Pure movie magic about seeking new possibilities

Rating: 10/10 (15 February 2015)

The Nightmare Before Christmas is simply pure movie magic. Its stop- motion animation entertains with a seemingly effortless ease, though quite a lot of painstaking artistry was required to bring the world of Jack Skellington to life. It's the story of Jack, the "Pumpkin King," who is essentially the physical embodiment of the spirit of Halloween. After yet another successful Halloween, Jack wanders away from town with his dog Zero, tired of the holiday he has mastered and seeking a new sense of purpose. He stumbles into "Christmas Town" and decides to give the people of Halloween Town a new project. Though not overtly political, Nightmare has a progressive quality, both in terms of the daring vision it brings to the screen and in its themes. It's a film about struggling against the boundaries of your environment and pressing for change. And even though Jack's attempt to usurp Christmas is misguided and ultimately unsuccessful, he's not wrong to seek new possibilities, and he emerges from the experience a changed skeleton. He's revived and renewed, and with the help of Sally, who loves Jack for who he is, he realizes his ambition was driven by selfishness. In the end, he's wiser, having learned to play his own role well without descending into isolation. After setting things right, Jack is better able to listen to, collaborate with, and connect with others for the benefit of everyone.