Discover Upcoming Movies Now

Call it a winning season for Tim Burton. After finishing a master remake of Willy Wonka, the celebrated new-age king of the macabre has struck cinematic gold with Corpse Bride. Don't be fooled. This is not A Nightmare Before Christmas. Sure, it may look the same, it may sound slightly the same, but this is Burton's most developed animated film and truly one of his most thoughtful. After the misfire of the bizzare Big Fish, his joy of stop-motion animation has brought him to make a gothic love story, so sweet and smooth that you can almost here it echo through the French cathedrals and castles. There is plenty of merit in this film, mostly because of how it reinforces why I go to the movies. I shed a slight tear towards the end of the film-partially because of how beautifully it was written, how harmoniously it sounded, but mostly by how much inspiration is squeezed in this 76 minute runtime.

Victor Van Dort (voice of Depp) is a lanky, nervous young man who hasn't had much experience with women, and is about to marry the young maiden Victoria (Watson)-whom he's never met. Basically being set up by his parents, who assume Victoria's parents Maudeline (Lumley) and Finnis (Finney) are royal and wealthy (and they're not), Victor instantly falls in love with the tender young bride. But after a long day of practicing rituals, Victor can't take the pressure and escapes. He ends up practicing his vows alone in the woods, and when he finally does it right, he places the sacred ring on something he shouldn't have. He has risen to life the Corpse Bride, Emily (Carter), who immediately takes a liking to the frantic fellow. What happens next is a series of experiences where Victor must make the choice: marry the lovely Victoria, or make the Corpse Bride's wishes come true and leave the living for her. The living-dead clash is a delightful romp that leaves Victor questioning.
[PAGEBREAK]
There's something unique in each actor's voice, a melodic caricature that leaves a lasting impression. Victor is wirey and worried, and his mercurial tone of voice makes him a lovable neurotic protagonist. Emily Watson and Helena Bonham Carter have equally impressive voices for the love interests, as both resonate the innocence and honesty of true love. Both characters want the same thing, but it requires Victor to face certain consequences. Albert Finney and Joanna Lumley are hilarious as the foul-tempered and cruel parents of young Victoria. 101 Dalmatians is the first movie to come to mind, as Maudeline Everglot is a shouting characterization of Cruella de Vil. The voices of Danny Elfman and Deep Roy provide the jumpy, kick-start harmonics that kick in the swingin' side of Corpse Bride's musical features. Jazz solos and big revues make memorable scenes for an otherwise dark feature.

The love story is so simple, yet so complete. Corpse Bride has one of the best movies of the year, closely beating 40-Year-Old Virgin for the top spot. There's something so magical, so Burtonesque about the last few frames that really struck me hard. The greatest part, which wedges the difference in composition from A Nightmare Before Christmas is the way the Corpse Bride herself is presented. In Nightmare, Jack Skellington is presented as this grand figure of horror, with a heart. But with that, I found it hard to focus on his positives, and more on the fact that he's a skeleton. The Corpse Bride is actually a romantic figure, and Burton treats it with utmost respect. Instead of leaving her a horrific accident, she is a prolific character with soul-or no soul, so to speak.

You're browsing the archives, check out the latest movie news.