Monster House

n the pantheon of CGI films, it's one of the most adult-orientated animations yet. I don't need to tell you that the kids in the screening were enamoured from start to finish.

Monster House benefits from strong graphic design and lovely lighting, but the script is nothing to write home about.

Until this animated horrorfest turns shrill, debuting director Gil Kenan delivers enough visual goods to justify the faith of producers Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis.

The storytelling skill in Monster House isn't always up to its visuals. But as a roller-coaster summer entertainment, it's a heck of a lot more fun than Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, not to mention a full hour shorter.

The difference between Monster House and most other animated movies is a little thing called story. It actually has one, and doesn't just trot out cheeky characters spewing gratuitous pop-culture references.

It's part story and part spectacle, with the two halves being nicely balanced to offer something for just about everyone.

Frightful fun for tweens and up.

I suspect, and hope that "Monster House" will become a Halloween classic, because it's too fun to be forgotten.

"Monster House" may well be the first mainstream animated exploitation movie.

A good laugh and technologically fascinating.

[Has] its moments of both scares and laughs.

It's too dark for the kiddies, while not having enough of an adult flavor to reach an older audience.