We rented Tim Burton's Corpse Bride a while back, and loved it. I'd already seen it in the theaters, but it was worth seeing again... this time with the kids. Burton's work is always hard to categorize, but it always has elements to it that say "Tim Burton did this." In this case, though, the movie is easy to categorize: it is romantic comedy where one corner of the love triangle is dead. Oh, and it was animated with stop-motion and puppets. There's a lot to love in this film, but in particular I loved the contrast between the color palettes used for the land of the living and the land of the dead. It was simple, brilliant, and wildly effective. If you enjoyed Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, you'll like this film too. If you hated it then I doubt Corpse Bride will do much for you. If you haven't seen either film what's the matter with you? Danny Elfman wrote the music, and sang "The Remains of the Day," a track I loved so much I had to own it. I bought it on iTunes after returning from the theater. The DVD will let you play the entire film with no sound other than Elfman's music -- a VERY cool feature. It's a little weird since there are spots where there's no sound coming out at all, and none of the singing is there either, but if you enjoy film scores it's an absolute treasure. The rest of the special features are wonderful as well -- especially if you, like me, have an interest in the world of caricaturization and animation. You'll see just how complex these stop-motion puppets are, and you'll get to see the voice actors doing some of their lines next to the animated results. This one is worth owning. If you have kids, they'll enjoy it. If you have artistic interests, the special features alone make it worth the purchase.
