Close, but not quite awesome.

Rating: 7/10 (21 May 2013)

After my second viewing of this movie, I would have to say that my first opinion remains.
I'll begin by saying that I enjoyed the movie, and will probably buy it on DVD or BluRay. I was fortunate enough to catch it on cable, but I look forward to whatever commentaries or extras that may be available.
That is not to say there were not some gaping flaws in the movie, but perhaps, ten years from now, I may be able to overlook them. I will begin with what was horrible first.
1. Overuse of pop music. I loved the Nights in White Satin, and Barnabas' quoting of Steve Miller, but I feel that Burton had a hard time deciding what songs not to use. Had it been used sparingly, the music would have had a greater impact. I won't choose what songs should have been kept, other than Nights in White Satin. That song fit the scene perfectly, and definitely set the mood for Victoria's character. Also, Alice was great, especially that second song...
2. The naughty romp. As the kids these days say, it was "OTT." It would have been better to let the camera move back through a window and let the shadows feed our imagination. I'm no prude, but the sequence was just silly. Also, Dr. Julia's oral examination wasn't needed, either.
3. Woof. Aside from the fact that Carolyn's transformation was skipped, and her foreshadowing was woefully inadequate, (Scooby Doo was great, though...) it was painful to have Angelique explain it in the middle of a battle. The greatest travesty here, of course, was the overwhelmingly unnecessary line, "Woof."
4. Victoria? Josette! If this were to work better, I would have had Victoria be less haunted by a specter and more possessed by an old soul. It makes Victoria's life worthless if you don't at least add a simple line like, "Sometimes I feel as if I've lived two lives..."
5. Barnabas' redemption. I don't feel like he deserved to "win." I think a more fitting ending would have been for him to be upset that he had turned Victoria into a vampire. After all, whilst pursuing her, he slept with Angelique and had orals from Dr Julia and there was literally no emotional toll for this. He never cracked, never really flew off the handle and displayed any sort of remorse for his actions. Yes, we know he's a monster, but getting Josette back was an unearned reward for his behavior.
Now, here's what I loved.
1. The fishing side story. I wish there had been more scenes of Christopher Lee, but I was glad for what was there. It was a pleasantly unexpected development, and I think it truly added to the charm of the film.
2. The art. I thought everything from the sets to the costumes to the cars was spot-on. I would have made a point to show off the grounds a bit more, though.
3. David's dad. What a scumbag he was! When Barnabas sent him packing, I was nodding to myself. Sure he could have been eaten, but that's to be expected. Nice to see this trope turned on it's head.
4. David's mum. Not the best delivery, but definitely hits the "monster mash" button that Caroline started to push. When that happened, I was like, hell yeah, now lets get some zombies or some animated scarecrows or a mummy from a crypt under the house or something! The house coming to life was okay, but we saw that in that Owen Wilson movie where he gets killed by a fireplace.
5. The ladies. Oh the ladies. Bella Heathcote is the hottest thing on two legs, and the prim governess routine was undoubtedly the hook that kept me watching. I didn't really care for her vampiric makeover, but then again, it didn't look so hot on Johnny Depp, either. It worked for the story, but I felt it was too Nosferatu... (still, it was a very nostalgic shot for fans of the black and white classics- did they grease the lens for that shot?) Sorry Tim Burton, dead things aren't as sexy as you or the Insane Clown Posse would have us believe. Not saying I wouldn't go there if I myself was a vampire, but while I draw breath, I'll take the governess costume all day.
The camera-work was almost perfect. Here's my favorite shots...
1. Victoria on the train.
2. Caroline dancing with the record player.
3. Barnabas posing in front of his painting.
4. Help me!
5. Barnabas on the stairs, eyeballing the lava lamp.
6. Maggie in the psyche ward, looking up at the camera before she escapes.
7. Angelique approaching the manor with her awesome car behind her.
8. Barnabas passing the goods to a doomed hippie. Poor kids, I like em.
9. Barnabas on the dock with his umbrella, looking a bit like some sort of creepy SS Doctor from every Nazi movie ever.
So there you go. It was by no means horrible, but at the same note, it was rather self-indulgent. Perhaps Burton will do better on the next outing. Hint: more Bella and Chloe!