I can’t explain it…this movie was not among my top movies priorities (hell it didn’t even make the top 20), and yet it was thoroughly enjoyable. The comedy, the animation, the story…it was all spot on. They basically take the concept of the “scary house up on the hill” and take it a step further by making the house not just the residence of some scary old man, but a possessed house that will eat you if you disturb it. With a wonderfully talented cast of voice actors, the movie is a lot of fun and very enjoyable. About the only disparaging remark I can come up with against it is that the camera (it’s CGI so can I still call it that?) was way too jerky in the opening sequence/first half an hour (bouncing up and down and around so much I nearly got seasick)…I mean I was in the front row of the theatre leaning back in my chair almost horizontally and that didn’t ruin the film. Featuring the voice talents of Steve Buscemi, Maggie Gyllenhall, Jason Lee (YAY!), Kevin James, Catherine O’Hara, Fred Willard and Jon Heder, this movie is a must see family film.