Set in a 19th-century European village, Victor (Johnny Depp) is traveling home with a friend to marry his fiancee, Victoria (Emily Watson). The two friends stop to rest in the woods and, as a joke, Victor puts his wedding ring on a finger-shaped stick in the ground and recites his vows. But the stick turns out to be the rotted finger of a murdered girl (Helena Bonham-Carter), who returns as a living corpse and insists that SHE is now Victor's lawfully wedded wife.

Victor is whisked away to the Land of the Dead (which proves to be much more exciting than his strict Victorian upbringing). But he learns that there's nothing in this world---or the next---that can keep him away from his one true love.

A murder, a ghoulish corpse, a spooky underworld, a bereft bride...yup, sounds like a Tim Burton film. Only HE could take such a macabre story (based on a 19th century Russian folk tale) and turn it into a kid's movie. But if you look beyond the surface, this movie is actually a tale of romance, optimism and holding fast to your dreams when all seems lost.

PRE-SCHOOLER (ages 2-5): Although this movie is animated, the scary images and themes will likely be too spooky for tots. If it's a Halloween feel you're after, pop in "Winnie the Pooh's Boo to You, Too" or "Clifford's Big Halloween," two gentle movies that teach life lessons, loyalty and love. (And I bet even your older kids---and you!---will get a kick out of 'em, too!)

GRADE-SCHOOLER (ages 6-10): If your children aren't scared by dark images or death themes, they'll probably be ok with this movie, especially kids eight and up. As with Burton's, "The Nightmare Before Christmas," this movie is filled with such magic and enchantment, you almost forget that it's a dark tale about the afterlife.

TWEEN/TEEN (ages 11+): Although Johnny Depp is an animated character, he'll still be a big draw for this age group. Victor even looks like Depp, and the voice is unmistakable. The story is original, the characters well developed, the music beautiful and the animation top-notch---so much so that you can't imagine them being played by real people.

Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance journalist specializing in the movie and television industries.