ParaNorman is a surprisingly good family film. I did not know what to expect going in to it, but it is quite an intelligent and moving film about a kid who sees dead people. There's a nice moral to the story, which makes it appropriate for kids, yet there is enough going on for adults to keep them interested too. There are ghosts, witches, zombies and monsters in the film, which some people might think is inappropriate for kids, but kids love to be scared, and in the end [SPOILER!] everything is explained in a way that will make kids feel fine.
The cast is fantastic, especially the child actors. The animation is also interesting; the film was shot stop-motion using a Canon 5D, but it does not look cheap at all, it's actually beautifully done.
There is one throw-away line at the end of the film that [SPOILER!] reveals one of the characters to be gay. It's a silly joke; I think we are way past the point where it's funny to find out a character is gay, but it seems to have ticked off a lot of viewers who think mention of sexuality is inappropriate in a children's film. I don't think it's inappropriate. They don't mention sex at all; one of the characters mentions having a boyfriend. That's it. I'm not sure how that can get people upset. (The character, by the way, is a self-centered moron. That's more offensive than being gay.)
I do recommend this film highly, I think most people will like it.
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