This summer’s abysmal update of “Dark Shadows” marked a career low for Tim Burton, the visionary director of “Ed Wood,” “Edward Scissorhands” and the best Batman movie NOT directed by Christopher Nolan (that’s “Batman Returns” for those keeping score at home).

Truth be told, Burton has been in a major creative funk for years, directing a string of mediocre-to-lousy films dating back to his “Planet of the Apes” remake in 2001.

But it only takes one good movie to spark a comeback, and for Burton, the black-and-white, stop-motion animated “Frankenweenie” is an exceptional return to form. An expansion of the 1984 short film that launched his career, “Frankenweenie” is a playful ode to classic horror movies as well as a heartfelt story about a boy and his (undead) dog. (more…)