‘The Boxtrolls’ Review
“The Boxtrolls” is a quirky stop motion animated fantasy-comedy film set at the beginning of the 19th century that revolves around a group of mischievous and good-hearted trolls who hide in boxes and come out at night to rummage through the trash of the small town of Cheesebridge. The Boxtrolls — who build unique inventions with their nightly findings and have lovingly raised a human boy named Eggs — are threatened by a nasty villain — the evil Archibald Snatcher — who has spread the rumor that the Boxtrolls kidnap and kill young children and, with the blessing of the town’s elders, sets out to capture them one-by-one. Only Eggs — and the feisty daughter of the town;s mayor — can save the day. Though the visuals are stunning — animated steam punk comes to mind as the best description — the storyline is pretty conventional and predictable, and there’s not a heck of a lot to keep you interested. It does stand, however, as a suitable surreal antidote to all the brainless animation of the “How to Raise Your Dragon,” “Big Hero 6,” “Penguins of Madagascar,” “Rio 2” and “Planes: Fire & Rescue” ilk. Vitals: Director:. Stars: Voices of Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Elle Fanning, Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Tracy Morgan, Simon Pegg. 2014, CC, MPAA rating: PG, 96 min., Animated, Box office gross: $17.275 million, Universal. Extras: “Dare to Be Square: Behind the Scenes of The Boxtrolls” five-part documentary; five featurettes: “The Nature of Creation,” “Trolls Right Off the Tongue,” “Allergic to Easy,” “Let’s Dance” and “On the Shoulders of Giants”; commentary with directors Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable; preliminary animatic sequences. 
