Archives
Ed Wood
Mars Attacks!
Overview
'We come in peace' is not what those green men from Mars mean when they invade our planet, armed with irresistible weapons and a cruel sense of humor. This star studded cast must play victim to the alien’s fun and games in this comedy homage to science fiction films of the '50s and '60s.
Sleepy Hollow
Overview
New York detective Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of mysterious deaths in which the victims are found beheaded. But the locals believe the culprit to be none other than the ghost of the legendary Headless Horseman.
Planet of the Apes
Overview
After a spectacular crash-landing on an uncharted planet, brash astronaut Leo Davidson finds himself trapped in a savage world where talking apes dominate the human race. Desperate to find a way home, Leo must evade the invincible gorilla army led by Ruthless General Thade.
Big Fish
Overview
Throughout his life Edward Bloom has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, he remains a huge mystery to his son, William. Now, to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures.
Corpse Bride
Overview
Set in a 19th-century european village, this stop-motion animation feature follows the story of Victor, a young man whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious corpse bride, while his real bride Victoria waits bereft in the land of the living.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Overview
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.
Edward Scissorhands
Overview
Edward Scissorhands is a classic Tim Burton and Johnny Depp film about a small suburban town that receives a visit from a castaway unfinished science experiment named Edward. A satire on the normality of Middle-America and their fear of outsiders. A magical fairytale story of loneliness, learning, and love; that will make you laugh, curse, and cry.
This is such a great movie with its stark contrasts and dark themes. It is perfect Tim Burton. This was Johnny Depp before his downward slide. I hadn’t seen this film in years and thought it would be a good watch for a family movie night. I had forgotten quite how dark it is.
I’m not sure how he did it, but Burton managed to make a beautiful allegory of an autistic man and his attempts to integrate into a harsh society. This was before anyone had published any works on or formally studied autism. I can only think that Tim Burton either is or is very close to someone who suffers on the spectrum. Let’s think about it…
He is very mechanical and somewhat cold in his interactions with people. The inventor teaches him social etiquette and encourages him to smile. He shows particular skill which astounds others similar to a savant. Despite his best efforts he hurts others and those mistakes haunt him like scars. He has an amazing capacity to love but society pushes him away because of his differences.
It really is an amazing story, but I’ve always felt like the characters are overly exaggerated and with this allegory in mind it makes sense. The characters are as Edward sees them, brightly colored symbols of the things that he cannot be. He expresses the desire several times through the film to be introduced to this absent doctor whom people are sure could help him. He wants to be a part of society but like the dark castle on top of the hill all he can do is sit in his childlike state and look out over the world wishing he could join them but forever trapped by the society them at the same time.
We are encouraged to be like the Boggs who loved Edward for who he was. They embraced his differences and loved him for who he was, and their world was forever changed because of him.
I’m sure I’m stretching this a bit, but I can’t help but think of Tim Burton placing himself in Edward’s shoes as he makes this film as a brilliant creative man who would be misunderstood.
Beetlejuice
Overview
Thanks to an untimely demise via drowning, a young couple end up as poltergeists in their New England farmhouse, where they fail to meet the challenge of scaring away the insufferable new owners, who want to make drastic changes. In desperation, the undead newlyweds turn to an expert frightmeister, but he's got a diabolical agenda of his own.