Best Movie Ever: The Nightmare Before Christmas

You have to wonder why Dr. Finklestein didn't keep his spells, potions and charming agents better locked up. Sally, his rag doll creation, was very upfront about her desire to escape his evil fortress and live a free life. Here, she is laying into one of the canned goods - excuse me, canned BADS - that is readily accessible: frog's breath.

While on the topic of the good doctor, you should know that he was voiced by one of Hollywood's all time great That Guys, William Hickey. Depending on your station in life, you know him from the John Huston film Prizzi's Honor or from The Jerky Boys (let's split the difference and celebrate the beloved-by-all Gore Verbinski film Mouse Hunt, in which he plays Rudolf Smuntz).

All gooey and disgusting eyes are on Jack as he lays out his new plan to rescue Christmas Town from the evil, lobster-like monster known as Sandy Claws.

The Nightmare Before Christmas knowingly winks to classic cinema at this point, as it is not the first motion picture to let the misunderstanding of Santa Claus' name guide the narrative.

I refer, of course, to Sam Wood's film, A Night At The Opera - an important motion picture about the rise of fascism in Europe. Let's take a look at some dialogue between two young Marxists who went by the curious names of Groucho and Chico:

Otis P. Driftwood: "If any of the parties participating in this contract are shown not to be in their right mind the entire agreement is automatically nullified." It's all right it's in every contract. That's what they call a sanity clause.

Fiorello: Heh, you no fool me. There ain't no Sanity Claus!

This triumvirate of terror harmonizes all the way to Christmas Town and back (by way of Easter Town) to kidnap poor St. Nicholas for Jack's nefarious albeit well-meaning deeds.

One has to wonder what in his previous dealings with Lock Shock and Barrell led him to believe they wouldn't bring Santa to Oogie Boogie just because he told them not to. We, the audience, have just met these three little monsters and we already know not to trust them. Jack, on the other hand, has probably known them their whole lives!

Between not quite understanding the real meaning of Christmas and this blunder of misplaced trust, perhaps there's a side to Jack that isn't much discussed: is the Pumpkin King a moron?

The entire town (including this crazy snake-head, clam-face, striped guy, whatever the heck he is) pitches in to help Jack realize his dream. Isn't that what the spirit of Christmas is all about? Just overlook the stuff about kidnapping and terrorizing children.