Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie is a beautifully crafted stop-motion animated film about a boy who brings his dog, his best friend, back to life after a tragic accident.

It's Tim Burton all the way, and the result is much too scary for pre-teens. Teenagers might get a kick out of it, certainly, and adults (like me) who grew up on horror and sci fi movies will surely enjoy the frequent references to these old movies.

We kept poking each other in the ribs, calling out names. "The Birds! Godzilla! Bride of Frankenstein!"

Of course, the kid is Viktor Frankenstein, the next door neighbor's girl's first name is Elsa (after Elsa Lanchester, who inhabited the Bride of Frankenstein), and the homages go on and on. However, it's a big long in the set-up, and only really gets rolling when the school kids figure out how to put together their project in the school science fair by bringing their own beloved dead pet back to life.

There's no Disney ending here, beware. There's no moral to the story. In fact, there's no end at all, really. It's a terrific little idea once more destroyed by the fact that a movie needs to be 90 minutes or more, and thus is highly repetitive. Still, if you love those horror homages, you'll love Frankenweenie. And you certainly have to appreciate the artistry that went in to making this movie.

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