Movie Review: ParaNorman

Title: ParaNorman
MPAA Rating: PG
Notable Cast: John Goodman, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin

In ParaNorman, a small town comes under siege by zombies. Who can it call? Only misunderstood local boy Norman, who is able to speak with the dead. In addition to the zombies, he’ll have to take on ghosts, witches and, worst of all grown-ups, to save his town from a centuries-old curse. But this young ghoul whisperer may find his paranormal activities pushed to their otherworldly limits. Summary from Official Movie Site

I’m honestly not sure what I think of ParaNorman. It was fun and weird at the same time. I liked the story, but I didn’t. I liked the animation, but I didn’t. I thought ParaNorman was really funny. And, at the same time, I thought it was almost too over-the-top. I don’t think I’ve ever been so conflicted about a movie before.

I thought the actors’ voices were perfect for their parts, especially John Goodman’s and Anna Kendrick’s. John Goodman is great at being eccentric and Anna Kendrick plays the ditzy high school cheerleader role really well.

I usually don’t make age recommendations because I feel like it’s a parent’s job to determine whether something is suitable for their own child. But, I think ParaNorman is definitely not for kids unless they can handle scary and intense imagery, plus a lot of innuendo. It’s very gritty and true-to-real-life circumstances. I thought many of the themes seemed very adult in nature. If you’re worried this movie isn’t right for your kids, I’d definitely watch it first to make an informed decision.