Greetings, and welcome back to October Horror Fest! But, let’s pump the brakes. Yes, yes, I hear you all, and we will address the elephant in the room. “DANNY, WHY DIDN’T YOU UPLOAD YESTERDAY? IS THAT A FAILURE?” My answer. it’s complicated, and no. Yesterday some unforeseen circumstances resulted in me finishing everything up very late at night. Your boy had to crash, so I ended up falling asleep. I started the article and almost finished the movie. This is a technicality, and one that I plan for if it ever happens. So, no, I didn’t fail, and my friends we are still going strong ten days in. And, on a lighter note, I still feel bad at using all the “um, ACTUALLY” logic, and not giving you guys an article yesterday. So, stay tuned for a surprise in the next few days…

Let’s actually get started, shall we? Today, I ventured into an animated film universe that I ended up really, really liking. This movie was recommended to me by a good friend, and I am so happy I got to watch this one. From the story to the voice acting, it’s all really, really good. Stick with me, as we venture into the Monster House. Without further ado, sit back, relax, turn off the lights, grab some candy and popcorn, and let’s review…

Monster House

Our film begins with a young girl riding down the street on a tricycle. It’s Halloween Eve,  and she is having fun riding on the sidewalk. All is fine, until she comes to the house of Nebbercracker. The house is run down, foreboding, with trees on either side. She gets her tricycle stuck on the grass, and Nebercraker himself comes running out. He is an old man, but he has a temper for the ages. He scares the girl, breaks her tricycle, and tells her to stay off his lawn. Viewing this from his room with his telescope is D.J., our main character.

We learn from D.J. that this is NOT the first time a tricycle has been broken by Nebbercraker. D.J.’s parents begin to leave for a convention, and leave D.J. at home with his friend, Chowder. D.J. is also left in the care of his emo babysitter Elizabeth, or Zee. The two boys play basketball, until Chowder’s ball ends up in Nebbercracker’s yard. D.J. goes to retrieve it, but Nebbercraker knows. He comes out, but has a heart attack whilst scaring D.J. and Chowder. He falls to the floor, and the boys think he is dead. They call an ambulance, and Nebbercraker is whisked away in it, the lights on the ambulance not flashing.

Zee’s new boyfriend Bones comes by later in the day, and is just as much of a prick as her, although SLIGHTLY less caring. He talks about a kite that Nebbercraker stole from him as a boy, and tells the story of how Nebbercracker killed and ate his wife. Bones then destroys D.J. ‘s stuffed animal, and is kicked out by Zee. He goes across the lawn, and chucks his alcohol bottle onto the lawn of the house. Suddenly, the door opens. Bones looks at his kite, sitting right at the door. All of a sudden, the house’s carpet shoots out like a massive tongue, swallowing him whole. The house is possessed. D.J. and Chowder witness this first hand a few hours later, when the house almost takes Chowder. The boys run, and spend the entire night watching the house. On Halloween, they save a young girl who is out selling candy. When the house comes out to grab her, they get her away as quickly as they can. Her name is Jenny, and both boys fall in love with her immediately. Over the length of the movie, there are some very funny scenes where the boys try to gain the favor of Jenny.

The Trio continues their search to do something about the house. They even call the cops, but it’s dismissed immediately. They finally decide to ask Skull. He is in an arcade absolutely DESTROYING a high score, and tells the kids that the house is possessed due to a merging between a human spirit and a man made object. The heart must be destroyed. The heart of the house must be destroyed. The kids come up with a plan, although it is VERY nonsensical. They decide to try and use cold medicine to put the house to sleep, and rig up a dummy to find out what the heart is and where it could be. They speculate it’s the furnace, but they don’t want to get up close themselves. However, it goes wrong, and they get arrested (I’m serious). The cops are about to drive them away, when they are eaten by the house. The house then sets its sights on the car, and drags the trio inside. They jump out at the last moment, even though the house still thinks they are in the cop car. From there, new discoveries are made.

The trio ends up in the house’s throat, but fall through the floor. In the basement, they discover the absolute mountain of toys Nebbercraker has.

Down there, they discover the remains of Constance the Giantess, Nebbercracker’s wife. Her remains are encased in cement. The trio book it, and activate the house’s gag reflex to be spit out. Outside, however, Nebbercracker returns. He is bandaged, but alive. He goes to confront the house, which looks VERY angry. This is until D.J. comes running up. He tells Nebbercracker he knows about Constance, and Nebbercracker’s face softens. We finally learn the full story. Constance was part of a freakshow because of her weight, but Nebbercracker had feelings for her. He took her away, and they were excited to start a new life together. Nebbercracker bought his house, and we find out he is a truly good man. One halloween, while the house is being built, some trick or treaters throw eggs at the house and Constance. Constance wants to kill those kids, but loses balance when Nebbercracker stops her. She falls into the house, suffocating in the wet cement. There she lied, her vengeful spirit never resting. Always wanting to hurt the ones she felt wronged her. She took control of the house. Nebbercracker hid behind a mask of aggression to protect the kids who came by his house on Halloween. The entire time, he was a good man.

The final battle begins, when the house uses trees as legs and bolts after the trio and Nebbercracker. D.J. tells Nebbercracker he has to put Constance’s soul to rest. Nebbercracker keeps running until he can’t anymore, and he plans to use dynamite to hurt her. Constance (The House) realizes this, and knocks the dynamite out of his hands. D.J. knows what he has to do. Chowder fights Constance with an excavator from the dig site they are at, while D.J. runs to throw the dynamite down the chimney into the heart, just like Skull said. D.J. is nervous as he climbs a crane to throw the dynamite down, until Jenny gives him a kiss. Using this energy, he swings down, throws the dynamite, and saves Chowder. The house explodes, Constance’s ghost begins to dance with Nebbercracker, until she finally rests. Nebbercracker hugs his newfound friends, and our epilogue begins.

It’s Halloween night, and all the people and items the house took are being freed. Nebbercracker and the kids are giving out presents, and even give the girl from the beginning her tricycle back. Skull also begins dating Zee! It’s a Happy Halloween for all…

Thank you all SO much for the wait, and I hope you enjoyed it! And, also, stay tuned. It’s Day 11, not Day 10… Before you go, just remember, beware the house…