I don't understand what the fuss is about.

Rating: 6/10 (6 October 2010)

Right, I've seen all these other teenagers wandering around, wearing hoodies with Jack's face on, all crying out "OMG the nitemare be4 Xmas is soooooooo awesome", so I decided to see it for myself. I wanted to know what the fuss was about. I mean, if loads of people like something, it's got to be good, right? .....Right? Less than 3 minutes into the film, I was sitting there thinking "So...People think this is the best animated film ever?" I was struck instantly by the animation. It's dire. So amateurish. I've seen cartoons done by first-year animation students and they are sensational compared to the animation in this film. The animation is 'sticky', usually far too slow (especially with 'shock' reactions), and it's just... argh. It bugged me so much. I'm sure there are going to be people who either think "What are you talking about?" (to them I say: Watch it again and bear this in mind) or "Oh, don't be mean. Stop-motion is very hard and they must be applauded for their efforts" (to them I say: No it's not. I've got loads of experience with stop-motion. It's simple if you know what you're doing). Sure, the models are fine, no, the models are great, it's just that they didn't do a very good job of giving them 'life'.
Now I shall discuss my views of the plot. I must admit, I didn't pay as much attention to the film as many fans would have, but there was something that confused me greatly (among other things, but this one just plain annoys me). Sally is, effectually, the doctor's slave, and is never allowed to be away from the doctor (and is often locked up) so she doesn't get a good taste of the 'outside world', and yet she evidently had managed to develop a good friendship with Jack before the film's setting.
Wait, what? Is that just bad script-writing, or am I simply not seeing the apparent obvious? I don't quite understand how someone can be emotionally separated from the rest of the community, yet manage to maintain a friendship with one of its members.
Other than that *ahem* possible inconsistency, the idea of the plot is very good. It is very imaginative. I don't have any problems with it. This film, as we all know, is also a musical. Now, normally with musicals I sit there thinking "Oh God, there's another song coming up", but with this film, I found the songs tolerable; they became part of the film and, quite simply, the film almost survives on these songs. As for the voice acting, that was also very good, and the actors must be praised for making a decent job of it.
In conclusion, good story, maybe, but great cartoon? I don't think so. There's certainly nothing about it to make me feel like going around saying it's the best cartoon/animated film ever. There are dozens of things I can think of which would have made this film better, and admittedly I find it such a shame that my opinions of the film have been made so negative by this fact.