Nightmare Before Christmas

Christmas movies are known for their cliché plot lines and cheesy ideas of love but Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) is truly unique. Instead of copying and pasting, it supplies a special view from a town that is in love with a different holiday. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is an outstanding animated Christmas-themed movie that has stood the test of time and stands out from others in its genre and theme.

Two main characters are contrasting and relatable, creating interest at once. Jack Shellington is on his adventure to obtain the beauty of Christmas for himself, and Sally is on her own for freedom and pursuit of her interest in Jack. The forces working against them at first are Oogie Boogie and Dr. Finkelstein. The idea of love and happiness being foreign to their hometown causes a conflict among the main characters. Was what Jack trying to accomplish achievable and worth it? Would Sally’s turmoil with her creator ever end? Will everyone revolt against them for being outside the usual? Many can relate to being torn between what they’ve always known versus what they have always wanted. Many popular students struggle with their interests for fear of being disowned by the group. Many loners understand the feeling of wanting freedom and friendship. From every view you look at these characters, you can find something relatable and possible in the real world. The overall idea of having a Halloween town thriving off of terror and spooks is really fun. Their leader falls in love with another tradition vastly contradicting everything they have ever known, so it alludes to a bad ending for the figure. 

Tim Burton is a renowned name that most are familiar with. He is known for his gothic fantasy and horror-esque films. He directed other titles such as “The Corpse Bride”, “Edward Scissorhands”, “Beetlejuice”, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, and the 2010 “Alice in Wonderland” movie. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is available on Disney Plus.