Title: ParaNorman

Year Released/Rating: 2012 PG

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Directed By: Chris Butler, Sam Fell

Written By: Chris Butler

Genre: Animation, Adventure

Star Rating: 5/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Trivia:

During the last few weeks leading up to the film's release, Laika sent 49 packages to 49 people (including Neil Gaiman and Kevin Smith). Each package consisted of a wooden crate from "Blithe Hollow" full of "grave dirt" which recipients had to dig through to unearth a coffin. Inside the coffin was one of the seven cursed zombies, complete with background information and name.
Save for Judge Hopkins, the seven cursed zombies are not referred to by name, but they did have names: the aforementioned Judge Hopkins, Eben Hardwick, Thaddeus Blackton, Lemuel Spalding, Amelia Wilcot, Goodie Temper, and Wile London.
The story is set in the town of Blithe Hollow, whose name is a mash-up of two other ghost stories: Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit and Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Summary: A misunderstood boy takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.

Review:

How did I miss this movie? This is the cutest, most inventive animated film that I've seen in a long time. I love the style, the storyline, the characters. I loved everything about it. I must caution that it is not for the faint of heart. It may be animated, but it's rated PG for a reason. There are some great scares in this one. Plus you get witches, zombies, and ghosts. What more could you ask for?

Best Bits:

Norman Babcock: I'd like to be alone.
Neil: So do I! Let's do this together!
Neil: Don't make me throw this hummus... it's spicy!
Mr. Prenderghast: Pssstttt, you know who I am? Neil: The weird stinky old bum who lives up the hill? Mr. Prenderghast: [Points at Norman] I was asking him!
Courtney: Mom, tell the Zombie to stop saying stuff about me!
Neil: Can you see my dog, Bub? He was hit by an animal rescue van. Tragic and ironic.