- Film Review
- Reviewed By Alan Jones
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4 out of 5
A misunderstood 11-year-old boy sees dead people in this delightfully quirky animated horror comedy that excels in both of its genres. Norman Babcock (voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a loner whose supernatural gifts make it hard for him to fit in. But he has to come to terms with his abilities after he discovers that his legacy is to break a witch's curse that has been hanging over his small New England town for 300 years. Co-directors Sam Fell and Chris Butler use superb stop-motion craftsmanship, solid storytelling, fantastic character development and clever humour to capture the look and atmosphere of classic horror films. Despite the subject matter, things always remain family friendly: kids will love the scary, spooky antics while adults can appreciate the references to the likes of Halloween and Friday the 13th. The thrilling finale is a terrific blend of heartfelt emotion, surreal visuals and inventive ghostly spectacle, and the film's timeless message - a fundamental plea for humanity in the face of monstrous fears - is put across in wonderfully ghoulish and surprising ways.
Plot Summary
A misunderstood boy is able to communicate with ghosts haunting his neighbourhood, but no one else believes they exist. When a curse placed on the town by a witch centuries ago causes zombies to rise from the grave, it falls to the youngster to avert disaster. Animated adventure, with the voices of Kodi Smit-McPhee and John Goodman.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Norman Babcock
- Kodi Smit-McPhee
- Neil
- Tucker Albrizzi
- Courtney
- Anna Kendrick
- Mitch
- Casey Affleck
- Alvin
- Christopher Mintz-Plasse
- Sandra Babcock
- Leslie Mann
- Perry Babcock
- Jeff Garlin
- Mr Prenderghast
- John Goodman
- Grandma
- Elaine Stritch
- Aggie
- Jodelle Ferland
- The judge
- Bernard Hill
- Sheriff Hooper
- Tempestt Bledsoe
Crew
- Director
- Chris Butler
- Director
- Sam Fell
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