Movie News: Frankenweenie
Seen any good movies lately, bloggers? OWL Assistant Editor, Kendra Brown, has! She’s here to tell us about the new flick Frankenweenie, which opens in theatres today. Let’s hear what she has to say!
Confession: I love Tim Burton movies, and I’ve been waiting to see this one for a really, really, really long time. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that long, but it sure felt like it!
Frankenweenie is set in the fictional town of New Holland. The main character is Victor Frankenstein, a boy who loves science and making monster movies with his best friend: his dog, Sparky. But one day, a car accident takes Sparky away from Victor, leaving him sad and alone. His parents try to console Victor, but he’s devastated… until he gets the bright idea to bring Sparky back from the dead. So Victor conducts an experiment using electricity to spark life back into his beloved pet. And it works!
But keeping Sparky a secret is tricky. It’s not long before Sparky sneaks out of Victor’s house and starts causing chaos in the neighbourhood. And when one of Victor’s classmates, Edgar, catches sight of Sparky, the situation gets even stickier. Edgar and his friends decide they also want to bring their pets back from the dead with Victor’s help. However, Victor’s not sure it’s a good idea this time. And he may be right…
Here are a few observations about the movie:
1. It’s classic Tim Burton. From the black-and-white stop-motion animation to the quirky cast of characters, everything in this movie screams Tim Burton. Just like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, and Alice in Wonderland, Frankenweenie is fun, quirky, and a little bit spooky. Which brings me to my next observation…
2. It’s kind of creepy. An eerie small town, science experiments that bring back the dead, and some spine-chilling characters all come together in thrilling 3-D on the big screen. This movie may give you the creeps. But it will also give you the giggles, guaranteed. Some of Victor’s creepiest classmates are also the funniest, like Weird Girl and her cat, Mr. Whiskers, or the eccentric Edgar.
3. It’s touching. Yes, there are monsters and gross-out moments, but overall, this movie is really about the bond between a boy and his dog: Victor and Sparky. Watching those two on screen together made me all happy and smiley. Sparky is pretty much the greatest dog ever (and the cutest), so I understand why Victor loves him so much. But make no mistake: Sparky loves Victor just the same, and it shows. Especially in the final scenes of the movie.
Overall, I really loved this movie. It’s true, I’m a big Tim Burton fan, but I also think that Frankenweenie is just a great movie. It’s got action, humour, and heart. And it’s got Sparky!
What do you think? Will you and your friends or family go see this flick? If you do, come back to share your thoughts!
-Kendra, owlblog@owlkids.com
