"Corpse Bride" Movie Review

"I do". Those are two words that Victor Van Dort just can't seem to say. He practices and practices but saying his vows aren't an easy thing for him to do. Perhaps it's because he barely knows her and doesn't love her. Or because he is a nervous wreck. Which is it? Either way, it clearly isn't going according to plan. Victor wanders off into the forest and while practicing his vows yet again, he finally gets them right. Unfortunately, it happens at a very inconvenient time. A dead woman, buried in the ground, has been waiting for the perfect man to come and say the exact words that Victor said and she believes it to be for real. She brings him into the world of the dead which is not at all what he is looking for. Tim Burton's idea is a strange and creative one but, to me, there was clearly something missing. Johnny Depp does a mediocre job playing the selfless and kindhearted Victor but that's just it; its mediocre. Same goes for Helena Bonham Carter as the corpse bride and most of the other voice actors. But as I said, Tim Burton's ideas are creative as usual, and the animation that he hadn't used since "The Nightmare Before Christmas", works well here.

6/10

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"Big Fish" Movie Review

Has someone ever told you a story that was so awe-inspiring and so fantastic that you wondered if it could possibly be true? This is how William Bloom feels about his father, Edward Bloom. So much so that he doesn't even talk to him anymore. Edward Bloom is a storytelling, eager to tell everyone about his life adventures. Will knows they can't be true and so as his father grows close to death, he decides to set things straight. This film, based on Daniel Wallace's book, is one of my favorites because it clearly portrays a life well lived. Edward Bloom is one of the most inspiring characters I have ever seen onscreen because he puts so much into life; and gets so much out of it. Tim Burton's usual films are quite dark in tone, but with this, he takes a break from that style, while still managing to put his unmistakable creativeness and true sense of wonder into it. I also highly recommend Daniel Wallace's book which is just as good, if not better, than the movie.

10/10

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