Frankenweenie (2012) - 8 stars out of 10

Frankenweenie (2012) - 8 stars out of 10

As a movie, it is okay.  As a stop-animation film, it's really good.  As an homage to 1930's monster movies, it's awesome.  "Frankenweenie" surprised me.  Its title was very off-putting but I'm so thankful that I gave it a shot.  Without a doubt, it is the finest example of stop motion animation ever.  The movements of the characters are fluid and believable.  For as innovative as "The Nightmare Before Christmas" was, it is hard to believe that they were even filmed using the same technique.  You can’t even call Tim Burton the best producer of stop motion - nobody else’s work can even be put on the same playing field.  The voice acting is decent.  I particularly appreciated Catherine O'Hara and Martin Short who each voiced multiple characters.  I wish that there would have been more of Winona Ryder's voice but Martin Landau was definitely used to maximum capacity.  One of the biggest surprisesis the amount of the film that DOESN'T involve the dog, but it kept things very fresh.  While the story and voice acting make this into a "good" movie, "Frankenweenie" is great because it is a giant tribute to 1930's monster movies.  There are so many allusions to monster movies that are set up from the start without us realizing, like the windmill at the top of the hill that is innocently referenced several times (before becoming an obvious “Frankenstein” reference in the end) and the poodle’s hair (that eventually becomes the Bride of Frankenstein).  All of the film's characters are named after classic monster movie characters.  Many of them take on characteristics of their namesakes, being portrayed in the vein of Hollywood icons like Boris Karloff and Vincent Price.  And once the ending turns into a giant Godzilla battle, you know that you are watching something very special.  Even the fact that it was filmed in black and white, though it's some of the most vivid black and white cinematography that I have ever seen, contributes to that monster movie feel.  I was really pleased at how family friendly the film was (unlike "The Nightmare Before Christmas") and feel like it could serve as a good introduction to monster movies for kids.  Tim Burton has hit a home-run with "Frankenweenie" and I can't wait to see what twisted concept he'll come up with next!