My review of Monster House:

MONSTER HOUSE, There Goes the Neighbourhood.

Directed by: Gil Kenan
Cast: Mitchel Musso (DJ), Sam Lerner (Chowder), Spencer Locke (Jenny), Steve Buscemi (Nebbercracker), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Zee), and Jason Lee (Bones).

Fluke Spook

“Little Girl: Hello Fence!”

If animated movies were getting just too animated for you, thank god for Monster House. This 91-minute take on an urban Halloween legend, is loads of fun to watch. The story is simple. DJ (Mitchel Musso) is a kid who lives across the street from a spooky house, owned by a spookier neighbour, Mr. Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi, ‘Tony Blundetto-Sopranos’). Mr. Nebbercracker has a secret he doesn’t want to share. No one’s allowed onto his property. DJ and his friend Chowder (Sam Lerner) get them selves into serious trouble with Mr. Spooky Neighbour. They end up investigating the haunted house, with Jenny (Spencer Locke), the crush at the moment, and the non-stop spooks keep getting better. A haunted house, three inquisitive kids, several unbelieving adults, and two outrageously stupid neighbourhood cops, what more could you ask for in a Halloween movie. The movie outdoes most of the other ‘real’ horror films we’ve seen recently. It actually keeps you interested. Watch out for the simply adorable Chowder, trying to be all ‘man’ with Jenny, and really bizarre characters like Bones (Jason Lee), and Reginald Skulinski (Jon Heder). The movie scores on the animated characters looking almost alive; all thanks to 3D motion capture technique. What really makes the movie click however, is the innocence that animated movies lost long ago. If you’re in for a total weekend entertainer, about a house that ‘mocks you with its houseness’, Monster House is your perfect family treat.

PS. Keep really small kids at home, it is scary!

Published on 4th Nov, Page 10, MiDDAY Bangalore.