Tim Burton always knows how to create colorful, interesting universes to populate his characters, and this is no exception. However, this time he delivers less than a masterpiece. The characters are zany but many without purpose, and the continuation concept is clever but unnecessary. In this case, it may have been preferable for Burton to just re-adapt the book.
This is the movie I watch again whenever Michigan winters begin to drag me down. The scenery makes you want to book that trip to Tuscany -- Now! Loved the book, and since I never expected the movie to follow the book, was plesantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the movie. Fits within my personal genre of favorite movies I call life-affirming.