321. Paranorman; movie review

 

PARANORMAN

Cert PG

88 mins

BBFC advice: Contains mild comic horror and violence, frightening sequences and innuendo

I am pleased to report that I thought much more of Paranorman on its anniversary return to the big screen than I did ten years ago.

This time around, I did not face the impediments of my 2012 viewing in that I had not suffered endless marketing of the movie, wasn't annoyed by loud cinema-goers around me and my football team wasn't losing at the time.

Rather uncharitably, I wrote at the time that  a good movie should overcome such obstacles. On reflection, that is probably impossible.

Anyway, this time I certainly enjoyed the pace, style and substance of Chris Butler and Sam Fell's movie.

Their animation centres on an 11-year-old (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee) who has the sixth sense - yes, he can see dead people, all the time.

However, his claims of a connection with the spirit world don't go down well at home or with the bullies at school.

He does make one nerdy but lovely pal (Tucker Albrizzi) who at least believes in him.

However, things take a nasty turn with the emergence of the spirit of a witch (Jodelle Ferland) who was hanged in the 1700s.

This brings the outcast spiritualist Norman to the fore. 

Paranorman may have also missed its mark with me ten years ago because there were so many zombie movies around at the time.

Intriguingly, a decade on, it seemed fresher and funnier.

It maintains an impressive pace throughout, it's a punchy 88 minutes and has plenty of subliminal moral messages for the kids.

Reasons to watch: Fast-moving fun

Reasons to avoid: Yet more zombies

Laughs: Three

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? The story is set in the town of Blithe Hollow, whose name is a mash-up of two other ghost stories: Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit and Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

The final word. Chris Butler: "The movies I remember from my childhood had that emotional core. They had that heart that really makes it stick with you. " Den Of Geek

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