Dinner and a Movie: Hotel Transylvania Is a Howl

Dinner: A fun time out at the movies with the kids calls for something fun to eat as well. We're recommending Carmelita's Mexican Restaurant. With its family-friendly environment, great kids menu and plenty of fun atmosphere, it's a great place to bring the whole family for a great meal.

Showtimes: The closest place in and around Fair Oaks and Carmichael to catch Hotel Transylvania is going to be Century 16 Greenback Lane where you can catch the movie in standard 2D and 3D. The showtimes are: (In 2D) 12:20 p.m., 5:15 p.m., 6:15 p.m. and 8:40 p.m. and in 3D at 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 2:50 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7:50 p.m. and 10:20 p.m.

Review: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy...they all come out in this 3D animation where monsters who have to get away from humans and the horrors of modern life head to Hotel Transylvania.

Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) is the head of the house, and when his daughter Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez) longs for the human world, problems arise…causing quite a scare for the hotel guests.

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There are more than a dozen celebrity voiceover characters here, which does add to the mainly slapstick animation consisting of supernatural chase scenes and jokes involving excrement, ectoplasmic goo, rear ends and breaking wind. The film is a perfectly Halloween-themed movie for kids, but leaves very little for the adults.

It is a fun film but the 3D really isn't necessary, and the storyline, as you might expect, is predictable. The funny gags and lovable characters help make this film, so the flick-o-meter gives Hotel Transylvania a three out of five. It's good enough for the trick-or-treat crowd but it certainly could have used a bit more bite and a lot less gas.

Did you see Hotel Transylvania? What did you think? Tell us in the comments.

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