Matinee: Hotel Transylvania

Good news! I just finished reading Stranger in a Strange Land, so for once, this blog will actually live up to its name and feature a book. But that comes later. I still have a couple movies to plow through, this one included.
Hotel Transylvania is a cute family movie about love, letting go, the cost of prejudice, and finding that special someone you 'zing' with. Of course, to keep it "fresh" and "modern", Sony Pictures Animation decided to cast Halloween monsters for this movie, with Count Dracula playing the role of the over-protective control-freak father running a hotel for monsters. Idyllic, right? Except a human (I can't remember his name, so we'll call him Carrot Top) penetrates the monster sanctuary. Before Dracula can be rid of this nuisance, Mavis, Dracula's teen-aged sheltered daughter meets Carrot Top and, spoiler alert, they zing! Hilarity ensues. Here's the movie in one frame:

Honestly, this was a pretty cute kids film, I don't have a ton to say about it. The focal relationship is between Mavis and her dad as opposed to Mavis and Carrot Top, which is nice but certainly not new these days (re: Frozen, Meet the Croods). In addition to having the monsters be the viewpoint we're meant to sympathize with, we are treated to the price of prejudice: both against the monsters, and by them. Good lesson to teach kids (and I'm not even being sarcastic). Also, Adam Sandler voiced Dracula, and didn't manage to ruin the movie. Was that harsh? I'm not a Sandler fan (Fandler?) and I was actually surprised to discover he worked on this project. Guess even monsters have good in them.

The weakest part of this movie probably came at the end. It felt rushed and more than a little awkward in some places. Also, what is up with big dance parties where all the main characters are singing at the end of a movie? I blame Shrek 2 for this. And yes, if you're curious, Dracula lays down some sick beats. I don't know if that counts as a spoiler or not. Ultimately, it's a cute movie that ends exactly like you would expect. I wouldn't recommend seeing if if you're lactose intolerant, because it's quite cheesy (and that pun was not gouda I apologize).

For me, I tend to judge kids films by how often they make me cry. While I did look a lot like Dracula up there, there were no tears. Not to say there isn't the emotional roller coaster that is always and forever associated with children's movies (are we trying to scar them?), but it didn't affect me enough to make me cry about it. I have been assured that there is a sequel I will have to watch some day (it wasn't exactly my idea to watch Hotel Transylvania in the first place), but even viewing the trailer leaves me with a lot of unanswered questions. But Hotel Transylvania is a cute movie, if you're into the humanization of creatures created specifically to be dehumanized. Take your kids to see it. Force your girlfriend to watch it. It's not the amazing magical adventure of Frozen or Tangled, but it's a cute, harmless, romantic kids film, and I don't know what more you could ask from it.

I realize this one is shorter than normal, partially because I don't have a lot to say about it, and partially because I haven't been well of late and it's affecting my ability to concentrate. Next one should be more opinionated.

~Sassa