With Coraline, Henry Selick has created a great animated film that is on a par with The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). Being the first stop-motion animated film to be shot entirely in 3D, Coraline is groundbreaking as well as a masterful work of animation. The new 3D that is currently being used in films, is far superior to the old style with the red and blue glasses. Although the new 3D works great with live action films, seeing it used with animation is breathtaking, the film comes to life in a whole new way.
Coraline and her parents have recently moved to a new house, and they are too busy working on their computers to have any time for their daughter. As she roams through the rooms of the new home, she finds a small door that has been covered with wallpaper. Behind the door is a portal to another world, where things are the same, only better. In this world, Coraline’s “other” parents care for her, her neighbors are all fun and talented, and everything seems to be great. As Coraline returns, again and again, to this “other” world she begins to realize that things are not as great as they had initially seemed. In the end Coraline, along with some help from her friend Wybie and his cat, has to fight to save herself, her friends, and her parents from the clutches of her “other” mother.
The animation in Coraline is excellent, and the characters not only look great but they are what you would expect from the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas, a bit odd and off the wall at times. I really liked the character of Coraline, because although she initially seems to have a bad attitude, in reality she is just upset because she has been uprooted from her friends and her parents have no time for her. All of the voice actors did a great job with their characters and there really is not a throw away character in the film.
There are many scenes in Coraline that make great use of the 3D technology, but perhaps the most impressive scene is when the garden is growing in the “other” world. If you are undecided about 3D, this scene will make a believer out of you. Along with the great use of 3D in the film, the musical score by Bruno Coulais compliments the film perfectly. The score is reminiscent of Danny Elfman’s score for The Nightmare Before Christmas, but with a more ethereal feel. There is also a great song by They Might Be Giants, which is performed by Coraline’s “other” father.
A word of caution to parents: The PG rating for Coraline should be taken seriously, as there are a few scenes that may frighten young children.
Being a long time fan of animation and especially stop-motion animation, I am confident Coraline will go down in cinema history with the likes of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Alice in Wonderland (1951), The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Spirited Away (2001). It is a great film that should be seen by children and adults alike.
Director: Henry Selick
Writer: Henry Selick (screenplay), Neil Gaiman (book)
Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane, John Hodgman, Keith David, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language and suggestive humor.
Runtime: 100 minutes
Country: USA
Year: 2009
Rating: 
