Frankenweenie
Director: Tim Burton
Year Released: 2012
Rating: 3.0
Absolutely adorable - and dark - children's film by Burton about a boy who loses his beloved dog Sparky in a car accident and, inspired by a hilariously long-faced science teacher, realizes he can bring his pooch back to life. The stop-motion animation is phenomenal - as it was in Corpse Bride and the classic Nightmare Before Christmas - and the decision to shoot it in black and white gives it the feel of a horror movie from the 50's (even a clip of Christopher Lee as Dracula pops up at one point). With this delightfully macabre (and structurally basic) treat being released the same year as Burton's (color, live action) Dark Shadows blunder it shows where the director's creative energy is best spent.
