Though the plot gets a bit congested, the film remains far less predictable than most of its kind.

It's refreshingly sparky fare, boasting eye-catching design (wooden toys inspire CG magic), musical weirdness (Radiohead will never sound the same again) and proper laugh-out-loud jokes for young and old alike.

Drawing on Mexican folklore and other Latin American traditions, Jorge R. Gutirrez's version of death in his beautiful, witty 3D-animated debut The Book of Life is bursting with vibrant colours and magic -- a constantly expanding, neverending party.

While the story treads familiar ground,...the animation (there's a 3D version) completely abandons naturalism to offer a rich universe filled with vibrant figures and elements rendered in a distinctly Mexican color palette! [Full review in Spanish]