IT'S TIM BURTON - NOT SHAKESPEARE...

Reading the views of some of my fellow epinionated movie goers, it's hard to imagine their expectations walking into Corpse Bride. Lack of character development? Poorly designed plot? It's an animated movie about a dude marrying a dead chick for chrissake. Did they really think they were going to come away with relationship insights or a reformatted karma?

I walked in expecting a soulless Hollywood assembly line piece with moments of high quality animation - ala Shrek. I certainly got more than I bargained for.

First - the animation is stunning from beginning to end. I don't care if it had no plot, no dialog, or even no sound at all - it would still be a must see for it's visual mastery alone.

Second - plot absurdity is the joy of animation, it's not supposed to make sense - but this story has a lot to offer if you let it. We know how most cinema love triangles are going to resolve after the first 30 seconds - not here. I was fascinated to see how they were going to get out of the hole they had dug (no pun intended).

And C - there was a real message for me in this movie: it is possible to love two people at the same time, but we usually pick the one that's more convenient.

In all honesty, it did seem like I was one of the few people in the near-empty opening night theater that loved this movie - but what can I say, I was right and they were wrong...