There were numerous little built-in references to other Burton films. And before anyone uses it as a criticism, just remember, filmmakers do this all the time. It is not stealing. It is paying tribute to the great films that helped shape a filmmaker's career and vision.
When Charlie opens the factory fo the tour, he cuts the ribbon with a pair of scissors. He looks like Edward scissorhands.
When Willy's father throws the holloween candy in the fireplace, we see a piece of candy with a graphic that looks like Jack Skellington on it from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
When Willy hugs his father at the end of the movie, he does so very tentatively. Just like he hugged his father in Big Fish and also in Edward Scissorhands.
The pink sheep being sheared looked like the pink sweaters on the cover of the ED WOOD DVD. Which starred Depp.
Chopping throught the jungles of Oompaland with a machete. He looked like his Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
He licks the blade of the machete just like he licks the cocaine off the blade in the hotel room in Fear and Loathing
The dancing mechanical puppets at the opening of the factory reminded me of It's a Small World at DisneyWorld.
Another observation: the faces of the children were ckaed heavily with makeup making them look like the the little dancing mechanical puppets at the opening of the factory. Symbolically, the cute little puppets were violently destroyed just like the children.
The chimps and the stone obelisk in 2002: A space Odyssey
When Willy and CHarlie are approaching Willy's father's dentist officeit was very reminiscent of approacing the mansion in Edward Scissorhands.
His father looked like Dr. Frankenstein standing there with his long white dr. coat and rubber gloves.