“Frankenweenie”
The elements that are the genius of director Tim Burton are all there. As he did with “Edward Scissorhands,” Burton strips away some of the shine of suburbia to show the darker side that lurks below. There is his fascination with life and death that has popped up in his “Corpse Bride.” And there is Burton’s macabre interest in life after death, a driving theme of “Beetlejuice.” It’s as if the original “Frankenweenie” is a microcosm of themes Burton’s examined in all of his other movies. As long as the film focuses on those elements, “Frankenweenie” is a thrills-and-chills ride brought to life through Burton’s quirky artistic style.
Grade: B
“Game Change”
The cable film starts with the realization by the John McCain team they need to come up with their own game changer to have any hope of defeating Barack Obama. Danny Strong, who wrote the screenplay, sees Sarah Palin as one of the great American political stories of our time — a rather raw politician pushed into a national forum with little known about her. You might argue with the film’s politics, but the one thing that isn’t debatable is the performance by Julianne Moore as Palin. It’s Moore’s brilliant work that’s the true strength of the production.
Grade: B
Also new
“The Jazz Singer”: The first feature-length film with completely synchronized dialogue and musical sequences is on Blu-ray to mark the film’s 90th anniversary.
“Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden”: Recounts the behind-the-scenes decisions that brought the world’s most wanted man to justice.
“Dallas: The Complete First Season”: This is the first season of the re-launched prime-time soap starring Larry Hagman.
“House at the End of the Street”: A dream home becomes a nightmare. Jennifer Lawrence stars.
Rick Bentley, The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.)
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