Chix Chat on Film Review: Monstermania.

Rating: 6/10 (28 September 2012)

Hotel Transylvania comes across in the trailer as a monster good time where Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) hosts all the legendary monsters at his hotel to celebrate his daughter's birthday while he works overtime to keep his daughter from falling for a human, who haphazardly stumbles upon the hotel. The story was interesting in how humans were viewed from the point of view of the monsters, as not just the enemy but as fearsome. I couldn't really figure out why Johnny (Andy Samberg) would be out hiking alone in Transylvania, I couldn't figure out why Mavis (Selena Gomez) wouldn't just bat out and see Haweewee or the world for that matter, and I couldn't figure out why Drac's bat was only slightly sun sensitive. There was some fun to be had watching this film and it was clear how when anyone ages, their idea of fun is totally different from that of young hundred and eighteen year olds. I did notice from the laughter in the theater that children don't really get it with some of the humor it just has to be physical, and I know that the children didn't understand the underlying story of an overprotective father. But, with the very spirited young wolves, the green smoke joke and all the colorful creatures, this was a good film for tweens. There was an interesting moment when Johnny was asked if he believed that humans, all humans were ready to accept monsters, but the reality is even with films like Twilight romanticizing a relationship with a vampire, it doesn't change the fact that if a being came out of the coffin who lives off of human blood, survival instincts on both sides would kick in and someone would have to go! I was fond of Ceelo's mummy and found Steve Buscemi's wolf to be as believable as any father with a massive brood, exhausted! Fran Drescher's Eunice was so Real Housewives of New Jersey and Luenell's Shrunken Head cracked me up. I have to agree with Johnny that Dracula's accent and behavior was over the top. It was kind of creepy when he would fang out, yet this was a charming little story that was entertaining and fun even if Mavis did borrow from Puss in Boots when she wanted her way. It will garner an audience that will appreciate it for what it is, an hour and a half of movie viewing escapism. I give it an amber light.