Movie: Monster House

	Studios:	Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group
	Release:	July 21, 2006
	Genre:	Kids/Family and Animation
	MPAA Rating:	PG for scary images and sequences, thematic elements, some crude humor and brief language.

Compared to recent animated movies that rely heavily on cheeky jokes and references to people or events outside of the movie (translate: current events or past fads), the dialogue of Monster House refreshingly remains centered on events happening within the movie.

It doesn't aim to make the most number of jokes/gags either. There are funny characters and funny moments, but this movie really aims to scare. It wouldn't scare you out of you wits though, the fear factor here is on the mild side of the scale.

If you're looking for pure/all jokes fun, this movie isn't for you. If you're after major scares, this movie isn't for you either. If you loved reading those mystery/horror books for kids, or enjoyed episodes in Twilight Zone that were mildly scary, then you'd probably like this movie. I did.

The main character, DJ, is a pre-pubescent boy whose pre-occupation with spying on the scary house across the street borders on unhealthy obsession. When he actually witnesses the house gobbling up people, few are inclined to believe him. Standing by his side on his quest to uncover the truth, and maybe even save the neighborhood, is his best friend Chowder, and the prep girl Jenny who ends up joining the two boys after they saved her from the house itself.

The kids' main suspect as the person behind all those gobbled up people is the lone occupant of the scary house: Old Man Nebberccracker, who has earned fame as the meanest man in town. He doesn't like anybody going near the house, and has taken lengths to scare away people.

In a stunning twist to the tale, the real antagonist is the house itself: which is actually possessed by the spirit of Nebberccracker's dead wife. The children realize that the old man is actually protecting people in his efforts to scare them away from the house. I found the back story as to why the wife has chosen to haunt a house lovely, and how the children find out the truth is well written/executed in my opinion.

In the end, Nebberccracker and the kids cooperate to end the nightmare by killing the house. This could only be done by extinguishing the fire which in this case is the house's heart.

All ends well - the house "dies", people are saved, and Nebbercracker turns out to be a really nice neighbor when he's not worrying about an angry ghost-possessed house.