  $7.96 |  $13.99 |  $34.99 |  $4.99 |  $21.99 |  $4.99 |  $4.99 |  $4.99 |  $8.99 |  $6.05 |  $7.99 |  $5.00 |  $9.99 |  $4.99 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
ParaNorman2012 | 92 min | PG | 2.39:1
Those used to the animated movie routine of princesses and anthropomorphized animals might find themselves shocked by “ParaNorman.” A macabre adventure that pays tribute to zombie cinema while working out its own scares and iffy stabs at irreverence, the picture is a stunningly animated effort carrying unexpected bite, taking its horror reverence seriously with a ghoulish tale of a community haunting that’s occasionally broken up by traditional cartoon shenanigans. Those tuned into the screen tributes and surprisingly severity of the story will enjoy themselves immensely. Others would be well advised to pay attention to the PG rating, as “ParaNorman” creeps into a few dark corners that aren’t solved with musical numbers or tears. 
Born with the ability to interact with the dead, Norman (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee) is an outcast with his family and schoolmates, unable to make friends with the living outside of Neil (Tucker Albrizzi), a portly kid with his own bullying problems. Tasked by his uncle (John Goodman) to accept a special role defending his town from the wrath of a witch, Norman reluctantly accepts the challenge, only to uncover a major zombie breakout threatening the locals, requiring quick thinking and horror movie training to avoid. Teaming up with sister Courtney (Anna Kendrick), Neil, and his buff brother Mitch (Casey Affleck), Norman, armed with a special book, heads into the deep woods to fulfill his destiny, only to discover the situation is far more complicated than he was originally led to believe. “ParaNorman” comes from Laika, the stop-motion animation studio behind 2009’s “Coraline.” Continuing the company’s gothic quest into the darker areas of junior adventuring, directors Sam Fell and Chris Butler (who also scripts) serve up an ominous tale of clairvoyance, dressed up as an outsider tale of a boy finding his strange purpose in the world. Although there are plenty of jokes to keep the mood approachable, “ParaNorman” delights more in the macabre, with the titular character embracing a love of horror cinema (his ringtone is the “Halloween” theme), with his room a shrine to zombies and their devotion to brain food. Of course, such playful grimness doesn’t sit well with his family or classmates, with bully Alvin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) a particular irritant, eventually joining the gang when the undead hit the city streets. Making friends with ghosts, Normal is an odd duck, though a boy who doesn’t revel in his outcast status. He’s just resigned to it. 
Unsurprisingly, “ParaNorman” is a strange picture, blending monster moves with cheeky humor -- one joke spotlights Neil’s love of his mother’s aerobic workout DVDs. It’s a knowing effort, yet the pacing is way off, finding the zombie outbreak and all the questions surrounding it occurring early in the second act, bringing the film to a climax long before an actual ending is in sight. Punchline speed is also lacking, missing finger-snap timing typically accompanying such sly writing. Perhaps Butler and Fell wanted to keep their effort subdued to offset the imposing genre elements, yet the unevenness of “ParaNorman” comes to test patience in the extended finale. It’s difficult to muster much excitement for the conclusion when the screenplay already attained a potent sense of closure halfway through the movie. It’s certainly not a boring feature, but one with loose screws in need of tightening. Visually, “ParaNorman” is exceptional, with a clean, textured stop-motion look that’s dripping with details. The directors utilize exaggerated character designs and an autumnal look to generate an ideal Halloween atmosphere (a strange feeling for an August release), serving as a backdrop to weird happenings and subtle (and not-so-subtle) flashes of humor. It’s really something to see, keeping eyes dazzled while the story loses its footing midway through the chase. It’s a beautiful picture, despite dabbling in unsavory events and habits. 
Without giving too much away, the story takes a sobering turn when fully examining the wrath of the witch and prowl of the zombies. It’s a harsh revelation that’s interesting in its dramatic ambition, but rough on the consistency of the picture. For a film with several jokes built around the pastime of nosepicking, it’s unnerving to spy a climax that’s essentially built around the murder of a child, though it’s all handled tastefully by the production. While a movie that’s already carried itself with a certain feel for the frightening, “ParaNorman” wheezes to a close, inducing seasickness from all the tonal shifts. The originality of the script saves the experience, along with widescreen splendor, but there’s a lot about “ParaNorman” that’s unsettling, and it’s not all tied to the boy’s interest in gore and ghostly pals. Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, John Goodman, Casey Affleck Directors: Sam Fell, Chris Butler » See full cast & crew |
 
Trending Blu-ray Movies
Trending in Theaters
Most Popular Blu-ray Movie Deals
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
This web site is not affiliated with the Blu-ray Disc Association. All trademarks are the property of the respective trademark owners. © 2002-2013 Blu-ray.com. All rights reserved. Mobile | Registration problems | Business/Advertising Inquiries | Privacy Policy | Legal Notices |
$99,425,481
