By: Shannon Tesser | KFAN.com

Frankenweenie is a black and white, stop motion animated feature with a classic horror, monster movie feel.  It stays so true to the style that you’d expect to see Bela Lugosi or Vincent Price come on screen. It has the look and feel like something you used to see on late night TV reruns, paying homage to such classics as Bride of Frankenstein, Godzilla, and Gremlins. Frankenweenie is absolutely brilliant; it is Tim Burton at his finest. There are moments when kids and adults jump out of their seats, but it still manages to have the heart that any story about a boy and his dog would have.

Young Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan) loves science and his dog Sparky.  Being that Victor is a bit of a loner, his parents (Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short) encourage him to get out more.  But when he goes to play baseball with the other boys his age, Sparky is hit by a car.  Understandably depressed, Victor tries to move on without his best friend, but after a demonstration from the new science teacher (Martin Landau) Victor gets the idea to bring Sparky back to life. In an attic lab, that any mad scientist would envy, Victor manages to bring Sparky back to life with the assistance of a lightning storm, something that is a common occurrence in the town of New Holland. Word gets out that it is possible to bring beloved pets back to life and pretty soon all of the kids are giving it a try.  But while Sparky comes back nearly the same, except a few quirks like body parts falling off or leaking water every time he takes a drink, the rest of the neighborhood’s pets come back like mega monster creatures… for instance a pet turtle comes back enormous and reminiscent of Godzilla (and of course he is the Japanese kid’s pet). Victor’s superior science skills and Sparky’s bravery are called upon to save the town, but not before a town mob chases Sparky with torches.

Filled with familiar voices; Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder, Martin Landau and that adorable kid from The Middle, Atticus Shaffer. Frankenweenie was a fun time at the movies for the whole family and well worth seeing opening weekend.

In theatres October 5th
Rated PG
87 minutes