Coraline, the debut feature of the stop-motion studio Laika, was a modest hit in 2009, earning just over $75 million in the U.S.. But over the years, the macabre coming-of-age tale earned cult status, and when Fathom Events put it back in theaters last summer, it made another $33 million — a total that’s basically unheard of for most modern re-releases. So it’s no surprise that Laika is hoping a revival of ParaNorman, its follow-up to Coraline and a similarly horror-tinged teen tale, may strike similar gold. ParaNorman is certainly good enough to recommend.
Remastered for RealD 3D and 2D formats, Laika plans to re–release ParaNorman for a one-week theatrical run in the lead up to Halloween (which, bless, is on a party-friendly Friday this year). The film will also run with a new short, The Thrifting, directed by Laika’s lead character designer Thibault LeClercq and written by Chris Butler, who directed ParaNorman. The short stars Anna Kendrick, who co-starred in the original movie, and Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard, who was only 10 when ParaNorman came out!
ParaNorman is a treat for zombie buffs and anyone with a taste for old 1950s B-movies. In the movie, 11-year-old Norman (Kodi-Smit McPhee) discovers he can speak to the dead, and is quickly tasked by the ghost of his wacky uncle to undo a witch’s curse that plagues his town. With a ragtag team of kids, Norman embarks on an Amblin-esque adventure that Laika pushes to the very edge of spoopy. The stop-motion animation is deliriously elaborate and colorful.
If you are too much of a scaredy cat for this year’s R-rated horror movies or want to tiptoe into becoming a horror person, ParaNorman is a wonderful alternative. The 3D re-release opens on Oct. 25.
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