DirkH’s review published on Letterboxd:
Part of Dastardly Difficult December: film nr.91
Definitive proof that Burton should never, ever work with Depp again, let alone other real people.
I know this is an easy criticism, but I really feel Burton has surrounded him with people that fit nicely in his comfort zone and as a result his last couple of films have been drab and not that good. It seems as if he just didn't challenge himself anymore, relying on routine.
I wonder if Burton felt the same as he now reanimates (.......I know, sorry about that) his first short film and turns it into a fun and very creative film.
The black and white cinematography, the production design and the insanely gorgeous stop motion animation turn this into a delightful tribute to the Universal Monster Movies. Add to that a script filled with in-jokes, a superb finale and Burton not shying away from making it graphic or even a bit scary and I'm hooked.
And in the end it's a story about a kid that really loves his dog, which was surprisingly endearing.