New on DVD: Monster House

Monster House (PG)

"Monster House," an animated horror film, is rated PG for "Parental Guidance." In this case, I interpret that to mean that parents should guide anyone under the age of 8 out of the TV room. Very young viewers may find this tale of a haunted house more trick than treat, but the families with older kids will love it. The story begins on Halloween Eve when a boy named DJ notices that the dilapidated house across the street occasionally comes to life to ensnare unsuspecting passersby. Along with his friends, Cracker and Jenny, DJ hatches a MacGyver-like scheme to thwart the most ominous building in the movies since the Bates Motel. The extras reveal how the voice actors, including Kathleen Turner, suited up in motion-capture gear so that their movements could be replicated by the animators. Grade: B+