ParaNorman

ParaNorman 

Director: Chris Butler and Sam Fell

Written By: Chris Butler 

Photography: Tristan Oliver

Staring: Kodi Smit McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick

Year: 2012

Country: USA

 From Laika Entertainment, the people who brought you stop-animated features such as Corpse Bride and Caroline, comes ParaNorman; a big-hearted adventure-horror for the Family. 

 Norman Babcock, who lives in the town of Blithe Hollow, is an outcast; called 'Abnorman' in his school because of his unique gift to see and speak to the dead. When a Witch's curse is put over the town and zombies rise from the ground, only Norman can help to restore things to the equilibrium.

    

 It would have a made a brilliant movie for Halloween, it's strange then that it came out at the end of summer. I guess it didn't feel it could compete with the other two animated horror-themed children's movies coming out in October, Tim Burton's Frankenweenie and Hotel Transylvania. 

 It nice to see in a world full of CGI animation movies the likes of  Shrek, that stop-motion animation that still hold strong. The Gothic and exaggerated look of the film has been compared to the work of Tim Burton, which is fair, but I can assure you that ParaNorman is better than anything Tim Burton has made in nearly 10 years.   

 The character's are all rounded and interesting and the voice work fits each one perfectly. Casey Affleck plays dim jock, Christopher Mintz-Plasse plays the school bully. Leslie Mann  and Jeff Garlin play Norman's parents and  Anna Kendrick  plays the sister all to great effect.  

 The controversial inclusion of a gay character was a brave one and a progressive one, but there's a part of me that thinks it may have just been added for comic relief.   

 ParaNorman gives genuine laughs throughout and, possibly, for some of the younger viewers, genuine scars. 

Score: 3/5       

Up In The Air

Up In The Air 

Director: Jason Reitman 
Written By: Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner
Photography: Eric Steelberg 
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. 
Year: 2009
Country: USA

 Up In The Air takes American Smart Cinema to a whole new level of class and sophistication. 

 The film starts with a soul/funk cover of Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land by Sharon Jones, which is a song I like, but in the contexts of the opening credits it felt really dreary, so I sat back in my seat expecting a dreadful flight. The first joke of the film is a stewardess saying to George Clooney's character, Jake "Can, Sir?" which he hears as 'Cancer'. 'Oh, God' I thought 'If all the jokes are this bad, I'm going to really hate this film' 

 Fortunately, all the bad jokes were declared at arrival and Up In The Air turns out to be a sweet, enjoyable treat with just that right measurements of comedy and romance. 

 Ryan Bingham is what's know as a Downsizer; he is someone hired by big companies to fire their employees. This profession requires him to fly all across the States and spends most of his life travelling first-class via plane and sleeping alone in five-star hotel rooms - A life he enjoys very much. As well as this he's also a motivational speaker of the Tony Robbins variety. His shtick is that in life you should keep moving, any attachments or possessions you acquire along the way only weigh you down. Ryan's ideal life is in trouble when his company wants to introduce a new GLOCAL strategy, doing the same job, but via webcam in their offices.   

 Jason Bateman plays Ryan's boss in the film. I always enjoy watching Bateman, he's not a great actor but I get some good Arrested Development nostalgia from seeing him. Anna Kendrick fits the role perfectly as a determined post-feminist newbie under Jake's wing. And Vera Farmiga is great too as the love interest, who's basically a female-jake.     

 Zach Galifianakis also makes a small memorable appearance. But the most minor role and possible best performance of the film comes from J.K. Simons. Really makes you question why there isn't an Oscar category for best minor role. 

 Based on a book by the same name by Walter Kim, Up In The Air was co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, son of Ghostbusters' director Ivan Reitman.  Up In The Air isn't as indie or pretentious as Reitman's previous film Juno (Which contrary to what i just said, I did enjoy) it's closer to his début feature, Thank You For Smoking. 

 The film loses its nihilistic persona about half way through the second act and starts to grow a heart, which may leave cynics feeling a little cheated.   

With most of the film taking place in Airports, the film looks stylish, clean and modern. Up In The Air is  timely piece that makes for a pleasant flight. Some occasional strong language and some explicit sexting may meet the disapproval of George Clooney  fan club members who have an mean age of 70, but Up In The Air should have something for everyone over the certificated age.    

  Score: 4/5