Frankenweenie (2012)

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Release date: 2012

Length: 87 minutes (1 hour, 27 minutes)

Review: Tim Burton's "Frankenweenie" is the perfect Halloween movie for families. The story centers around Victor Frankenstein, who crafts a daring science experiment to return his dog Sparky to life after a deadly car accident. Things go alright, sort of, until the other kids at Victor's school find out what he's done, and try to replicate the experiment on their own deceased pets.

Parents and teenagers will have fun catching the dozens of references to classic horror and science fiction films--from "The Mummy" to "Godzilla" to "Dracula" and more. Martin Landau is priceless, at his best as the kids' science teacher, Mr. Rzykruski.  Other actors and characters to look out for include Fu Manchu, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Children of the Corn.

Age appropriateness: "Frankenweenie" is officially rated "PG" in the United States. There is some animated violence and "grossness" (the story centers around a boy bringing his dog, which was hit by a car, back to life). This movie should be fine for kids in second grade on up. However, children in first grade or younger might get scared and/or grossed out by a few things; parents should use their best judgment.

Creators and stars: Allison Abbate, Atticus Shaffer, Catherine O'Hara, Charlie Tahan, Conchata Ferrell, Don Hahn, John August, Lenny Ripps, Martin Landau, Martin Short, Robert Capron, Tim Burton, Winona Ryder

Details: "Frankenweenie" is a stop-motion film shot in black and white, rendered in 3D. It was originally done by director Tim Burton as a live-action short in 1984.