Laika’s ‘ParaNorman’ Prents First Openly Gay Animated Character – IndieWire

Contents:

• 'PARANORMAN’S' MCH: THE FIRST FAY-FRIENDLY GAY ANIMATED CHARACTER
• ‘PARANORMAN’ MA HISTORY WH ANIMATN’S FIRST-EVER OPENLY GAY HIMBO 10 YEARS AGO TODAY
• WHY PARANORMAN FEATURED THE FIRST GAY CHARACTER AN ANIMATED FILM
• MCH DOWNE FROM "PARANORMAN" IS AWOME GAY REPRENTATN
• LAIKA’S ‘PARANORMAN’ PRENTS FIRST OPENLY GAY ANIMATED CHARACTER
• WHY PARANORMAN FEATURED THE FIRST GAY CHARACTER AN ANIMATED FILM
• 'PARANORMAN' SLIPS FIRST GAY ANIMATED CHARACTER
• PARANORMAN CREATORS DISCS THEIR GROUNDBREAKG GAY CHARACTER
• 'PARANORMAN' FEATUR GAY JOCK, AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE
• ‘PARANORMAN’ FILMMAKERS ON OUTG THE GAY JOCK MCH
• ‘PARANORMAN’ AT 10: A SPOOKY, PROGRSIVE ANIMATED TRAILBLAZER BY RENDY JON PUBLISHED AUGT 22, 2022 ENTERTAMENT FOX TV DIGAL TEAM SHARE COPY LK EMAIL FACEBOOK TWTER LKEDIN REDD ARTICLE SCREENSHOT: “PARANORMAN” BROOKLYN, NY - HOW DO YOU PICK AMONG THE 40,000 MOVI AND TV SERI STREAMG FOR EE ON TUBI? OUR NEW FEATURE "TUBI-VERSARY" IS HERE TO HELP! HERE FILM JOURNALIST RENDY JON SGS THE PRAIS OF THE 2012 STOP-MOTN ANIMATED ADVENTURE EDY "PARANORMAN," WHICH MARKS S 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS MONTH, AND IS CURRENTLY STREAMG FOR EE ON TUBI. TEN YEARS AGO, OREGON-BASED STOP-MOTN ANIMATN STUD LAIKA RELEASED THEIR SOPHOMORE FEATURE, "PARANORMAN."DURG THE SUMMER OF 2012, THE OPTNS FOR KID-IENDLY ANIMATED FEATUR WERE LIMED, RANGG OM TOOTHLS SEQUELS SUCH AS THE FOURTH "ICE AGE" STALLMENT TO "BRAVE," THE TROUBLED PRODUCTN HISTORY OF WHICH IS APPARENT THE FILM’S FAL CUT. WH THAT MOVIE-GOG LANDSPE, "PARANORMAN" BURST OUT OF THE GATE WH APPARNAL FORCE. DIRECTORS SAM FELLAND CHRIS BUTLER’S ORIGAL, FAY-IENDLY HORROR-EDY FAY FLICK IS A PASSNATE O TO ’80S HORROR LEGENDS LIKE STEPHEN KG AND JOHN CARPENTER. BUT ’S MORE THAN A NOSTALGIC TRIBUTE: IT ALSO FOUND ROOM FOR A PELLG THEME OF TOLERANCE UNLIKE ANYTHG ELSE WILY AVAILABLE TO KIDS AT THE TIME. RELATED: FREE FAY MOVIE NIGHT: ‘THE BOXTROLLS’ IS AN UNRRATED, ODDBALL GEM SET THE SALEM-SPIRED TOWN OF BLHE HOLLOW, MA, THE FILM FOLLOWS NORMAN BABCK (KODI SM-MCPHEE), AN 11-YEAR-OLD WHO HAS A A GIFT —A GEIC SIXTH SENSE THAT ALLOWS HIM TO SPEAK TO THE AD. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT SKILL HAS MA HIM AN OUTST, A MISUNRSTOOD LONER, NSTANTLY BULLIED AT SCHOOL AND AT HOME. A DISTANT UNCLE (JOHN GOODMAN) HAS PASSED A TORCH TO NORMAN, LEAVG HIM WH THE DUTY TO KEEP AN ANCIENT WCH AT BAY. BUT THE WCH’S CURSE TO UN, AND SOON ZOMBI RISE OM THE AD AND WREAK HAVOC THE TOWN. NORMAN NEEDS ALLI, BANDG TOGETHER WH SNOOTY OLR SISTER COURTNEY (ANNA KENDRICK), SCHOOL BULLY ALV (CHRISTOPHER MTZ-PLASSE), LOYAL IEND NEIL (TUCKER ALBRIZZI) AND NEIL’S OLR BROTHER MCH (CASEY AFFLECK) TO SAVE THE DAY. WATCH FREE ON TUBI: "PARANORMAN" — GET THE APP WHILE THE FILM MAY NOT HAVE MET LAIKA’S EXPECTATNS TERMS OF BOX OFFICE NUMBERS — MA $52 LN AT THE U.S. BOX OFFICE, WELL SHY OF S BUDGET OF $60 LN — "PARANORMAN" WAS EVENTUALLY AND RIGHTLY HERALD AS THE UNRRATED STOP-MOTN GEM IS. FROM A VISUAL STANDPOT, ’S AS SPELLBDG AS EVERY LAIKA FLICK HAS BEEN TO DATE. THE CLOSE-UP SHOTS OF THE HUMAN AND ZOMBIE MOLS SHOWSE FASCATGLY TAILED FLH-LIKE TEXTUR. EVEN BY TODAY’S STANDARDS, IS JAW-DROPPGLY GEO. THE FLUENCE OF THE ‘80S ISN’T FELT MERELY THE FILM REFERENTIAL MOMENTS EHER. IN THE FILM’S THE LD OPEN, NORMAN’S MOM ASKS HIM WHAT HE’S WATCHG ON TV; HE RPONDS WH A NONCHALANT "SEX AND VLENCE," FORHADOWG A HUMORO STREAK OF DARKNS THAT SHOULD REMD OLR VIEWERS OF A TIME WHEN MOVI EARNED THEIR PG RATGS.  THE CROP OF LIGHT-HEARTED FAY-ORIENTED FILMS BEG RELEASED ALONGSI "PARANORMAN" MA LAIKA’S CREATN A BREATH OF SPOOKY, GOTHIC H AIR. BUT S DARG IS PRENT NEARLY ALL OF THE FILM’S FACETS, OM S PACIFISTIC MSAGE TO S GROUNDBREAKG LGBTQ REPRENTATN — THEM WOVEN TO A NARRATIVE THAT CLEVERLY RPORAT THE SALEM WCH TRIALS AS A MEANS TO EXPLORE S TIMELY ANTI-BULLYG MSAGE. (IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN "PARANORMAN" AND WANT TO SEE WHOUT KNOWG ANY OF S SURPRIS, STOP READG HERE.) SCREENSHOT: "PARANORMAN" EVENTUALLY THE FILM REVEALS THAT THE 300-YEAR-OLD CURSED WCH WAS JT A LTLE GIRL ABOUT NORMAN’S AGE, OUT FOR REVENGE AGAST HER ACCERS — HENCE THE ZOMBIFITN. "PARANORMAN" JUXTAPOS THOSE CEL AND FEARFUL TOWNSFOLK WH THOSE WHO ARE TORMENTG NORMAN OVER HIS ABILI. THE ALLEGORY, WHICH HG ON THE VILE ACTNS HUMANS TAKE OUT OF FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN, IS NVEYED BETIFULLY THROUGH THE MOVIE’S BIG REVEAL OF THE YOUNG WCH AGGIE. AND ’S BROUGHT HOME BY NORMAN'S SUBSEQUENT SPEECH TO THE TOWN, WHICH WILL CHALLENGE VIEWERS WHO ARE HANT OR UNWILLG TO ACCEPT OTHERS' DIFFERENC. WATCH FREE ON TUBI: LAIKA’S FIRST SPOOKY STOP-MOTN ANIMATED FEATURE, "CORALE" — GET THE APP "PARANORMAN" TOOK A BIG SWG WH S MSAGE OF ACCEPTANCE — BUT THE REAL HOME N WAS MA WH THE CHARACTER MCH. IN A TIME WHEN MANY WERE BEGGG DISNEY TO MAKE GREATER STRIS WH LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN THEIR FEATUR (A PLEA THAT’S STILL BEG MA), LAIKA BROKE NEW GROUND. THROUGHOUT THE FILM, NORMAN’S SISTER COURTNEY SWOONS OVER THE STRAPPG MCH; THEN, WH A SGLE LE THE FILM’S CLOSG ACT, LAIKA MA CEMA HISTORY: "YOU'RE GONNA LOVE MY BOYIEND," MCH TELLS COURTNEY. "HE’S A TOTAL CHICK-FLICK NUT."  BY TODAY’S STANDARDS, ’S A THROWAWAY REVEAL THE FILM'S FAL MUT. BUT 2012, WHEN LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN CHILDREN’S MEDIA WAS ALL BUT NON-EXISTENT, WAS HUGE — AND NOW TO MANY, INIC. MCH WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER FEATURED A MASTREAM KIDS' MOVIE, AND AT THE TIME WAS REVOLUTNARY. THOUGH THE REVEAL HAPPENS A TOSSED OFF PUNCHLE, WAS EXECUTED GOOD FAH, AND SO STILL FEELS TIMELY. (COURTNEY'S DISAPPOTMENT THAT HER DREAM GUY IS TAKEN IS A NICE PIECE OF IC PUNCTUATN TOO.) SCREENSHOT: "PARANORMAN" MUCH LIKE THE LEAD HIMSELF, "PARANORMAN" FIED THE NVENTNS OF THE "FAY MOVIE," AND STEAD DARED TO BE DIFFERENT. IT’S DARK WH A B OF AN EDGE AND ISN’T AAID TO GO THE EXTRA E BY NORMALIZG PEOPLE'S UNIQUE INTI — EVEN IF OTHERS DON’T CHOOSE TO UNRSTAND. IT RPORAT A MABRE ZOMBIE STORY TO HIGHLIGHT A THEME OF TOLERANCE AS BOUNDARY-PHG AS THE ANIMATN QUALY SELF. TO THIS DAY, LAIKA’S SEND FEATURE STANDS AS ONE OF THE BT THEIR TALOG, AND S WAY, 'S ONE OF THE MOST GROUNDBREAKG ANIMATED FILMS OF ALL TIME. "PARANORMAN" IS STREAMG FOR EE ON TUBI. RATED PG. 92 MUT. DIR: CHRIS BUTLER AND SAM FELL. FEATURG: KODI SM-MCPHEE, ANNA KENDRICK, CHRISTOPHER MTZ-PLASSE, TUCKER ALBRIZZI, CASEY AFFLECK, LLIE MANN, JEFF GARL, ELAE STRCH, BERNARD HILL, JOHN GOODMAN.  ABOUT THE WRER: RENDY JON IS A FILM AND TELEVISN JOURNALIST BASED BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. THEY ARE THE OWNER OF SELF-PUBLISHED OUTLET RENDY REVIEWS, A MEMBER OF THE CRICS CHOICE ASSOCIATN, AND GALECA. THEIR WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED VULTURE, THE DAILY BEAST, THEM AND CBC NEWS. MAKE A DOUBLE FEATURE WH "THE BOXTROLLS," ALSO STREAMG EE ON TUBI THE BOXTROLLS (2014): AT ONE POT "THE BOXTROLLS," A FILM OM THE STOP-MOTN ANIMATN STUD LAIKA, 10-YEAR-OLD WNIE (VOICED BY ELLE FANNG) ASKS HER NEW ACQUTANCE EGGS (ISAAC HEMPSTEAD WRIGHT) ABOUT HIS IENDS, THE BOXTROLLS. LEGEND HAS THAT THE SEWER-DWELLG TROLLS ARE QUE FEARSOME. IN REALY, THEY WEAR RDBOARD BOX AS CLOTH, STEAL BS OF SCRAP METAL THE NIGHT AND ARE ACTUALLY QUE IENDLY, EVEN MERRY. BUT WNIE DON’T KNOW THAT YET, AND HER HOP ARE HIGH. "DID THEY EAT YOUR FAY, AND DID THEY LET YOU WATCH?" SHE ASKS EAGERLY. EGGS EXPRS NFN, AND SHE HASTILY RRECTS HERSELF: "I MEAN, MAKE YOU WATCH." SHE ATTEMPTS TO RETURN HER MASK OF LADYLIKE PROPRIETY, BUT 'S CLEAR WHERE HER OBSSNS LIE. WNIE’S FASCATN WH THE MABRE — SHE’S HEARD ABOUT RIVERS OF BLOOD, AND PIL OF BON OM ALL THE BABI THE BOXTROLLS ARE SAID TO EAT — BE BOTH A FUNNY NNG GAG AND A NNY B OF CHARACTERIZATN THIS REHG, UNRRATED FILM. READ THE RT OF FILM CRIC JSE HASSENGER'S RETROSPECTIVE. RATED PG. 96 MUT. DIR: GRAHAM ANNABLE AND ANTHONY STACCHI. ALSO FEATURG BEN KGSLEY, JARED HARRIS, NICK FROST, RICHARD AYOA, STEVE BLUM, DEE BRADLEY BAKER, MAX MCHELL, TRACY MAN, NIKA FUTTERMAN, TONI COLLETTE, SIMON PEGG. "THE BOXTROLLS" IS STREAMG FOR EE ON TUBI — GET THE APP ABOUT TUBI: TUBI HAS MORE THAN 40,000 MOVI AND TELEVISN SERI OM OVER 250 NTENT PARTNERS, CLUDG EVERY MAJOR STUD, ADDN TO THE LARGT OFFERG OF EE LIVE LOL AND NATNAL NEWS CHANNELS STREAMG. THE PLATFORM GIV FANS OF ENTERTAMENT, NEWS AND SPORTS AN EASY WAY TO DISVER NEW NTENT THAT IS AVAILABLE PLETELY EE. TUBI IS AVAILABLE ON ANDROID AND IOS MOBILE VIC, AMAZON ECHO SHOW, GOOGLE NT HUB MAX, COMST XFY X1, COX CONTOUR, AND ON OTT VIC SUCH AS AMAZON FIRE TV, VIZ TVS, SONY TVS, SAMSUNG TVS, ROKU, APPLE TV, CHROMEST, ANDROID TV, PLAYSTATN 5, XBOX SERI X | S, AND SOON ON HISENSE TVS GLOBALLY. CONSUMERS N ALSO WATCH TUBI NTENT ON THE WEB AT . TUBI AND THIS TELEVISN STATN ARE BOTH OWNED BY THE FOX CORPORATN. BREAKING NEWS

'PARANORMAN’S' MCH: THE FIRST FAY-FRIENDLY GAY ANIMATED CHARACTER

In 2012, ParaNorman featured the first out gay character an Amerin, fay-targeted, animated theatril release.

This has lead to an crease of gay-tged humor and ambiguo characters.

The fact that an unabashedly gay character like Mch ma on the big screen speaks to a shift Amerin culture that is reflected s animatn.

‘PARANORMAN’ MA HISTORY WH ANIMATN’S FIRST-EVER OPENLY GAY HIMBO 10 YEARS AGO TODAY

In South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut, the characters Satan and Saddam Hse are gay lovers; and Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, the character Frylock clar himself a transsexual lbian trapped a man's body, and the end cred scene shows Frylock as a woman. This clus a greater potential for gay-tged humor or gay-d characters.

Gay-tged humor tends to be a short punch le or reference that has a gay-readg, but don’t affect the world or fe the sexualy of any of the characters. Gay-tged humor n also e the form of farcil homoerotic suatns between characters that are tablished as straight. This display of homoerotic humor preces a scene which both characters are shown beg attracted to sirens who have taken the form of betiful animals of their rpective speci, and is their attractn to the femal that leads to their advertent kiss.

WHY PARANORMAN FEATURED THE FIRST GAY CHARACTER AN ANIMATED FILM

In the se of gay-d characters, reliance on ambiguy allows for multiple readgs of a character. In the live actn film Thank God It’s Friday (1978) Kenny Friedman add a gay male uple to a background crowd of dancg straight upl. He found tt screengs that straight viewers did not notice while gay viewers did.

“Which is exactly what he wanted; he found that general dienc are unwillg to see gays and he ma easier for them. Bee the Big Bad Wolf is prented as an ambiguo character, the two uld be read as a gay uple - but they don’t have to be.

MCH DOWNE FROM "PARANORMAN" IS AWOME GAY REPRENTATN

One review mentned as a gay kiss 7. In this way gay dg works to a stud’s advantage. Ambiguy male characters, particularly male duos, has bee a wi enough regnized trope that bar the same name as the popular Saturday Night Live sketch, the "Ambiguoly Gay Duo.

” Other tim the qutns me the form of jt, like the Daily Show sketch that poked fun at a gay readg of the El Dorado characters 10. Eher way, the fact that a gay readg of the characters was brought up at all speaks to creasgly perceptive viewers.

” The fact that they the film didn’t make any pot about Bryony’s sexualy is part of why she pged some people’s gaydar, bee is so rare to have a female protagonist who is not overtly heterosexual. To many Mch as a gay character was seen as no more a danger to child viewers then a character like Harry Potter would be as a wizard. More movi released means the potential for more risk takg the typ of characters and stori, and gay-tged humor and gay-d characters have creasgly been met wh approval by dienc or at the very least acceptance by viewers who re ls about the sexualy of the characters and more about the narrativ.

LAIKA’S ‘PARANORMAN’ PRENTS FIRST OPENLY GAY ANIMATED CHARACTER

This is not to unrme what a monumental thg was to have Mch be gay.

WHY PARANORMAN FEATURED THE FIRST GAY CHARACTER AN ANIMATED FILM

ParaNorman is revolutnary, not jt bee mak the unspoken official – Gay characters n exist…Look there he is – but bee reflects our changg social valu.

But, for our purpos, ParaNorman also serv cred for s trailblazg cln of the genre’s first gay himbo character. Well before Disney began toutg “exclively gay moments, ” Laika did what no other stud had done before: It troduced the first openly gay character a mastream animated feature… who, y, also happened to be a sweet and brawny airhead.

Related: Behold the trope of the “unexpected gay” character.

'PARANORMAN' SLIPS FIRST GAY ANIMATED CHARACTER

We don’t get to see the movie date—we don’t even get to meet the boyiend—and there’s no other reference to the fact that Mch is gay. In retrospect, do feel pretty mimal, but, by simply cludg an out gay character, Laika did what Disney (or any other mastream animatn stud) didn’t have the nvictn to do at the time. By not publicizg this “gay moment” ahead of time, ParaNorman wasn’t h wh claims of queer-bag or met wh blowback for unr-liverg on expectatns.

But as the film’s wrer and -director Chis Butler—who is gay—se , Mch’s sexualy is jt part of the fabric of the movie’s story, one that’s all about tolerance:. Mch beg gay was one of them.

And, fally, gave gay himbos everywhere and all-too-rare example of posive on-screen reprentatn. As the DVD, Blu-Ray, and Ultravlet versns of ParaNorman today h stor and puters (and iPhon, if you get pocketBLU), we talked wh animatn's hottt dream team -- gay wrer/director Chris Butler and his (not gay) -creator, director Sam Fell -- abouttheir smash animated film. They also touch on The Breakfast Club, stop-motn animatn, and their so-lled gay agenda.

PARANORMAN CREATORS DISCS THEIR GROUNDBREAKG GAY CHARACTER

And all of that means there are spoilers for those of you who haven't seen the story of a bullied kid, a pack of zombi, an ancient curse, and a gay Advote: I believe that ParaNorman is the first mastream animated film wh a ma character who is gay. You look to your left there's the next set beg pated and you look to your right, there's a bunch of wigs beg veloped for a new character, so you're pletely immersed There's somethg liberatg as a director to actually pot at an object you're talkg about, rather than jt potg the fger at a Butler (left) and Sam FellI saw some of the small mols when I was at the premiere which was endlsly fascatg Mch, the gay character. I noticed a lot of parent blogs wrote somethg like, "Great film about tolerance, too bad had a gay character at the end.

I thk that one of the nservative punds had a piece soon after the film me out that said was only a matter of time before the gay muny targeted children wh films like ParaNorman. I thk they were tryg to say that you, Chris, beg gay, meant that this is part of your so-lled gay [Lghs] My sid agenda gettg out Sam, you also did Flhed Away, which is also this sort of ntemporary type of film which you didn't have to be a kid, or have a kid, to enjoy .

'PARANORMAN' FEATUR GAY JOCK, AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE

Gay reprentatn is out there, but to portray a character who's gay as a big, happy bte is a rare treat. And at the very end of the film, he’s revealed to be gay.

This mcled himbo is gay. He’s not effemate, he don’t lisp or do his nails — he’s almost the exact oppose of the old homosexual stereotype. Mch is a great gay reprentatn bee he rrectly reprents that gay people are people, and they have facets, differenc and don’t f to a tegory.

‘PARANORMAN’ FILMMAKERS ON OUTG THE GAY JOCK MCH

He really blasts away that le that too many of hear: “You don’t look gay!

Not that some gays aren’t effemate.

‘PARANORMAN’ AT 10: A SPOOKY, PROGRSIVE ANIMATED TRAILBLAZER BY RENDY JON PUBLISHED AUGT 22, 2022 ENTERTAMENT FOX TV DIGAL TEAM SHARE COPY LK EMAIL FACEBOOK TWTER LKEDIN REDD ARTICLE SCREENSHOT: “PARANORMAN” BROOKLYN, NY - HOW DO YOU PICK AMONG THE 40,000 MOVI AND TV SERI STREAMG FOR EE ON TUBI? OUR NEW FEATURE "TUBI-VERSARY" IS HERE TO HELP! HERE FILM JOURNALIST RENDY JON SGS THE PRAIS OF THE 2012 STOP-MOTN ANIMATED ADVENTURE EDY "PARANORMAN," WHICH MARKS S 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS MONTH, AND IS CURRENTLY STREAMG FOR EE ON TUBI. TEN YEARS AGO, OREGON-BASED STOP-MOTN ANIMATN STUD LAIKA RELEASED THEIR SOPHOMORE FEATURE, "PARANORMAN."DURG THE SUMMER OF 2012, THE OPTNS FOR KID-IENDLY ANIMATED FEATUR WERE LIMED, RANGG OM TOOTHLS SEQUELS SUCH AS THE FOURTH "ICE AGE" STALLMENT TO "BRAVE," THE TROUBLED PRODUCTN HISTORY OF WHICH IS APPARENT THE FILM’S FAL CUT. WH THAT MOVIE-GOG LANDSPE, "PARANORMAN" BURST OUT OF THE GATE WH APPARNAL FORCE. DIRECTORS SAM FELLAND CHRIS BUTLER’S ORIGAL, FAY-IENDLY HORROR-EDY FAY FLICK IS A PASSNATE O TO ’80S HORROR LEGENDS LIKE STEPHEN KG AND JOHN CARPENTER. BUT ’S MORE THAN A NOSTALGIC TRIBUTE: IT ALSO FOUND ROOM FOR A PELLG THEME OF TOLERANCE UNLIKE ANYTHG ELSE WILY AVAILABLE TO KIDS AT THE TIME. RELATED: FREE FAY MOVIE NIGHT: ‘THE BOXTROLLS’ IS AN UNRRATED, ODDBALL GEM SET THE SALEM-SPIRED TOWN OF BLHE HOLLOW, MA, THE FILM FOLLOWS NORMAN BABCK (KODI SM-MCPHEE), AN 11-YEAR-OLD WHO HAS A A GIFT —A GEIC SIXTH SENSE THAT ALLOWS HIM TO SPEAK TO THE AD. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT SKILL HAS MA HIM AN OUTST, A MISUNRSTOOD LONER, NSTANTLY BULLIED AT SCHOOL AND AT HOME. A DISTANT UNCLE (JOHN GOODMAN) HAS PASSED A TORCH TO NORMAN, LEAVG HIM WH THE DUTY TO KEEP AN ANCIENT WCH AT BAY. BUT THE WCH’S CURSE TO UN, AND SOON ZOMBI RISE OM THE AD AND WREAK HAVOC THE TOWN. NORMAN NEEDS ALLI, BANDG TOGETHER WH SNOOTY OLR SISTER COURTNEY (ANNA KENDRICK), SCHOOL BULLY ALV (CHRISTOPHER MTZ-PLASSE), LOYAL IEND NEIL (TUCKER ALBRIZZI) AND NEIL’S OLR BROTHER MCH (CASEY AFFLECK) TO SAVE THE DAY. WATCH FREE ON TUBI: "PARANORMAN" — GET THE APP WHILE THE FILM MAY NOT HAVE MET LAIKA’S EXPECTATNS TERMS OF BOX OFFICE NUMBERS — MA $52 LN AT THE U.S. BOX OFFICE, WELL SHY OF S BUDGET OF $60 LN — "PARANORMAN" WAS EVENTUALLY AND RIGHTLY HERALD AS THE UNRRATED STOP-MOTN GEM IS. FROM A VISUAL STANDPOT, ’S AS SPELLBDG AS EVERY LAIKA FLICK HAS BEEN TO DATE. THE CLOSE-UP SHOTS OF THE HUMAN AND ZOMBIE MOLS SHOWSE FASCATGLY TAILED FLH-LIKE TEXTUR. EVEN BY TODAY’S STANDARDS, IS JAW-DROPPGLY GEO. THE FLUENCE OF THE ‘80S ISN’T FELT MERELY THE FILM REFERENTIAL MOMENTS EHER. IN THE FILM’S THE LD OPEN, NORMAN’S MOM ASKS HIM WHAT HE’S WATCHG ON TV; HE RPONDS WH A NONCHALANT "SEX AND VLENCE," FORHADOWG A HUMORO STREAK OF DARKNS THAT SHOULD REMD OLR VIEWERS OF A TIME WHEN MOVI EARNED THEIR PG RATGS.  THE CROP OF LIGHT-HEARTED FAY-ORIENTED FILMS BEG RELEASED ALONGSI "PARANORMAN" MA LAIKA’S CREATN A BREATH OF SPOOKY, GOTHIC H AIR. BUT S DARG IS PRENT NEARLY ALL OF THE FILM’S FACETS, OM S PACIFISTIC MSAGE TO S GROUNDBREAKG LGBTQ REPRENTATN — THEM WOVEN TO A NARRATIVE THAT CLEVERLY RPORAT THE SALEM WCH TRIALS AS A MEANS TO EXPLORE S TIMELY ANTI-BULLYG MSAGE. (IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN "PARANORMAN" AND WANT TO SEE WHOUT KNOWG ANY OF S SURPRIS, STOP READG HERE.) SCREENSHOT: "PARANORMAN" EVENTUALLY THE FILM REVEALS THAT THE 300-YEAR-OLD CURSED WCH WAS JT A LTLE GIRL ABOUT NORMAN’S AGE, OUT FOR REVENGE AGAST HER ACCERS — HENCE THE ZOMBIFITN. "PARANORMAN" JUXTAPOS THOSE CEL AND FEARFUL TOWNSFOLK WH THOSE WHO ARE TORMENTG NORMAN OVER HIS ABILI. THE ALLEGORY, WHICH HG ON THE VILE ACTNS HUMANS TAKE OUT OF FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN, IS NVEYED BETIFULLY THROUGH THE MOVIE’S BIG REVEAL OF THE YOUNG WCH AGGIE. AND ’S BROUGHT HOME BY NORMAN'S SUBSEQUENT SPEECH TO THE TOWN, WHICH WILL CHALLENGE VIEWERS WHO ARE HANT OR UNWILLG TO ACCEPT OTHERS' DIFFERENC. WATCH FREE ON TUBI: LAIKA’S FIRST SPOOKY STOP-MOTN ANIMATED FEATURE, "CORALE" — GET THE APP "PARANORMAN" TOOK A BIG SWG WH S MSAGE OF ACCEPTANCE — BUT THE REAL HOME N WAS MA WH THE CHARACTER MCH. IN A TIME WHEN MANY WERE BEGGG DISNEY TO MAKE GREATER STRIS WH LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN THEIR FEATUR (A PLEA THAT’S STILL BEG MA), LAIKA BROKE NEW GROUND. THROUGHOUT THE FILM, NORMAN’S SISTER COURTNEY SWOONS OVER THE STRAPPG MCH; THEN, WH A SGLE LE THE FILM’S CLOSG ACT, LAIKA MA CEMA HISTORY: "YOU'RE GONNA LOVE MY BOYIEND," MCH TELLS COURTNEY. "HE’S A TOTAL CHICK-FLICK NUT."  BY TODAY’S STANDARDS, ’S A THROWAWAY REVEAL THE FILM'S FAL MUT. BUT 2012, WHEN LGBTQ+ REPRENTATN CHILDREN’S MEDIA WAS ALL BUT NON-EXISTENT, WAS HUGE — AND NOW TO MANY, INIC. MCH WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER FEATURED A MASTREAM KIDS' MOVIE, AND AT THE TIME WAS REVOLUTNARY. THOUGH THE REVEAL HAPPENS A TOSSED OFF PUNCHLE, WAS EXECUTED GOOD FAH, AND SO STILL FEELS TIMELY. (COURTNEY'S DISAPPOTMENT THAT HER DREAM GUY IS TAKEN IS A NICE PIECE OF IC PUNCTUATN TOO.) SCREENSHOT: "PARANORMAN" MUCH LIKE THE LEAD HIMSELF, "PARANORMAN" FIED THE NVENTNS OF THE "FAY MOVIE," AND STEAD DARED TO BE DIFFERENT. IT’S DARK WH A B OF AN EDGE AND ISN’T AAID TO GO THE EXTRA E BY NORMALIZG PEOPLE'S UNIQUE INTI — EVEN IF OTHERS DON’T CHOOSE TO UNRSTAND. IT RPORAT A MABRE ZOMBIE STORY TO HIGHLIGHT A THEME OF TOLERANCE AS BOUNDARY-PHG AS THE ANIMATN QUALY SELF. TO THIS DAY, LAIKA’S SEND FEATURE STANDS AS ONE OF THE BT THEIR TALOG, AND S WAY, 'S ONE OF THE MOST GROUNDBREAKG ANIMATED FILMS OF ALL TIME. "PARANORMAN" IS STREAMG FOR EE ON TUBI. RATED PG. 92 MUT. DIR: CHRIS BUTLER AND SAM FELL. FEATURG: KODI SM-MCPHEE, ANNA KENDRICK, CHRISTOPHER MTZ-PLASSE, TUCKER ALBRIZZI, CASEY AFFLECK, LLIE MANN, JEFF GARL, ELAE STRCH, BERNARD HILL, JOHN GOODMAN.  ABOUT THE WRER: RENDY JON IS A FILM AND TELEVISN JOURNALIST BASED BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. THEY ARE THE OWNER OF SELF-PUBLISHED OUTLET RENDY REVIEWS, A MEMBER OF THE CRICS CHOICE ASSOCIATN, AND GALECA. THEIR WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED VULTURE, THE DAILY BEAST, THEM AND CBC NEWS. MAKE A DOUBLE FEATURE WH "THE BOXTROLLS," ALSO STREAMG EE ON TUBI THE BOXTROLLS (2014): AT ONE POT "THE BOXTROLLS," A FILM OM THE STOP-MOTN ANIMATN STUD LAIKA, 10-YEAR-OLD WNIE (VOICED BY ELLE FANNG) ASKS HER NEW ACQUTANCE EGGS (ISAAC HEMPSTEAD WRIGHT) ABOUT HIS IENDS, THE BOXTROLLS. LEGEND HAS THAT THE SEWER-DWELLG TROLLS ARE QUE FEARSOME. IN REALY, THEY WEAR RDBOARD BOX AS CLOTH, STEAL BS OF SCRAP METAL THE NIGHT AND ARE ACTUALLY QUE IENDLY, EVEN MERRY. BUT WNIE DON’T KNOW THAT YET, AND HER HOP ARE HIGH. "DID THEY EAT YOUR FAY, AND DID THEY LET YOU WATCH?" SHE ASKS EAGERLY. EGGS EXPRS NFN, AND SHE HASTILY RRECTS HERSELF: "I MEAN, MAKE YOU WATCH." SHE ATTEMPTS TO RETURN HER MASK OF LADYLIKE PROPRIETY, BUT 'S CLEAR WHERE HER OBSSNS LIE. WNIE’S FASCATN WH THE MABRE — SHE’S HEARD ABOUT RIVERS OF BLOOD, AND PIL OF BON OM ALL THE BABI THE BOXTROLLS ARE SAID TO EAT — BE BOTH A FUNNY NNG GAG AND A NNY B OF CHARACTERIZATN THIS REHG, UNRRATED FILM. READ THE RT OF FILM CRIC JSE HASSENGER'S RETROSPECTIVE. RATED PG. 96 MUT. DIR: GRAHAM ANNABLE AND ANTHONY STACCHI. ALSO FEATURG BEN KGSLEY, JARED HARRIS, NICK FROST, RICHARD AYOA, STEVE BLUM, DEE BRADLEY BAKER, MAX MCHELL, TRACY MAN, NIKA FUTTERMAN, TONI COLLETTE, SIMON PEGG. "THE BOXTROLLS" IS STREAMG FOR EE ON TUBI — GET THE APP ABOUT TUBI: TUBI HAS MORE THAN 40,000 MOVI AND TELEVISN SERI OM OVER 250 NTENT PARTNERS, CLUDG EVERY MAJOR STUD, ADDN TO THE LARGT OFFERG OF EE LIVE LOL AND NATNAL NEWS CHANNELS STREAMG. THE PLATFORM GIV FANS OF ENTERTAMENT, NEWS AND SPORTS AN EASY WAY TO DISVER NEW NTENT THAT IS AVAILABLE PLETELY EE. TUBI IS AVAILABLE ON ANDROID AND IOS MOBILE VIC, AMAZON ECHO SHOW, GOOGLE NT HUB MAX, COMST XFY X1, COX CONTOUR, AND ON OTT VIC SUCH AS AMAZON FIRE TV, VIZ TVS, SONY TVS, SAMSUNG TVS, ROKU, APPLE TV, CHROMEST, ANDROID TV, PLAYSTATN 5, XBOX SERI X | S, AND SOON ON HISENSE TVS GLOBALLY. CONSUMERS N ALSO WATCH TUBI NTENT ON THE WEB AT . TUBI AND THIS TELEVISN STATN ARE BOTH OWNED BY THE FOX CORPORATN. BREAKING NEWS

But that’s jt the thg, we’re all different sorts this muny, and havg a character that was built around a set of archetyp that are ually straight, but then addg that he’s gay as a si note had this wrer celebratg.