Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

A Bedtime Story Brought to Life

By Chris Sabga

Release Date: September 30, 2016 – U.S.

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

Running Time: 127 minutes

Director: Tim Burton

Writers: Ransom Riggs (novel), 

Jane Goldman (screenplay)

Cast: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, 

Samuel L. Jackson, Judi Dench, 

Rupert Everett, Allison Janney, 

Chris O'Dowd, Terence Stamp, 

Ella Purnell, Enoch O'Conner, 

Lauren McCrostie, Pixie Davies, 

Cameron King, Milo Parker, 

Raffiella Chapman, Thomas Odwell, 

Joseph Odwell 

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" is a whimsical fantasy from director Tim Burton, but like all of Burton's work, there's a darker edge too.

Jake (Asa Butterfield, "Hugo") is a lonely lost boy living in Florida. While the skies may be sunny, his life is anything but. His father (Chris O'Dowd, far removed from his usual friendly, folksy demeanor) is cold, distant, and doesn't understand him. His grandfather, Abe (the superb Terence Stamp, making the most of his limited screen-time), is said to be suffering from dementia. When Jake was younger, Abe would tell him fantastical tales about growing up in a group home surrounded by other children with special abilities and their mysterious headmistress named Miss Peregrine. It was the perfect bedtime story for a child to fall asleep to. But Jake is now a sullen teen. He no longer considers himself a child and has put away childish things.

If Jake wasn't a child before, he's forced to grow up quickly when he discovers his grandfather dead in the woods with his eyes sucked out. Nightmares and trauma follow, but his psychiatrist (Allison Janney) assures him he's not crazy.

Jake wants to visit the children's home of his grandfather's youth. It's a long way from Florida to Wales, but his father reluctantly agrees because the trip could provide a much-needed sense of closure.

These are rather weighty themes to explore so early in the film, but it isn't long before Jake ends up in the 1940s of his grandfather's childhood and discovers that all of those amazing bedtime stories were true. There really was a Miss Peregrine (a delightfully off-kilter Eva Green) and she really did run a school for peculiar children. Abe's past has become Jake's present. The boy hasn't landed in a fairy tale, though. Trouble is brewing.

The Peculiars, as the children are referred to, include:

• Emma (Ella Purnell): Floats through the air.

• Finlay (Enoch O'Conner): Brings inanimate objects to life.

• Olive (Lauren McCrostie): Firestarter.

• Bronwyn (Pixie Davies): A little girl with superhuman strength.

• Millard (Cameron King): Invisible.

• Hugh (Milo Parker): Bees live inside him.

• Claire (Raffiella Chapman): An extra mouth resides in the back of her head.

• Masked Twins (Thomas and Joseph Odwell): Short and creepy – somewhat reminiscent of Sam from "Trick 'r Treat."

Fans of the Ransom Riggs novel, which I have not read, will immediately notice one major discrepancy: The characteristics of Emma and Olive have been swapped – for reasons unknown. Silver Screen Sister lamented that there were many changes made from the book.

The Peculiars are eventually greeted by two guests: one welcome and one unwelcome – the wise Miss Avocet (Judi Dench) and the villainous Barron (Samuel L. Jackson). Meanwhile, back in the "real world," Jake's bird-watcher dad has bonded with a fellow ornithologist (Rupert Everett).

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" is overflowing with creativity. Therefore, it is with a little guilt that I admit I was never quite able to love it. Don't get me wrong, it's still great fun. The Peculiars are interesting, the set-pieces are fantastic, the action is thrilling, and the emotional moments are well-played. Yet, all of those elements don't feel entirely cohesive at times. The same movie that deals with a boy's loneliness and grief also features Samuel L. Jackson mugging for the camera with wild white hair and garish fanged teeth. Because of that, the quieter human moments didn't affect me quite as much as they could have and the big battle scenes felt slightly lower-stakes than they should have.

Still, the ending sequence is amazing. Unfortunately, it's comprised of only rapid-fire clips and a quick explanation from one of the characters. I could have easily sat through another hour of the developments presented in those final few moments. What a missed opportunity! It almost felt like a TV show that was cancelled unexpectedly and had an epilogue added in post-production to wrap up any loose ends.

Even so, two of the characters who should have interacted in the final ten minutes of the film never did. But I guess that's what sequels are for. (Ransom Riggs wrote two more books in the "Miss Peregrine" series.)

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" may not have captured my heart the way I was hoping for, but there's still plenty to like and recommend about it. If nothing else, it's another opportunity to take in Tim Burton's unique blend of oddity and spectacle. 

Reflecting on 25 Years of Tim Burton's Batman

Michael Keaton's Iconic Take on the Caped Crusader is Now a Quarter of a Century Old

By Chris Sabga

On June 23, 1989, Tim Burton's dark, gritty, and visually stunning re-imagining of Batman flew onto the silver screen with the impact of a Batarang whizzing overhead.

I was only ten years old then, and it would be my first experience with the Caped Crusader.

Even at such a young age, I was familiar enough with Michael Keaton to know that he was somewhat of an odd fit to portray a superhero. I had no idea, though, just how controversial the casting choice really was at the time. Picture that same scenario in the internet-era: Everyone involved would have been crucified instantly in 140 characters or less on Twitter – just we saw last year with Ben Affleck. But these were much simpler, more innocent days – at least for me – and I had no qualms about giving Keaton a chance. Actually, I didn't even think about it that way at all – Keaton had nothing to prove to me. I just wanted to see a really cool-looking, fun movie about a powerful man who "turned into a bat" and had an array of wonderful "toys" at his disposal.

Two hours later (126 minutes, to be exact), I was smitten.

Despite whatever doubts people may have had, Michael Keaton was absolutely phenomenal in the tricky dual role of the billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and the cowled crimefighter Batman. However, every great hero needs a great villain – and they didn't come any better than Jack Nicholson's manic but magical and magnetic take on The Joker. The casting of such a respected Oscar-winning name like Nicholson sent a strong Bat-signal to the industry that this version of "Batman" would be more than just your typical superhero summer popcorn flick.

The strange sensibilities of director Tim Burton – who was then known primarily for "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" and "Beetlejuice" – provided another invaluable asset. He brought a warped, off-kilter aesthetic to the project that was perfect for Batman, The Joker, and Gotham City as a whole. But Burton's "Batman" was far from a weird arthouse experiment. It was cool.

Stylistically, the film was and remains a masterpiece. The striking sets of Gotham City, the bold black sheen of the Batmobile, and the colorful and crazy costumes of Batman and The Joker all came together to create a distinct visual world. The fusion of Batman and Tim Burton was nothing short of a work of art – literally.

The only thing I didn't like was that Nicholson had been given top billing over Keaton. Yes, Jack was the bigger star, but why was the villain's name ahead of the hero's? It rubbed my kid-self the wrong way. (Actually, it bugs my adult-self too!) Maybe it was my strong sense of justice? (Either that or extreme OCD.)

Regardless, I had Bat-fever that summer. And I wasn't the only one. A whole new generation of children and adults alike fell in love with The Dark Knight. Batman was once again relevant.

I collected the trading cards, pined for the toy Batmobile, and generally just couldn't get enough of anything Batman.

Then I discovered Adam West.

It's certainly true that Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Tim Burton all owe Adam West an enormous debt of gratitude – but I would not have found West without Keaton, Nicholson, and Burton.

From 1966 to 1968, Adam West played Batman (along with Burt Ward as his sidekick, the "Boy Wonder" Robin) for three seasons on television and one feature film. West's version of the Caped Crusader was the complete opposite of what would come later. It was lighthearted, comical, colorful, and blissfully cheesy. Words such as "pow" and "zap" would appear on the screen during fights. I adored it.

The villains were the best part. In addition to The Joker (played gleefully by Cesar Romero, whose bushy mustache poked out of his facepaint), I was also introduced to many other larger-than-life evildoers – including Catwoman (Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, and Eartha Kitt all stepped into the role at different times), The Penguin (Burgess Meredith), The Riddler (Frank Gorshin), Egghead (created specifically for the show and portrayed by Vincent Price), and too many others to name.

In 1992, Burton and Keaton reunited for a sequel, "Batman Returns," that I didn't enjoy nearly as much. A new director (Joel Schumacher) and a new actor (Val Kilmer) came together for 1995's "Batman Forever," which I actually enjoyed – possibly because of significantly lowered expectations. The stunt casting of Jim Carrey as "The Riddler" was a different story though. It seemed perfect on paper but did not translate well on-screen. The less said about the 1997 follow-up, "Batman & Robin," the better. George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger played Batman and Mr. Freeze respectively, and the entire franchise was – nope, I won't give in to my basest instincts and write "put on ice," "frozen," or any other temperature-related pun. Schwarzenegger had been a favorite of mine, and Clooney would become one, but this was not exactly their hottest outing. (Sorry!)

It would be eight more years before Batman would don the cowl and cape again for yet another reboot (Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" in 2005 with Christian Bale). And so it continues, from Bale to Ben and whatever lies beyond.

From comic books, movies, TV shows, toys, and more, Batman has carved out an immortal legacy that will forever stand the test of time.

But, for me, it all began in one small, dark movie theater in 1989.

• Ben Affleck is the New Batman: The History of the Dark Knight