ALLAN HUNTER at the Movies

IT HAS BEEN an endless Summer of animated features, but they have kept the best for last. ‘Monster House’ easily outclasses everything from ‘Cars’ to ‘Over The Hedge’ as it combines imaginative animation, a clever story and poignant characterisations.

Even adults should warm to one of the most entertaining family films of the holiday season. The film is set around Halloween. 12 year-old DJ (voiced by Mitchel Musso) has been left in the care of a babysitter when his parents leave for a dentistry conference.

The babysitter has her own ideas about how she plans to pass the time, leaving DJ and his pal Chowder (Sam Lerner) pretty much free to do whatever they want. Their attention increasingly turns to a dilapidated neighbourhood house own by the irascible Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi).

A gloomy, gothic pile, it appears to have a mean, menacing personality. It has always been a no-go area but when Chowder loses his basketball, the boys and their friend Jenny (Spencer Locke) boldly go where no children have gone before.

In addition to well-paced storytelling, ‘Monster House’ invests time and care in the characters so that they feel like believable individuals with real emotional issues. On the brink of adolescence, DJ and Chowder find that their whole world is changing, and that’s almost as scary as anything that might lurk behind the doors of the monster house.

Naturally, when they do enter the house the filmmakers ensure that all hell breaks loose before returning the film to more personal issues. if you are a fan of Tim Burton films like ‘Edward Scissorhands’, then ‘Monster House’ is not to be missed.

Nationwide release
Director: Gil Kenan
Screenwriters: Dan Harmon, Rob Schrab, Pamela Pettler
Vocal talents: Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke, Steve Buscemi, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Certificate: PG
Running time: 91 mins
Country: USA
Year: 2006

© Allan Hunter, 2006