by a car. After learning about the effects of electricity in science he uses it to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life. When his secret is discovered he will have to try and convince his parents as well as the town's people that Sparky is not the monster that he appears to be. Fans will be happy to know that this is a welcomed return to form for the Tim Burton we all loved. The film is beautifully creepy in both visual and story. Fans of the original classic will be happy to know that while they obviously expand and change the story up a bit, they still manage to include just about every aspect of the original in this new format. The voice acting is well done, with the real scene stealer being Martin Landau as a science teacher with a strong resemblance to the late great Vincent Price. It is an amazing visual experience on top of a clever execution of storytelling of the tale of Frankenstein. There are some truly strange and fun characters that have Tim Burton's imagination all over them and create a world like only he can. Of the stop motion films he has been involved with previously, this is easily the best one as a whole delivering one of the most unique experiences in some time for both Burton's work and just something different in theaters. There are some aspects in the middle of the film that some might find a bit slow, but in a way that seems more necessary than not. The 3D works really well when utilized, but for the most part didn't seem like there was any focus on using it much at all.While this is a Disney movie and animated, it undertakes a pretty dark tone at times, but it's necessary to really make this movie accomplish what it sets out to do. Fans of the 1993 series Family Dog, will notice that Burton used his own designs from that series to design Sparky here. Could this film prove that Burton still has what it takes to deliver? Let's hope so, because here he knocks it out of the park and has easily re-established any lost faith as a brilliant filmmaker. Who knows, maybe eventually we will get a film for Stain Boy and a whole new world to enjoy. Either way Burton is back better than ever let's just hope he latches on and keeps the spark alive.

slightly so that it is fresh and different, yet still somehow recognizable, and he does so in a way that enlists a full range of emotions. He doesn't stop with horror genre clichés, either, throwing a delightful salting of "Lassie" genre cliché and Crusty Old Folk With Hearts of Gold...and a happy ending that's the spoiler .I don't know how this film would come off for kids, but for adults with a solid grounding in the theatrical tradition of western cinema, it's an absolutely splendid offering.

Victor was fantastic. I could easily relate to him as an outcast/loner type character so it made him believable. I cant fault this at all! Looking forward to owning it on DVD and for my soft toy of Sparky to arrive home! It's a perfect film!

used to be.I'm glad to say now that has all changed."Frankenweenie" starts by showing the audience the ordinary life of an extraordinary kid called Victor, a young boy with no friends, but a burning passion for his specialist subjects horror movies, film making and science , a childhood that will surely resonate with both Tim Burton and the majority of his fans. Then, to the surprise of no-one who has seen the poster for the movie or heard the title, his beloved dog dies, and Victor conducts an experiment to bring him back to life, á la Frankenstein. From that moment, everything gets deliciously out of hand and grows into a classic "there is an imminent problem at hand that we need someone to deal with before this all goes down the toilet"-movie that we all love.While the movie does not really develop its characters deeply and sometimes drops certain plot lines we would have liked to see more of, it makes up for it tenfold with the thing that Tim Burton has more of than anybody else: imagination. So many moments in this movie are truly original, clever and, best of all, funny. "Frankenweenie" is a giant tribute to old horror flicks, set against a sweet story of a kid and his dog. It will find its way into the great list of "Must see childhood movies" and will remain there for the ages, much like his previous hits "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Edward Scissorhands". I'm giving it a very high rating, not just because it is a great movie, but because it is proof of that Tim Burton still has great things inside of him, that might well be brought back to life one dark and stormy night.

Shadows.Frankenweenie 2012 is not quite perfect. The story wavers slightly in pace and focus when Victor's classmates plot to uncover his secret. That said, I was hugely impressed with it, one of my personal favourites of the year so far actually. The visuals are simply gorgeous. The black and white shadings fit with the Gothic atmosphere, and the deliberately grotesque characters are vivid in their design. The music score by Danny Elfman has this haunting undercurrent that Sleepy Hollow had as well as the sparkling beauty that made Edward Scissorhands so poignant. It is a very dynamic and atmospheric score indeed.It is a very well-written film as well. It is wickedly funny, already improving on Dark Shadows with some very clever nods to Godzilla movies and other B-movie horror films. But Frankenweenie doesn't rely on manic humour, fart jokes or slapstick to make itself funny. The humour here is actually very subtle and deadpan. What is further special about Frankenweenie was its story. Having seen and loving to death the short film I knew what to expect, but I found the telling of this story to be fresh and just with as much heart. While there are funny moments that don't jar with the focus of the story and generally the film is full of energy, the film is often very poignant. The ending in particular has genuine pathos to it.The characters are instantly engaging, oddball like with the best of Burton's films but engaging nonetheless. Aside from Sparky, the most memorable of them were Victor, Mr. Rzykruski- there is an intentional uncanny resemblance to Vincent Price- and the creepy girl with the cat. The voice work is really excellent, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short and Winona Ryder give wonderfully dry vocal performances but it was Martin Landau who stole the show, he was an inspired choice for Mr. Rzykruski, and he is deliciously eccentric yet does equally wonderfully in conveying the character's wisdom.All in all, a really delightful film, not Burton's best or quite one of my favourites, but I do consider it his best film in the past decade or so. 9/10 Bethany Cox

so much fun! I'm excited for what Tim Burton has up his sleeve for the Addam's Family and other projects in the future!!! High recommended. ENJOY!!!

connects with the new science teacher, Mr. Rzykroski who bears a striking resemblance to the late, great Vincent Price . Victor's parents try to get him more engaged and that leads to a tragic accident that kills Sparky. Victor is heart-broken but his scientific mind leads to a shocking development thanks to a local lightning storm. Soon enough, Sparky is back! Of course, the secret gets out and the Science Fair takes on quite a competitive nature.Burton really treats the film as an homage to old monster, horror and sci-fi films. We get tributes to Frankenstein, The Mummy, Dracula complete with Christopher Lee , Godzilla, Bride of Frankenstein, Gremlins, Jurrassic Park and others I certainly missed on first viewing. But this is so much more. Mr. Rzykroski gives a less than PC speech to the local townspeople, and though it is straight to the point, that point is lost on these fine folks. The importance of science and learning and accepting the differences of others is all touched upon, but not in a preachy way.The voice work is stellar thanks to Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Winona Ryder, Charlie Tahan, Martin Landau and Atticus Shaffer Brick on "The Middle" . The style and texture of the film is extraordinary. The shadows and lighting provide an atmosphere that adds just enough creepiness. The detail involved with the characters and setting is remarkable for stop-motion animation. Not just that, but how many movies have you seen recently that include a cat-bat, sea monkeys, and a giant turtle? The suburban setting is almost identical to the neighborhood seen in Burton's Edward Scissorhands, just without the 1960's color palette.This is excellent movie entertainment for adults and children alike. Unfortunately, the black and white presentation has meant a lack of interest from today's kids. Sure it has some darkness to it, but the PG rating means nothing too heavy. This is Tim Burton at his finest ... and without Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter! Also, Danny Elfman's score perfectly compliments the story and characters, and stay for the credits to hear a very odd Karen O song.

the garden and blackmails Victor to learn how to bring the dead to life. Edgar does not keep the secret and soon Victor's envious schoolmates revive several creatures to win the science fair contest. When the town is invaded by the monsters, Victor and Sparky are the last chance to rescue the girl Elsa van Helsing from the claws of Mr. Whiskers."Frankenweenie" is another stop-motion animation by Tim Burton in black and white with a great tribute to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with a happy ending. The story is actually an adorable tale of loyalty and friendship and it is delightful to see the frolic of Sparky. My vote is eight.Title Brazil : "Frankenweenie"

Rider, and Martin Landau as the science teacher who looks like Vincent Price contributed immensely to the whimsically suspenseful atmosphere. If there was one flaw, it was the end when Sparky the dog conveniently woke up instead of staying dead, thereby defeating the purpose of teaching the lesson of how final death is and should be. Still, me and my friend had a good enough time that I highly recommend this version of Frankenweenie.