Incredibly cute and stunningly beautiful, The Boxtrolls are going to steal your heart. Now, I don’t watch a lot of cartoons but this one just kept on calling to me. Hey, we’re different and creative and good, check us out! So, I had to do something. Based on the novel Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow, this is a stop-motion feature film, just like Coraline and ParaNorman. If you’ve seen them, you know what I’m talking about.
Just thinking about how much goes into one scene makes you appreciate it even more. And when you’re making that type of movie you better have a great script and main story. And The Boxtrolls do, taking us back to our childhood while exploring different issues. At least when it comes to us grown-ups. Some of them are even a bit darker and intellectual, giving you something to think about. However, there’s plenty of content here for kids too.
Welcome to the town of Cheesebridge where there is only one problem on everyone’s minds: The Boxtrolls! If you thought that the citizens would be concerned about the corrupt mayor, useless elite, and other problems, you would be wrong. The Boxtrolls have been the menace of Cheesebridge ever since they took and ate one of the babies from the hospital.
Archibald Snatcher, a pest exterminator is a man who sees them as his ticket to the world of high class. If he catches all of the Boxtrolls he will be awarded a title and a white hat, a symbol of wealth and power. There is only one man who stands between him and his reward. His name is Eggs and he’s a Boxtroll….
The characters are quirky and weird but the world they inhabit resembles our own. And we could learn a lot from The Boxtrolls. After all, they stood up and fought the injustices they were facing. And here we are, still living in broken democracies or even worse systems. It reminded me of another animated movie, $9.99 released in 2008 although you should know that’s not a movie for kids.
Moving on, I also have to add that the voice acting was simply terrific. Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Ben motherfucking Kingsley brought to life these animated characters with style and passion. I think it not only rivals the best Pixar movies but that it’s even better than them in some aspects.
With its Burtonesque dark atmosphere and an educational story, The Boxtrolls will be interesting for both kids and adults. Day after I saw it, I was on a beer run when I saw an empty box on a street. “Well, there’s your problem, The Boxtrolls have taken over the city!” I thought, and after that, I got that good feeling when you know that there is someone out there in the world, who thinks like you…
Directors: Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi
Writers: Irena Brignull, Adam Pava, Alan Snow, Anthony Stacchi, Phil Dale, Vera Brosgol
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Jared Harris, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Tracy Morgan, Simon Pegg, Elle Fanning
Fun Facts: More than 20,000 props were handmade for the movie.
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787474/
