Monster House
By John Sheridan, Blockbuster.co.uk

Steve Buscemi, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jon Heder and Jason Lee lend their voices to this wonderful motion capture CGI animation. Basically a family friendly version of Poltergeist where kids have to escape a creepy house across the street that has taken on a life of its own; Monster House is a great movie with enough to appeal to kids and adults alike.

Twelve year old DJ Walters (Mitchel Musso), enjoys spying on his neighbour across the street – a strange old man (Steve Buscemi), who apparently hates children, and whose house appears to be eerily alive… sucking in any stray basketball or toy that lands on its front lawn. He tells his parents about his suspicions about the old man and the house, but, his parents refuse to believe him. His parents leave DJ in the care of their babysitter Zee (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and go off for the weekend.

DJ’s best friend is Skull (Jon Heder), a chubby, video game obsessed youth, more interested in Trick or Treating than investigating the house across the street. This changes however, when Jenny (Spencer Locke–Bonney), the girl that they both like is nearly swallowed by the house as she is in the process of selling Halloween candy for her school.

The kids ring for the police who arrive on the scene, only to arrest them for wasting their time. As they are about to be driven to the Police Station however, the Police car that they are being held in is picked up by the house, that is using trees as hands… and it swallows the car whole. Breaking free, the kids have to make their way though the house and find a way out before it’s too late.

All in all, a great family film from first time director Gil Kenan with plenty of ‘in jokes’ to appeal to adults as well. Well worth a watch, add to your list now.

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