Dark Shadows (2012) - Fun, flamboyant vampire romp is a celebration of culture

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Johnny Depp in theatrics for Tim Burton's Dark Shadows

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The coffin of Barnabus Collins is found in the 1970's after he has rested in it for almost 200 years. And the culture shock during his re-assimilation with his current family members do not end with the fact that Collins is a vampire...!
This very cheerful horror comedy is based on a beloved Gothic soap opera of the same name that ran from 1966-71. 
Shadows by the great Tim Burton (Batman Returns (1992)) has lots of tongue-in-cheek gags, good effects, tomfoolery, and an enthusiastic, excellent Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands (1990)); Michelle Pfeiffer (What Lies Beneath (2000)) appears in a dashing 70's wig, and the film has cameos by Christopher Lee (The Man With the Golden Gun (1974)) and heavy-rocker Alice Cooper (Monster Dog (1984)). - And really groovy music, both contemporary (that is, 70's) and from composer Danny Elfman (Mars Attacks! (1996)). Dark Shadows is very Burtonesque and hard not to enjoy. Not his most original film, but a good, fun, entertaining time.
One reservation: The overly busy digital stylization of the movie threatens to impose on it a more anonymous, disgusting look. Burton, beware -- remember that texture and mistakes are natural and inherent in cinema!
Burton's next film, the interestingly sounding artist biopic Big Eyes, is coming out later this year and is being revealed in glimpses to eager reporters in Cannes at the moment.

Related reviews:

Tim Burton: Batman Returns (1992) - Burton gives us the ultimate, Gothic spin on Gotham City and its sinister characters
Batman (1989) - A huge, glitzy, empty joker
Beetle Juice (1988) - Burton and team serve one of the best horror comedies ever

A delicious character header for Tim Burton's Dark Shadows

Watch the very amusing trailer here

Budget: 150 mil. $
Box office: 245.5 mil. $
= Minor flop

What do you think of Dark Shadows?
Rate Johnny Depp's performances in Tim Burton's films, (if you are familiar with them)

Batman Returns (1992) - Burton gives us the ultimate, Gothic spin on Gotham City and its sinister characters

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Featuring Michael Keaton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Danny DaVito and Christopher Walken, all in stellar performances in a visually incredible film, Tim Burton's Batman Returns is the best Batman movie ever

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The story rotates around the Penguin, a man, who has lived in Gotham City's sewers, and who now wants to be the mayor. He gets help from the city's business king, Max Shreck. His secretary in the meantime begins to meow ....
Michael Keaton (Beetle Juice (1988)) is busy as Batman in this the second big movie adaptation of the DC comic by Warner Bros., but the story is well-told in a pace that has to be labeled as perfect. Danny Elfman's (The Simpsons (1989-)) score compliments Bo Welch's (Beetle Juice (1988)) amazing, Burtonesque production design to a tee. - Returns is one of Elfman's best works, because the film is perfectly suited to his grandiose, playful style.

Michelle Pfeiffer in one freaky and very sexy role as Catwoman in Tim Burton's Batman Returns

The film offers exceptional, Gothic images and legendary performances by, in particular, Michelle Pfeiffer (Scarface (1983)) as the sexy Catwoman and Danny DeVito (Anything Else (2003)) as the oozing Penguin, one of the all-time best movie villains.

Danny DeVito in one of the best villain roles ever created on the screen, as the Penguin in Tim Burton's Batman Returns

Returns is a fantasy movie with a thick underlining of the word fantasy and totally without consequences for reality; it is escapism in its purest form. In these cases, the fantasy must be excessively thorough and amazingly conceived to hit the highest notes: Batman Returns is just that, and might be master director Tim Burton's (Mars Attacks! (1996)) best film yet: Weird, funny, sexy, scary, inventive and wildly entertaining throughout.
Burton is working on an untraditional project for him at the moment, Big Eyes, a 'low budget' (10 mil. $) period drama about real-life painter Margaret Keane, set in the 50s and 60s, with Amy Adams, Krysten Ritter and Christoph Waltz. - Sounding very intriguing.

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Batman Begins (2005) or, Modern, Dark, Smooth Batman 

The movie is better than its trailer makes it look, but here it is anyway

Budget: 80 mil. $ (incl. marketing)
Box office: 266.8 mil. $
= Blockbuster

Do you agree that Batman Returns is the best Batman movie?