Hotel Transylvania

Movie #1

Hotel Transylvania. 

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 43% saying that while "buoyant [and] giddy-- it might be a little too loud and thinly-scraped for older audiences." 

James Berardinelli (Reelviews Movie Reviews) said "Not since Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein have the great Universal monsters been subjected to such dismal treatment."

Only The Wrap shared my opinion. I laughed the whole time. Its a fantastic family friendly movie where our longtime, childhood monsters get played in a modern light. 

This modern fascination with "monsters" being nice creatures is done well in Hotel Transylvania. While I'll be the first to admit that humour lacks the witty underhanded jokes that rounds off a movie for all ages, it lacks nothing in other key areas. The character dynamic, development and personalities are executed in perfect timing with the pace it needed. It addressed the timeless predicament of "coming-of-age" from both the parent and child side. Easily brings to mind the classic of daughters growing up and fathers struggling to let go.

In Hotel Transylvania, Count Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) is a widower and hotel manager planning his daughter Mavis's (Selena Gomez) 118th birthday. Her official coming of age as a vampire. Along with other classic favourites such as Frankenstein (Kevin James), Wayne the Werewolf (Steve Buscemi), Murray the Mummy (CeeLo Green) and Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade) there is an unexpected visitor. Johnathan, a laid back, back-packing, roll with the flow human voiced by Andy Samberg. 

Shocked with his discovery of Hotel Transylvania and its legendary guests, he is not nearly as surprised as Count Dracula who was assured that his sanctuary would never be penetrated by humans. While attempting to hide the backpacker, circumstances changed the controlling Count's plans making Johnathan a key part of the upcoming party. 

Disguising Johnathan as a fellow monster, Count Dracula quickly finds himself in his own personal Hell as the eccentric human breaks every rule and works himself into the hearts of Count Dracula's friends, his beloved daughter and even the Count himself. 

Now, its not the Dracula that Bram Stoker brought us. Or the vampires brought to life from Stephanie Meyer. These vampires are ones that belong in front of the whole family. And while I do admit that the cartoon style left a little something to be desired, I think this movie is quirky for a reason. Its characters are quirky, its story is quirky. It works.

I give it 4/5 adorable rubber duckies and my golden stamp of approval for a family classic. You might struggle to get a moody teenager to fall in love with it, but I have it on good authority that 17 year old girls can enjoy the adorable characters just as much as a child.