Monster House

I've seen quite a lot of films this summer, but only one was in 3D. Monster House was a great opportunity to sit in a dark, air conditioned environment, eat raisinettes, and wear nifty glasses. I saw this film in "Real D" (uses a single digital projector instead of the traditional two projector system), and the graphics were fantastic. The effect was less like hands reaching out and poking your eye (traditional 3D) and more like peering into a giant, three-dimensional diorama. A single autumn leaf drifting through the trees was a feast for the eyes- and the kids in the row behind me (who were hopped up on more than raisinettes) went nuts during this sequence.

Now, past the obvious coolness of great digital animation and Real D technology, we get to the story. There, the film faltered a little.

Don't get me wrong. The set-up was cool. Halloween, cursed house that comes alive, parents gone on vacation. It had all the makings of a really fun story. And fun was had. But my credibility was stretched to the breaking point. Now, I'm not talking about believability. I'm willing to suspend my belief pretty far in a world where a house can loll its red carpet tongue onto the front lawn and eat the neighborhood dog. But credibility talks about how the story behaves according to the rules of the make-believe universe. Do characters behave and events unfold in a way consistent with the rules established in the world?

If you're in the mood for some funny glasses and candy, go see for yourself and tell me what you think. I would say that the climax of the film relied on coincidence, that characters behaved in ways inconsistent with their abilities and special skills, and that the jaded babysitter so critical to the opening scenes of the movie faded away and disappeared without a whimper when her plot-device service was done.

But seriously, if you're a fan of computer graphics and digital 3D, don't let a few story flaws stand in the way of enjoying a beautifully animated film!