A Monster In Paris (PG)

Director Bibo Bergeron (A Shark’s Tale) returns to his native France to craft a lively child-friendly love letter to Paris (and the movies) featuring a cute and sassy singer, a projectionist (nostalgia!) and a musically gifted giant flea. “There’s much to praise in this bubbly, [English-dubbed] fairytale from French animator Bibo Bergeron. Set on the streets of Paris in 1910, A Monster in Paris borrows some of its tics from silent cinema… It’s a mostly enjoyable and heartfelt tale of an ill-matched friendship between bug-eyed chanteuse Lucille (Vanessa Paradis) and Francoeur, a giant, scary but soft-centered flea who impresses her with his singing voice (courtesy of Sean Lennon). As a low-profile entry into the animation pantheon, A Monster in Paris charms with painterly backdrops and sartorially elegant characters. But Matthieu Chédid’s catchy Latin songs and the superbly choreographed dance sequences captivate the most.” — Derek Adams, Time Out