I absolutely LOVE Corpse Bride

Rating: 9/10 (23 September 2005)

I have to say I love Corpse Bride. It is the best Tim Burton film I've seen made in at least five years. It's not as good as Nightmare before Christmas but it's better than his later moves after Sleepy Hollow.
The animation is beautiful and the jokes are cute and random and though many were 'borrowed' from The Beetlejuice animated series I feel this is okay because that cartoon aired sixteen-years-ago and was made by Tim Burton, whom made this film.
The score was not Danny Elfman's best. It does not compare to Nightmare before Christmas or Edward Scissorhands but it is still beautiful, nevertheless. The songs aren't as good, by far, as Nightmare before Christmas but Remains of the day is very catchy. The character Emily (the corpse Bride) has a beautiful voice, too bad she only sings two verses in the song Tears to Shed.
The film is charming and has some heart warming moments. It treats death as nothing you should be afraid of. It's more of a celebration of life like the Mexican day of the dead. A child could watch this film without being too scared, they may take it like a faery tale.
I think this is the best film I've seen made in a long time. It was very refreshing and heart warming.
One thing that bothered me was that someone had told me that it's only implied that a certain character was Emily's killer. It was obvious to me that this person was her killer. And he practically told us directly that he was going to kill Victoria too. I enjoyed what became of Emily's killer though I will not spoil it, nor will I reveal who he is.
The characters of Victoria's parents are frustrating and offensive. Her mother refused to let the poor girl learn how to play the piano because it was 'improper' and 'too passionate'. Hopefully Victor will teach her. Also when she told her family that Victor was dragged off by a dead woman no one believed her and she was even locked in her room with the windows boarded up.
The characters of Victor and Emily are adorable. The ending is sweet and comforting. The dead are unintimidating (except to those who deserve it) and are quite friendly.
The opening scene ties in perfectly with the ending if you know how it ends.
References to earlier Tim Burton works:
Victor is mistakenly called Vincent once by Victoria's father. Vincent was Tim Burton's character from a stop motion film he did for Disney years ago and later appeared as Prince Vince on the animated Beetlejuice series.
The cat (Percy) that appeared in Vincent, Beetlejuice the animated series and Nightmare before Christmas also appears in this film but I only saw him for a moment and he looked to be missing his fur or now orange.
The skeletons had a xylophone band as Jack Skllington's children were to have according to the Nightmare before Christmas soundtrack.
Johnny Depp was a voice and he has starred in five Tim Burton movies.
The man who voiced the Nepoleon skeleton was the Oompa Loompa in Charlie and the chocolate factory.
Danny Elfman (whom has done the scores for every Tim Burton movie except Ed Wood) was the voice of Bonejangles, a singing skeleton. He was also the singing voice of Jack Skellington in Nightmare before Christmas, along with other characters.
Nepoleon Bonesapart also appeared in the episode Summer Vaction of the Beetlejuice animated series.
Like Sally the rag doll of Nightmare before Christmas Emily goes to pieces and sometimes the pieces remain active.
My favourite remembered jokes in the film:
Victor: 'Get back! I have a... dwarf. And I'm not afraid to use him!'
Maggot: 'If I wasn't just sitting in it I'd say you've lost your mind.'
Widow: 'You died fifteen-years-ago!' Skeleton lover: 'Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.' (Takes her in his arms and makes out with her)