Family Friendly Pick: ParaNorman (2012)
For a family film to really work for everyone, it has to entertain a group ranging from a spazzy 6-year-old to an attentive and thoughtful parent. Companies like Pixar have nailed this dichotomy, crafting works that are colorful and funny for kids while also presenting plenty of food for thought for the adults in the audience.
However, one company that doesn’t get enough recognition for doing the same thing is Laika, the team behind the mediocre Coraline and, more importantly, the absolutely fantastic ParaNorman, which has been gracing the small screen on Netflix for a while now. It’s easy to see how the film would be a hard sell in the mainstream, seeing as it’s a stop-motion horror comedy aimed at families, but if you give it a chance, you’ll be amazed at how well every audience demographic is entertained.
The film follows Norman, a young boy who is ostracized because he has the power to see the dead all around him. After a slight mishap with his dying uncle awakens the dead founders of the town who were cursed by a witch they killed, Norman must band together with some newfound friends and his sister to save the town from a roving group of zombies.
The story is much more entertaining and earnest than that summary can detail, and believe it or not, contains an awesome message for kids and parents alike about accepting everyone for who they are. Sure, it’s a corny message that’s been told before, but ParaNorman knocks it out of the park with humor, jaw-dropping stop motion and tons of heart. The inclusion of one of the first openly gay characters in a family cartoon makes this a truly modern work that tackles timeless issues.
While ParaNorman didn’t kill at the box-office and was snubbed by the Academy for Best Animated Feature (Brave won that year over both this and Wreck-It Ralph), it’s still a treat that can be enjoyed on Netflix for the foreseeable future. If you’re looking for a family film that actually engages all age groups, you can’t do much better.