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• A Lack Luster Emotionless Film posted on 28 August 2009

  Coraline starts off fast and ends rather quick. The voice over work didn't reel anyone of the 250 people in the theater into the story or character. Sure the kids enjoyed it, but kids today also enjoy cartoon network shows.....This movie had alright visuals and a rather cheap and shallow plot. It throws you in and your only ankle deep. Yawns broke out early and the whole time we all thought....when will this get good? It never happened. The whole climax near the end came way to quick, there was no DEPTH at all.Sadly this is a huge let down, I expected more from the director of A Nightmare Before Christmas.

• Surprisingly one dimensional... posted on 26 August 2009

  Let me frank here: I love Neil Gaiman (his work, that is), I love Henry Selick, and I love animation. Coraline was the first Gaiman novel I ever read, and when I found out they were making a movie, I literally leaped for joy! Then I saw the clip online and thought it was weird for Coraline to have blue hair -- okay, not bad. Then I heard she was going to be voiced by Dakota Fanning (Ew), that they rewrote the story so that some kid named Wybie would be in it, and that They Might Be Giants would supply the soundtrack. My hopes were fading...I'll sum it up for you right now: this movie has the BEST animation Henry Selick has ever done -- bar none! The visuals are breathtaking--no, spectacular! The music was catchy, the jokes were good, and the acting first class. The problem is that the pace of the story moves too quickly and none of the characters, except for Coraline, are given any kind of development.Coraline obviously proves to the most engaging character throughout the story, but everyone else feels sorely misplaced. Her parents are mean to her one minute, then nice to her the next; Wybie is zero one minute, a hero the next; and the cat goes from being a sarcastic freak of nature to being Coraline's best friend. What happened here? There is virtually no character development.And what about the plot holes? Yes, I'm sorry to say that even in a film as beautiful as this there are plot holes. Such as, why on earth did Wybie give Coraline the doll in the first place? Why didn't the Other Mother just give it to Coraline herself? Why isn't Coraline the least bit scared when she sees the Other Mother for the first time? Would she really be courageous enough to eat there after just having eaten in the real world? How come Coraline's parents can't remember what happened after they've been released from the snow globe? And why does Coraline act like nothing is wrong when the cat suddenly begins talking to her in the tunnel. Obviously, I'm over-analyzing things here, but many of the film's faults are glaringly on the surface.Overall, I have to say that The Nightmare Before Christmas still remains my favorite Selick film. Coraline is GOOD, but at least ALL the characters in Nightmare were one- dimensional, whereas Coraline is the only three-dimensional thing going.

• One of the best (non-pixar) family films in years. posted on 26 August 2009

  Coraline is visually arresting and somewhat twisted, but what would you expect from the minds behind the film? Neil Gaiman's voice has always been a bit Gothic and warped, but it adds to his appeal. You can see a Henry Sellick picture a mile away, even if many confuse him with Tim Burton simply because Sellick directed a Tim Burton written film (Seriously though people, the film would not have been the same without Sellick. Give him some freakin' credit!) and had it be his biggest success, and truly his best film. Until now.I didn't really know what to expect going into Coraline, although I love Neil Gaiman, I have yet to read the novel, but I did at least figure the film would be good if it stayed to his distinct style. Thankfully, it did although much more in the vein of his more lighthearted stories such as Anansi Boys than the neo-Gothic of American Gods. The film is still plenty dark though, just enough to grip an older audience and put a little fear into the younger ones, but not enough to scare them off. Just as the dark parts are engaging, the humour isn't half bad either. There are several scenes that are chuckle worthy and have that distinct Gaiman-bite that made his more comedic pieces so much fun. A lot of the humour comes from the titular character, which makes her a bit more likable, considering that she's not your typical heroine. Rather than being brave and abstractly noble, shes a little brat. Well, okay, so things change for the climax, but Coraline is portrayed a bit more realistically when it comes to the way your typical spoiled 8 year old would be. Dakota Fanning does a great job playing Coraline as well, and is probably a better voice than live actress.In the end, Coraline is a highly entertaining film. It has amazing visuals, a fun, sometimes twisted and creepy but imaginative story, and great characters, each with their own quirk that makes you glad they came onto the screen. It's nice to see a family film that takes a few risks and delves into a darker territory, but it knows where to stop without going to far, and it knows how to please a fully adult crowd as well.Here's to another Neil Gaiman-Henry Sellick collaboration in the future.

• Visually Stunning, Emotionly Awesome, Perfect FIlm posted on 26 August 2009

  Coraline was amazing. It was amazingly beautiful and fun, and the 3D was great. I thought Id make a little list of why Coraline was so great.1. Wybie! Wybie was by far the best character and was just awesome with the mask on. 2. Strangeness. It was delicously creepy. 3. Dakota Fanning is good at voice acting! 4. Stunning. Very well designed 5. 3D. Best 3D I have ever seen. And doesn't over do it like most 3D movies. 6. The Otherworld. Otherworld was wonderful because it was not only beautiful but people like the idea of the other life thing. 7. All knowing Cat. Cmon! Who doesn't love knowledgeable cats? 8. Theater scene. Makes you laugh nice and good 9. Coraline's spunk 10. Wonderfully creepy line "Whats the matter Coraline? Don't you wanna play?"

• Thou art alive! posted on 22 August 2009

  Even though the soundtrack includes a children's choir and a They Might Be Giants song, please don't bring toddlers to this movie, unless they are into hating their mothers and burning their dollies. Coraline excels at the bizarre and grotesque, and touches on the scary, even for us grown-ups. While I applaud most movies with "facial structure supervisor" and "puppet wrangler" in the credits, the 3D mastery and attention to detail in Coraline make this film visually orgasmic, from the dust on a car to the elaborate psychedelic garden to the drunk neighbor's billowing repulsive gut you can almost smell. A subtle theme, as one character in the film articulates, is in the realm of "thou art alive; thou art still living" but the real take-home message is this: Even though your parents may be neglectful and mean, at least you're not threatened with eternal damnation in a home with a woman claiming to be your mother who really just wants to steal your eyeballs and sew buttons in their place.

• Boring, then Horrifying. posted on 18 August 2009

  I am a fan of the new wave of 3D films that are getting released now a days, and this is honestly why I didn't walk out of Coraline. The first 2/3rds of this film are absolutely dreadful, nothing happens, the story goes from one disjointed vignette to another. All of the characters are annoying, absolutely no one you could cheer for in the bunch.Then, it becomes the most horrifying film I've seen since the Excorsist. I mean truly disturbing, a couple of weeks ago I saw My Bloody Valentine in 3D. I think a small kid, 10 or 11 years old, has a better chance of watching that one and not have night mares. I honestly may have nightmares after watching this thing. Which is why I give it a 5, if the last third had been like the first two thirds I'd be giving it a 2, and 1.5 of that would be for the 3D.The only film to come close to being as disturbing as this one in the past 30 years is Hostle, but believe me, this one is worse.So, to sum up, boring as hell, cool 3D, deeply disturbing.

• If David Lynch Made Animated Films, They Would Be Like This posted on 18 August 2009

  I adore Henry Selick's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and its ghoulish sense of humor, so I was prepared for more of the same in "Coraline." But what I didn't expect was that this film would be so delightfully disturbing and so utterly sophisticated. For anyone who wants an antidote to the typical Disney-fied children's fare available to you (and even the Pixar films aren't excluded from that description), "Coraline" is for you."Coraline" is like a David Lynch film for kids. Like Lynch films, it seems to exist in a universe of its own, where an entirely different set of logic applies. The imagery in the film can be quite frightening at times, but it's also quite beautiful in its own way. And the film's ultimate message -- that kids need to accept the imperfections of their parents and stop moping about an adult world they don't entirely understand -- is a very grown up one.A marvelous animated film.Grade: A

• Button Wholes posted on 18 August 2009

  I believe that the lucid imagination puts their own markers in the public conceptual landscape. Regular readers know that many of these for me are films that anchor personal structure. But I have some books that do this as well, and probably at a more fundamental level. One of these is "Alice in Wonderland" and it is a minor game to recognize that work in contemporary copies.This film is blatantly patterned after Alice. The two worlds, the vaginal transition. Mirrors, small doors. Animated flowers. Wicked queen. There's the business of returning to the origin by walking away and even the cat that advises. All of those bits are here, plus a dash of "Pinocchio." But there is another influence that may not be so obvious to you.I encountered a very special piece of stop-motion work a couple years ago: "Blood Tea and Red String" which is also derived from Alice, has this surrogate ragdoll notion and also supports a storyline of capture for love. The stylistic elements in this later project clearly were influenced by that film which I gave my highest rating. So in watching this, I touched two of my most important markers, plus having the folded notion of one world similar to the other, but more magical except for artificial eyes. Its an example of Ted's law, one which may help to extend or better understand it.The dimensionality of the thing — advertised heavily in my area — was trivial, uninteresting. It was a compelling show, owing to its structure. But you'll do better to go to the sources, I think.Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

• Henry Selick's latest film is a delight! posted on 16 August 2009

  Almost 3 weeks ago, I attended a screening from Ain't It Cool News to see Henry Selick's latest film, 'Coraline.' I was excited because the screening would showcase the film in 3-D technology, and there was the chance to do a Q&A with Director Henry Selick (unfortunately due to bad weather, Mr. Selick did not make it to our screening).Before going in to see 'Coraline,' I had read the book on which the film was based. While many acclaimed it for it's storyline, I found it rather dull and predictable. I've been surrounded by fans of Neil Gaiman's work, though so far had never picked up a book written by him (though 'American Gods' did pique my interest).Going into the film, I was not quite sure what to expect. I had had tastes of the film from the trailers, but the general consensus was that Henry Selick had tarnished Gaiman's story, turning it into 'Disney fodder.' The truth is: the film manages to be both charming and creepy.For those not in the know, "Coraline" tells the tale of Coraline Jones, who moves to a new town and a house with several strange characters. As well, Coraline's parents just seem to have no time for her, and so she takes to exploring her new abode by herself. In her exploration, she uncovers a small door in the house, which seems to lead to nowhere. But upon revisiting the door late at night, it opens onto a parallel world that is much more whimsical and fun than the real world.The one difference is that in the 'Other World,' almost all the inhabitants have buttons for eyes. But still, the other parents in this world pay attention to Coraline, and the rather blasé atmosphere of the real world is electrified with color and interesting flights of fancy. It seems just so perfect...or is it? Henry Selick manages to take Neil Gaiman's story, and crafts a world that just seems to take great advantage of stop-motion in a world where the obvious choice would be to go for a totally computer-generated world. Seeing minute details such as Coraline's clothing made of actual material makes the world seem even more magical, where invisible giants manipulate the Lilliputians in this miniature world.Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, and a number of other vocal actors give voice to a number of wonderful characters, with Hatcher really doing double and triple-duty with her vocal talents. Fanning on the other hand, fleshes out a character that seemed rather dull in Gaiman's work. Her voice gives Coraline the life that I didn't think was possible.One unsung hero (along with the countless animators who will be passed over in the press junkets) is the composer, Bruno Corlais. Mr. Corlais had never crossed my ears until the screening, but his music lends a touch of brilliance to the film, and makes it seem almost like a European production. Growing up in he US in the early 80's, I saw a number of stop-motion productions from Europe that played on the Nickelodeon show 'Pinwheel.' Corlais' music just transported me to that simpler of times when music didn't need to be 'commercial.' His score really helps to establish the world as well, and uses some instruments that may sound foreign to American ears.And if anyone is questioning if the 3-D is worth it-it is! This isn't the fly-in-your-face #-D that was seen 2-3 decades ago. It's subtler, but gives dimension to the miniature world of 'Coraline.' I think if you showed this film to a child in 3-D, they'd go home dreaming of creating their own little worlds of stop-motion puppets.For the year 2009, 'Coraline' so far (as of 2/6/09), is my first enjoyable film experience. I'm hoping my other upcoming film hopefuls (Watchmen, Up, Transformers 2) will also make me feel as positive.

• Terrifying and Beautiul....an instant magical classic posted on 16 August 2009

  Having just watched Coraline it is with out doubt a magical film.The story centres around Neil Gaiman's beautiful story telling of 'Coraline Jone's' a feisty, very grown up 11 year old girl imaginably voiced by Dakota Fanning who has just moved to new town and house along with her parents voiced by Terr Hatcher and John Hodgman who seem to have no time for there daughter their busy stressed out life's.So it is here that Coraline sets about exploring the new house which appears sometimes creepy at times and discovers a secret door which upon opening takes our heroine into another parallel world. This new world seems exciting, magical and full of vibrant colour unlike the drained out real one she is used to...and this new world seems perfect...or it would seem? It is here that Henry Selick jaw dropping and exquisite stop motion animation takes place and in my book this even better than The Nightmare Before Christmas - and one that's gives Pixar a run for their money. The arch of an eyebrow perfectly expressing a character's attitude, the shine on the icing of a cake making it look edible and this will shine Oscar time next year.As we are entering the year of 3-D films (and I cannot wait to see what Avatar as to offer) I recommend you seek out a cinema that is showing it in this as this adds another magical dimension to the film.Yes as some reviews might say on here the film may appear a little scary at times for children...but does it? Because as children we all know when we were younger we used the dream about that other magical world...and this film is also not just for children.

• Spiders!! OMG Why did they not warn about SPIDERS ?!?!? posted on 16 August 2009

  Why did they not warn IN BIG LETTTERS that SPIDERS are in this animation? It is like a nightmare for people who hate spiders. Do not watch this movie if you hate spiders. OMG, how can this movie not contain a warning? IT SAID PG FOR GOD'S SAKE !!! It is understandable that the director wanted to create a totally loathsome villain in the Other Mother, but, this was an animated movie, rated PG, and only mentioned harsh language. Oh yeah, and what about the practically nude Venus on the Half Shell size DDD with pasties? That was really nice for the kids to see. What in the world were they thinking, not warning about spiders and naked women? This is not a movie you want your younger kids to see. And if you think your kids are OK to handle this, that is a sad commentary on what kids are watching these days.

• Cute. posted on 14 August 2009

  I had no intention of seeing this, but my friend and I were bored on a Friday night and I had free tickets to a movie theater. The only movie playing at 9:30 at night was Coraline. I had heard of the book before, but I never read it so I didn't know what to expect.The animation was amazing. Every character looked awesome and had so much detail to them. With the 3-D, nothing really popped out of you, but it just gave it an extra depth that made it more real. I think it was so cool.The movie was really cute. If you haven't read the book, it'll keep you in suspense. I really enjoyed the movie and recommend you see it. :)

• Eerie without the feel posted on 14 August 2009

  Henry Selick is a stupendously imaginative film artist. His stop motion movies are pure eye candy, full of magical and bizarre settings and characters. Coraline takes it all even further. It is a beautiful, surprisingly colorful world filled with incredible set pieces and settings. There are some slight annoyances, like some over animated characters that have just too many moves or facial expressions. I'm not quite sure how to elaborate on this, but when, for example, Caroline follows every single word with whole range of different facial expressions, just so we could gasp some more at the animators brilliance, she loses some part of her character in the process. But, that is not the main problem of this film. Main problem of the film is the screenplay. I have come to know Neil Gaiman primarily through his Sandman comics, and one thing I can say about him, is that he is too imaginative for his own good. Every single story line he wrote in there was brilliantly simple to start with, full of eerie, magical mythology and characters, some very, very nice fantasy for young adults. But then, he would continue on, and stuff every story with just to much intellectual mambo-jumbo. He would put artificially intellectual words into characters mouths just so readers would go on and say: woow, this guy is really well read. And I am aware that some teenage emo girl will fall in love with this paper thin kind of intellectual snobism that is wrapped in eeriness and cool blackness, but in all honesty, it is quite tiresome after some time. And that is true in Coraline's case. Story line is fantastically beautiful on paper, girl finds a door in her house, door leads to "other family" with buttons for eyes, cats can talk and she is surrounded with nice and yet creepy characters. There isn't much for an older viewer to appreciate apart from visuals. Coraline herself is somewhat annoying character, you don't quite care for her, and all the wacky characters don't serve much purpose. Of course there is some Shakespeare quoting thrown here or there (it is a Gaiman story after all), just so older viewers could think that they are watching something deep, and that is not quite the case. Movie is trying really hard, but, once again, apart from brilliant visuals, there isn't much going on here. Even though there is something going on all the time. It is quite a feat, I must admit. And, as always with this kind of movies, little details are it's best part. Is it the piano that plays the father or angel dogs, it is little things that Gaiman always excels at, and Selick really lifts it way up high. All in all, this is a poor man's Alice in wonderland, minus the genuine originality and plus forced eeriness and narrative spices without flavor. It is not bad by a long shot, but I kind of feel that this movie should be watched inside it's young teenage target audience to really be accepted as a masterpiece. And I know if I was fifteen right now, that I would be in love with it.

• Coraline posted on 14 August 2009

  I went to see this film last night with my friend from work, alittle worried that it wouldn't live up to the hype. Boy was I wrong. This film is probably not for those of us who are self confessed wimp (like my friend) but it IS fantastically creepy and engaging. Although I was at times alittle freaked out, I was also with Coraline all the way. Even my friend admitted that she was so involved in the film that when it seemed that Coraline had no hope she was actually panicking about how she would get out of her predicament, something which I can honestly say no other Kids film has managed to get me to do.I would definitely recommend this to those brave souls who like to be freaked out-even some kids would love this. But I would warn parents of younger or sensitive children, this is probably too much! If your kid is scared of the bogeyman and the dark, avoid this, or there will be tears at bedtime!

• Huh?? posted on 14 August 2009

  I am a big fan of animation, but the love for this movie has me scratching my head. I'm sure the families who fled mid-movie, and the crying children in the audience might agree. I haven't read the Neil Gaiman graphic novel that the movie is based upon, but the story is another Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland wannabe, replete with a curious young girl and the eccentric characters she encounters in an alternate world. CORALINE, however, lacks the wit and social observations of its predecessor, and more strikingly lacks the humor and heart of most any Disney/Pixar animation feature.First of all, when are parents going to learn to heed the movie rating system? This is definitely not a movie for young children. There are ghosts of dead children, for one thing. Another scene - a burlesque with two old women - is very graphic in showing one woman's HUGE knockers covered by the tiniest of stripper's pasties. It makes Little Annie Fannie from Playboy look flat-chested. One family left right after this scene.For an adult like myself, despite all its wonderful visuals, it still seemed plodding and overlong. Halfway through I raised my 3-D glasses to rub my eyes, wondering when it was all going to end, and I made an important discovery. In 3-D, the movie loses its color and intensity, due to the dark glasses. The difference is like the night switch on your rearview mirror. If I had any desire to see this movie again, I'm sure I'd prefer the 2-D version with its brilliant colors over the dull 3-D version.

• Breaking Through to the Other Side posted on 14 August 2009

  I'm angry at Henry Selick. He hasn't directed a good stop motion film since James and the Giant Peach which was thirteen years ago. He's finally returned to form and produced a soon-to-be cult classic much like The Nightmare Before Christmas. Like his signature film, Coraline will find audience outside its target. Do not take your young children to see this movie. It will either frighten them or perplex them. It is like the best psychological horror films in its ability to create innate tension through droll environments. It doesn't sound novel on paper, and it isn't. Coraline is a dark fantasy story brought to life (or death) through 3D technology. It's also one of the first non-Pixar movies I've watched that doesn't treat 3D as a gimmick.I've not read much of Neil Gaiman's, but I've seen many movies adapted from his work. Many of them contain an Alice in Wonderland story, in which a character discovers another world. Stardust and Coraline are both in this vein. I found the former to be inappropriately silly. Whatever the main guy's name is doesn't seem affected by his otherworldly discovery. Coraline is sinister, and therefore the preferred approach. The other world is a dangerous, inhospitable place. The heroine is adolescent Coraline Jones, whose parents have recently relocated to a desolate apartment in nowheresville. They spend all of their time working in poorly-lighted rooms. There is only one other child Coraline's age and she doesn't like him. Wybie, the other child, tells Coraline that many children have gone missing in the apartment. She doesn't believe him, of course. So she pokes around the house until she discovers a strange door. Inside is a Candy Land world where everything she desires is present. Her "other" parents are expressive and loving. They lack human eyes, instead sporting buttons, which do not affect their ability to see. Coraline begins visiting frequently until the Other Mother asks her if she would like to stay permanently. Other Mother is revealed to be an ageless enigma, preying on the unhappiness of children. The children are kept forever in a purgatory state, unless they can find their human eyes. Coraline escapes back to the first world to discover that her parents are missing. She must return to Other World and rescue them, along with the eyes of Mother's other victims. She wants to set them free. It's a cheap storyline device that forces the story forward to its scary conclusion. The story falls flat once the other world is discovered, so a new evil is invented. The last segment has a video game quality to it. Watching Coraline collect various items, while using an object to discern the true nature of the other world reminded me of a similar plotting element from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.Coraline isn't your average Bolt-like children's movie. It's frightening and unsettling. I even jumped out of my seat a few times, dare I admit. Selick's art design may be similar to Tim Burton's but nothing more. The film's pallet is dark until the very end. Think about the opening shots of Wall-E. No uplifting songs or sympathy with characters are present in Coraline. She's a disagreeable child who doesn't try to be lovable. She really needs a spanking. Coraline reminds me of her parents, in her callous disregard for other people. She isn't burdened with responsibility yet, so she's just unsociable. I can see her writing at the kitchen table for whatever reason like her mother does.Some movies, not this one, are made to be viewed in 3D. If it isn't worth the ticket price, then have no qualms about watching it in 2D. Selick uses 3D to emphasize certain objects before Coraline approaches them. Remove all thoughts of My Bloody Valentine 3D from your head. The story is capable of scaring you without resulting to desperate pickaxe-in-your-face shots.Selick has stated that the movie is for "brave children of all ages." I'd have to disagree with him. Coraline is a film for adults of all ages and some of their children. The drab set design, Other Mother's skeletal figure, and various cinematic elements will not appeal to youngsters. It's similar to Monster House. I'd love to see Selick adapt an adult Neil Gaiman novel or something else intended for an older audience. Horror anime has been available for years, yet the West has produced no suitable substitute. With a film like Coraline, we are beginning to fill that gap. This is the first great movie of 2009 and a Best Animated Picture candidate. Leave the kids at home when you go see it.

• Best movie known to man-kind! posted on 08 December 2009

  Recently, The theaters opened with a new movie, with fans rushing through the concession stand, to see the movie that Henry Selik brought to life, 'Coraline'.Coraline is a one-of-a-kind movie, where a little 11 year old girl finds a secret door, that only opens at night. A door, that leads you to a parallel place, where everything is, and works out a lot better... or does it? Coraline later figures out that it's a trap, and tries to escape, but the other mother, and other father tries to keep her there and replace her eyes with buttons, so then she'll see things the same as her other parents. But when her real parents are in trouble, she's trapped, and the other parents pretty much control the parallel area, it becomes a creepy adventure for most ages, older then seven.It's practically impossible to compare with other movies, but for children younger then seven, who want to see this movie...The Level of Horror matches Monster House for the most part, one cuss word 'Crap' is used once-- The other mother morphs into a monster, The other Whybie gets his mouth sewn up so then it's a permanent smile, Whybie's cat kills a mouse, the other father is seen beat up for past actions, Whybies cat rips the buttons/eyes out of the other mother (actually that part wasn't as disturbing as it sounds), After Coraline escapes the parallel place, and locks the entrance door, the other mother sticks her hand (witch you can see is just a bunch of needles) under the door and breaks her own hand off to chase Coraline down and drag her back into the other world. While Whybie is rescuing Coraline from the other mothers hand, he falls over, and just before falling into the well, he grabs a hold of the top for his life, as the other mother's hand tries to push him into the well. Whybie in a few scenes is shown wearing a mask with 3 green glowing eyes to look through.You see three spirits of little kids who where also trapped in the world, and ask Coraline to help. --Coraline slams Whybie into the wall twice until she pulled the bag off of the 'killer' and notices that it was the other Whybie with his mouth sewn into a smile, not someone else.A women is seen wearing only an underwear, and coconut's as a bra. That's the most i can really recall... if I were to make an MPAA rating for Coraline, it would pry be 'Rated PG for scary moments and sequences, mild language, and some crude humor'.*Try to leave the house to go to the movie early, so you'll be 100% on time, and see the begging through the end. Because there are also many surprises in the beginning, and if you miss your next time, wait for the next... because, you'll need to see the beginning to fully understand*

• Great story, amazing visuals posted on 08 October 2009

  Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) feels that she isn't living the happy family life she should be with her parents (Teri Hatcher & John Hodgman). The family has just moved to a new area against Coralines wishes, the parents are all caught up in their work and there's not much to do for Coraline in the new, alien and secluded surroundings she's put in. She feels unappreciated by her parents – and she's more than delighted when she finds a secret door inside the house which leads to a different kind of reality where all her wishes seem to come true... Then the buttons come into the picture and everything goes haywire - you'll understand when you watch the film.Coraline's (2009) a stop-motion animation (with some CGI-thrown into the mix) and it looks amazing. The characters and the sets are well designed and brought to life with a great attention to detail. The characters are well animated and the voice work for each and every one of them is just right. Especially Dakota Fanning as the titular Coraline deserves extra praise – if she hadn't done a great job the whole film would have fallen flat along with her performance. Luckily for the film she's great in the role. What I also really liked about the characters was that even though how bizarre or "over the top" they were, or regardless how few minutes of screen time for some of them was given – they all seemed to have something more than just the first and the most obvious "layer" in them, something going on "behind the scenes". It borough that much more life into them and into the story itself.The film's look is very much alike with the one of The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – and it's no wonder, the films share the same director: Henry Selick. The design is very Gothic- and dream-like and looks spooky and amazing at the same time. Along with some creepy design, the story isn't all kid-friendly either. There's nothing scary in it but in some of the scenes the tension builds up so that even I was really intrigued by everything that was happening on the screen.The storytelling get's into motion a bit too slowly and it get's overwhelmed at first by the amazing visual look. But still, Coraline (2009) has a great story to tell and the whole film is a fine example of a "family movie" anyone can enjoy. 3/4

• Solid story makes this more than animation... posted on 08 October 2009

  ...the script, esp the strong characters make this a movie using animation as a media to deliver this amazing story.When you get the DVD, make sure to discover the behind the scenes production features. U can then appreciate the hard work done for years to create this masterpiece.Another thing that made this movie special is the production team down to all the nitty gritty details on decorations around the scene - down to details and not exaggerated. They didn't just show up there to earn a pay check - they wanted to be there to create history/magic.Like many great art, this movie can inspire & entertain audience at different age according to their own experience & how daring one is to his/her own imagination. To me, I am most attracted to the strong character of Coraline; the imagination journey of Coraline; the dark side of the story from "other mother"; how the "other world"(psychological world in my own interpretation) seems more powerful than what we see / touch daily.All in all, best movie I've seen since "The International".

• Dark, Stylish, Visually Amazing .... and not really for young kids. posted on 08 June 2009

  First - if you see this movie, try to see the 3D version - not all presentations are in 3D. Second, know that this movie is way too dark (IMHO) for kids under 10. Not only could the visuals be too intense, but the pacing is not that of a children's show.OK - that said, this movie is great. The strength is in three areas: visuals (scenery, characters, and little 'details'), style (this is movie is simply a work of art - a very dark and offbeat style) and emotional impact (the film visually evokes a lot of childhood feelings about growing up).The basic setup: A little girl and her parents move into a big, mysterious old home. One night, she learns that a little door in the house opens into a passageway to a parallel world. In this world, there are alternate versions of her parents, friends and everything ... as she journeys back and forth, she learns more and more about this world ... and the story progresses from there.If that sounds a bit too simplistic, there's more to it in the full story. Plus, it's presented in a serious and dark tone - which adds to it's mystique. The only area I can knock it is in a tame use of 3D. There are definitely some spectacular 3D parts, but the way it's used in general makes it fade into backgroundIf you're drawn to the visual aspects of movies, then this is must-see movie for 2009.