Frankenweenie, Tim Burton

Opened yesterday in Paris, the latest animation from Tim Burton is a triumph: part-pastiche, mostly lovable if the gothic is your thing. And it is mine.

Inspired by a strangely Vincent Price looking science teacher, Vincent revivifies his dog Sparky. Unfortunately his less well-intentioned class-mates try to imitate him with disastrous results (giant rampaging tortoise/godzilla, weird cat/bat creature and so on).

Set in the same kind of anonymous black and white American suburbia as Edward Scizzorhands, this was the perfect Hallowe'en treat as we are in a city where the night of tricks is not really celebrated.

Five stars all round. Excellent. Go see, no need to take a child.

Dark Shadows

A disappointing outing from Tim Burton this one, I'm afraid. Yes the costumes are stylish and there are a few lines of genuinely clever dialogue, but on the whole the Seventies nostalgia/hommage suffers terminally from its weak to totally predictable plot. Johnny Depp can't rescue it, neither can the rest of the stellar cast. Pity, we were so looking forward to it. There is one saving grace in the from of Alice Cooper, who's not looking bad at all. Go if you were a teenager in the 70s and enjoy the music all over again, otherwise wait for Frankenweenie in a few weeks' time.

Tim Burton at Le Cinematheque

For all fans of his movies, this is THE exhibition to see this year. In Paris at Le Cinematheque until 5 August you will find acres of artwork, poems, shorts, marquettes, movie costumes, props and sculptures, some made specially for the show. We loved the ultra-violet sculptures and the short films featuring Stain Boy.

No need to find a child to take, this is one for old and young alike. All you need is a sense of the macabre and a penchant for Vincent Price. Enjoy, we did, hugely. Opens at 12pm, but buy tickets in advance as the billetterie staff are slow to the point of...

Details here: http://www.cinematheque.fr/