 In a very minor way, filmmaker Tim Burton has recaptured some of the magic of ‘Ed Wood’ and ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ with his latest film ‘Frankenweenie’, an homage to old school horror as well as a feature length remake of his short of the same name. This black and white stop-motion animation feature is certainly an offbeat and sometimes even strange work, distinctly fitting into the oeuvre of Burton, but there’s a charm and likability on display here that I haven’t seen from the director in some time. It’s often amusing and sometimes even manages to be heartwarming, another welcome departure from the recent Burton outings. This horror/comedy hybrid isn’t on the level of what Pixar is doing at their best, to be sure, but it certainly is better than ‘Corpse Bride’ and is one of the better animated films of 2012 so far. I could easily see the Academy taking a shine to this black and white kids flick and giving it a Best Animated Feature nomination. I don’t know that it can win, but it’s certainly in the hunt. There are a few missteps here to be sure, but overall the product is rather satisfying. It opens this weekend and even if you haven’t liked Burton of late, I think this is worth checking out.
Read more on Frankenweenie (***)…
Categories: Film Reviews Tags: American film directors, Animation, Catherine O'Hara, Charlie Tahan, Entertainment/Culture, Film, Frankenweenie, John August, Martin Landau, Martin Short, Oscar hopeful, remake, the nightmare before christmas, Tim Burton, Victor Frankenstein, winona ryder
 Tim Burton returns to his roots of classic and clever animation with his newest, Frankenweenie. Showcasing some beautiful 3-D animation and encompassing a cute, clever, and homage banner to the monster genre, Burton delivers his most solid effort since Big Fish (2003).
Frankenweenie tells the story of Victor, a young boy with an aptitude for science, who’s dog Sparky is tragically killed. When Victor’s feelings of remorse and grief overwhelm, an experiment to bring Sparky back to life has monstrous consequences. Read more on Frankenweenie (***)…
Categories: Editor, Film Reviews Tags: American film directors, Animated Feature, Atticus Schaffer, big fish, Catherine O'Hara, Charlie Tahan, Charlie Tahan (Victor), Cinema of the United States, composer, danny elfman, Editor Film Review, Entertainment/Culture, Film, film reviews, Frankenweenie, John August, Martin Landau, Martin Short, Monster movies, Tim Burton, winona ryder
Oh my, what is this? One of the most anticipated movies of the year seems to be causing a bit of a stir if the early responses are an indication of what’s to come when everyone sees it (and certainly everyone from Awards Circuit will/has)…
That’s right; Ridley Scott’s long awaited sort-of-Alien-prequel-but-not thriller Prometheus is finally upon us! Is it the sci-fi masterpiece that fully lives up to the standard Sir Scott set with Blade Runner and Alien? Well…depends on who you ask. While the majority of critics are leaning positive overall for its visual wizardry and performances, some frustrations have been raised about the film’s script, including our own Mike Ward’s mostly positive take. Frankly, I welcome the debate. Even if it’s as flawed as some of its harshest detractors are saying, I’d rather watch a misfire with huge ambitions than a proficient example of assembly-line filmmaking.
Read more on Weekend Openings (June 8-10)…
Categories: Weekend Openings Tags: Ben Stiller, Best Animated Feature, Best Supporting Actress, Best Visual Effects, Bruce Beresford, Catherine Keener, Chris Rock, christina ricci, Christopher Walken, David Schwimmer, divisive films, Greta Gerwig, Idris Elba, Jane Fonda, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lola Versus, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, Martin Short, Mia Farrow, Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Oscar hopefuls, Peace Love & Misunderstanding, Prometheus, Ridley Scott, Robert Pattinson, sacha baron cohen, Safety Not Guaranteed, Selma Blair, Uma Thurman, Weekend Openings
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In a very minor way, filmmaker Tim Burton has recaptured some of the magic of ‘Ed Wood’ and ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ with his latest film ‘Frankenweenie’, an homage to old school horror as well as a feature length remake of his short of the same name. This black and white stop-motion animation feature is certainly an offbeat and sometimes even strange work, distinctly fitting into the oeuvre of Burton, but there’s a charm and likability on display here that I haven’t seen from the director in some time. It’s often amusing and sometimes even manages to be heartwarming, another welcome departure from the recent Burton outings. This horror/comedy hybrid isn’t on the level of what Pixar is doing at their best, to be sure, but it certainly is better than ‘Corpse Bride’ and is one of the better animated films of 2012 so far. I could easily see the Academy taking a shine to this black and white kids flick and giving it a Best Animated Feature nomination. I don’t know that it can win, but it’s certainly in the hunt. There are a few missteps here to be sure, but overall the product is rather satisfying. It opens this weekend and even if you haven’t liked Burton of late, I think this is worth checking out.
