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MONSTER HOUSE (2006) (***1/2)

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The big surprise of the summer thus far is just how fun MONSTER HOUSE is. Made with honesty and originality, the film is everything one can ask for in great entertainment.

DJ (Mitchel Musso, TV’s AVATAR) has been keeping close eye on his crotchety old neighbor, Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi, DESPERADO), for some time. The old man is obsessed with keeping everything and everybody off his lawn. He’s a neighborhood legend. When DJ’s immature best friend Chowder (Sam Lerner, ENVY) losses his new basketball onto Nebbercracker’s yard, DJ risks the wrath of the mean man to retrieve it. This event triggers a series of incidents that make DJ believe that Nebbercracker’s house has come alive and has begun eating people.

DJ’s parents have left town and he’s under the watch of his badass babysitter Zee (Maggie Gyllenhaal, SECRETARY), who is dating the spacey, metal head Bones (Jason Lee, TV’s MY NAME IS EARL). They have little time for his crazy notions about monster houses. DJ and Chowder watch the house attentively from a far, but they are drawn into the action when a pretty girl named Jenny (Spencer Locke, SPANGLISH) makes the mistake of venturing up to the mysterious house. The kids know that they have to stop the hungry house, but don’t know how to do it. They end up seeking the advice of the older comicbook geek, know-it-all Skull (Jon Heder, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE) and receive little help from the local police officers Landers (Kevin James, HITCH) and Lister (Nick Cannon, ROLL BOUNCE).

Though I felt DJ was too much the undistinguishable “hero boy” and Jenny was simply the love interest, the film makes us care about these characters because it gets their tween age perfectly right. Puberty, especially on television, isn’t portrayed very well. This film understands the age when kids are a little bit children and a little bit adult. Most of the film’s laughs are from the human elements between DJ, Chowder and Jenny.

Additionally, the film doesn’t water down or get PC about the spooky subject matter. It’s a PG film, but there are legit scares and tension. It’s not for smaller kids. When it comes to the tension, it’s quite impressive that we become anxious even though we pretty much know how things are going to end. It’s because we care about these characters and don’t want to see them in harm’s way.

The performances are all wonderful. The film isn’t a straight animated film. It’s motion capture. The actors are put in special suits and perform their roles while a computer collects the data of their movements. Because the technology is better and the characters are pushed to a more cartoony realm, the film doesn’t have any of the strange, eerie quality that the motion captured POLAR EXPRESS had. Heder and Lee make great impressions in their small roles. But Lerner’s Chowder steals the show. The young actor’s timing (probably aided by the animators a bit) is amazing.

The design of the house is great, bringing a fun mix of creepiness and comedy. MONSTER HOUSE is also the funniest film I’ve seen so far this year. Director Gil Kenan, who landed his post via his student film , is the real deal. He’s not just a technical wizard, but a talented storyteller as well. Few other animated films come to mind when thinking of this one. It’s original. In some ways, it reminded me of GOONIES. Out of all the summer movies I’ve seen this year, this is the best and the one I’d encourage everyone to definitely see. Plus, it’s screening on IMAX in 3-D, which I’m sure will be an amazing experience to behold.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks