ParaNorman

The movie has life in its veins and a good heart: the story becomes a delicate fairytale.

Anyone who's robust enough to enjoy Roald Dahl will surely appreciate ParaNorman's playfully PG undead action.

There's no meat on the bone of this skeleton. Witty and fast-paced, sure, but the film lacks substance.

The main plot - about combating a witch's curse - is less fun than the gothic gags on the margins.

It's an engaging entertainment, with a solidly constructed storyline.

Tweens, rather than children, will savour its snarky bite, although like the shambling on-screen cadavers, the story needed a bit more meat on its bones.

Successfully balancing knockabout comedy and spooky chills, this stop-motion-animation fantasy... is a treat for kids and horror buffs alike and contains a heartening message: don’t mistreat misfits.

Not only an effective gateway-horror for kids, it has genuine laughs and genuine frights, making for a spooky enough adventure for audiences of all ages.

It has deservedly become a go-to movie for horror fans of all ages to watch together during spooky season.

With plenty of hilarious gags, horror movie references, and a general air of being engineered for anyone not in the mainstream, ParaNorman is bound to become a cult favorite.