On a whim, we decided to head to The Lakes Twelve Theatre to see Hollywood’s latest adaptation of “The Addams Family”.

This year’s Hollywood take on America’s favorite kooky clan is computer animated.  The voice actors include Charlize Theron as Morticia and Bette Midler as Grandmama. This movie is a hodgepodge of good harmless fun and it’s best moments are provided by Lurch.  The Frankensteinian butler is a hoot at the organ when he serves up versions of rock and roll classics like “Wild Thing” and especially when he strikes a melancholy chord with his vocal version of R.E.M.s “Everybody Hurts”.

I liked this movie and we had a good time seeing it.

But!!!

It just didn’t measure up to the live action Addams Family feature from 1991. Although the story was a little clunky, the casting of that earlier telling of the Addams Family tale was brilliant. The late Raul Julia was a perfect pick as the insatiable Gomez.  Angelica Houston was charming as the beguiling Morticia. Wild eyed Christopher Lloyd provided a master class in buffoonery as Uncle Fester. And, most notably, Christina Ricci was delightfully deadpan as the apathetic Wednesday.  It was such good fun, I think I’ll stream it again before Halloween passes us by.