Coraline

Voices of: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgman, Robert Bailey, Jr., Ian McShane,
Directed by: Henry Selick
Rating: PG
Genre: Animated, Children's
2009

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Coraline (Dakota Fanning) is upset about being ignored by her mother (Teri Hatcher) and her father (John Hodgman). She discovers a portal into another world- one where fun, excitement, and good food are constantly available to her. She decides she loves this other world better than her own. Unknown to her, however, something sinister lies within this other world.

Review:

Tim: I went into Coraline without any expectations. Somehow, this film escaped my knowledge (or existed purely on the edges of it), and I actually got this movie confused with some other movie, so I really wasn't sure what to expect. To my surprise, I watched a pleasant, entertaining, and sometimes scary look at a story that I had not heard before.

What I found with this film was an inventive, unique, entertaining story that didn't flinch or pull any punches in its tale. So many family films feel like they are watered down, because they don't want to offend or scare any of their viewers. That is not the case here. This movie was dark, occasionally nightmarish, but still family appropriate (for the most part). I was impressed with the film's unrelenting portrayal of a dark, twisting and different world. The film's villains have evil intentions, and the story is told without trying to coddle the audience. This film could certainly be very scary to younger viewers, but I don't think that is a bad thing. Kids should be scared once in a while.

The movie is done completely in stop-motion, and is beautiful to watch. The world is depicted so vividly (and occasionally hauntingly) that you almost cannot tear your eyes away from the screen. The movie was directed by Henry Selick, who also directed The Nightmare Before Christmas, and he brings that same almost-phantasmagorical quality to the film. It really is a stunning, visually amazing film. The movie received a very well deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Film. I know Up was the big winner at the Academy Awards, but this film would have been a worthy winner also.

The voice cast is very good. Dakota Fanning is terrific as Coraline. I really have high hopes for Fanning- she's talented enough that if she stays focused, she could be one of our best actresses. It was great for her to have a film like this under her belt, and she really brings Coraline to life. I thought she was terrific. I also like Terri Hatcher and John Hodgman as her parents. They both did impressive work. I loved Keith David as the cat. David was a terrific choice, and his Cat is one of the most memorable, coolest characters of the film.

I know this film was adapted from a book, but it still told a unique, very different story. So many kids movies feel all too similar. Coraline told a unique story in a dark, challenging manner. This is probably not a movie for everyone, but there's so much in this complex film about family, discovering the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and ultimately, making peace with what you have- instead of what you do not. I really, really enjoyed this film on multiple levels. It was a solid movie, and a pleasure to watch.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Corpse Bride, Uptown Girls, 9