Coraline Reviews

When they put Neil Gaiman on screen we get magic. Again an amazing adaption of an amazing tale. Me and my daughter enjoyed every second of this one.

I enjoyed Coraline and loved the story and the animation but I have to say I expected more from a collaboration between Henry Selick and the brilliant Neil Gaiman. Unfortunately Selick made such an impact with Nightmare before Christmas and Coraline isn't Gaiman's greatest achievements (it's not bad, it's just not my favourite of his) that Coraline just doesn't live up to what has come before. Maybe I'm being unfairly tough, it's certainly tons better than most other Children's films of late and really does bring back that horror and fantasy element of the classic fairytale that is overdue a return.

03/1/2012 (BluRay, 3D)

The creators of "Nightmare before Christmas" return with the adaptation of a Neil Gaiman children's horror novel. Once again, the animation is breathtakingly beautiful, even if in a creepy way. You can see that this was certainly a beauty in 3D and on the big screen. The imagination and love that went into the creation of each of those characters and settings clearly is showing. While the plot starts out as a mystery adventure, the second half is nothing short of horror and not for younger kids at all. Which clearly shows the film's dilemma. It's a bit too hysterical and silly for grown ups and way too creepy for the younger kids. Everyone between that who likes Tim Burton-esque weirdness could have a great time with this, it's definitely very entertaining, even if it all doesn't make all that much sense.

This wasn't directed by Tim Burton, nor was it directed by David Lynch, and of course, it wasn't directed by me (must get through the Police Force until then), no... we have a new Tim Lynch on the loose... his name is Henry Selick. And man Henry, you dream of some of the most creepy, bizarre things at night. Coraline is by far the most traumatizing children's film since The Adventures of Mark Twain, which for your information, has the Devil murder allot of innocent clay people in a greedy clay world. Creepy stuff, but Coraline kicks it up a notch. Like you all know, Eraserhead is one of the 5 fav films I have. These are Saw, Eraserhead, Ghost Protocol, Matrix, and Terminator. Eraserhead is number 2 of awesomeness, must mean I like surrealness in my movies. Oh yeah, I said it, I made up a new word. This is a great movie if you love Tim Burton or David Lynch, or if you just love original films that are really eye catching and weird, watch this movie

So this is embarrassing: I didn't really get it. I was waiting most of the movie to find out that Coraline's parents acted the way they did because they were getting a divorce or something, only to find out that the point really was just about the difference between reality and fantasy. My first reaction was that the story was a little rough around the edges, unfinished and ambiguous and therefore (possibly) too complicated for its target audience (kids); however, given some time to think about, I've started to piece it back together, and I think I really should have watched this at home and not on an airplane. That's what I'll do the next time. And if it's no better, so what? It's still great to see a Tim Burton influence layered on a Neil Gaiman story: it's in the margins where the best work is always being done, and sometimes it takes a long time for the "normal" movie watcher to understand.

In this stop motion film, you have a marvel of imagination, hemmed in by a story that is all too predicable in spite of some wondrous flights of fancy.

A young girl from Michigan is uprooted to Oregon by her parents, who seek peace and quiet to write some kind of gardening book. Ignored by her parents, and resentful for the move, the young girl Coraline Jones (hmm, and how come no-one has mentioned the alliteration to Carolyn Jones who portrayed Morticia Adams???) is bored and yearns for a better life. Low and behold, while asleep one night, she is led to a door that opens upon an alternate reality where her mom is especially loving and attentive - or at least so it seems at first.

When she awakens, she is back in her dreary room, so one wonders, Is it just a dream? This is a great idea, but due to the surreal effect of the animation, I started to question; what is real to the surreal? For sure, the doppelganger doll with the button eyes doesn't look that much different from the artistic cartoon of the girl herself - which makes the effect much less jarring.

Going into the technical aspects of the film, the voice acting is fairly solid, though Dakota Fanning as Coraline sounds very out of sorts in places and though I love French and Saunders with a passion (think Ab Fab) I often had problems understanding what the heck they were saying (a problem I never had with Ab Fab, oddly enough). The stop motion is very fluid with a few jarring exceptions - just when you start to lose yourself in the film there's a scene that's just too herky jerky - bringing you out of your reverie and back into "?hey, I'm just watching a film".

And yet, there are moments of pure magic, especially concerning Mr. Bobinsky (voiced by my hero Ian McShane, who will forever be Al Swearington to me). The scene with the jumping mice is almost worth the price of admission by itself, and the operatic/vaudeville/ trapeze scene with French and Saunders, while superfluous, was still a lot of fun - it was almost as if the director asked the pair "ok, we're going to let you riff for awhile, what can you come up with".

There are inventive touches galore, and yet the motis operandi of the final third of the film is based on a hokey convention, and unfortunately the final coda is hackneyed at best, making you wonder, as with so many animated films, who the target audience is supposed to be ? once again we seem caught in the middle, between an adult and a children?s film; and once again, seeking the middle ground muddies up what by rights should have been a classic film. This is certainly a worthwhile view, but rests firmly in the good, but could have been great category.

For the record - I saw this in 2d, so can't comment about the 3d version.

A fantastic and original stop motion animation. I was interested throughout the film and loved the aesthetics of it. They really did put a lot of work into this and it completely paid off. Reminds me of my childhood...

Predicted rating: 4 stars

Coraline is really a Horror film for young children, it really does play on many fears that a young child may have, with a very dark side to the story, it carries itself in a Burtonesque style.

There are clear signs of influence of Henry Selick's earlier film The Nightmare before Christmas.

Coraline starts off slow, but soon becomes an interesting adventure of two parallel worlds merging together.

Wonderfully imaginative art style. There is so much detail, detail that is worth noticing, that even multiple viewings will not capture it all. Every character is full of unique personality. The same can be said of the soundtrack. Everything about this movie seems antithetical to the safe and bland "mass appeal" approach of most animated movies today. It feels unique and genuine all the way down to its stitching.

Beautifully constructed and totally original, not to mention genuinely terrifying at times. Full review later.

Cast: Dakota Fanning, Ian McShane, Teri Hatcher, Keith David, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, John Hodgman, Robert Bailey Jr.

Director: Henry Selick

Summary: In this stop-motion animation Oscar nominee, curious young Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning) unlocks a door in her family's home and is transported to a universe that strangely resembles her own -- only better. But when her Other Mother (Teri Hatcher) doesn't want Coraline to return to reality, our heroine must summon an amazing amount of courage to go home and save her family.

My Thoughts: "A good film to teach you that having it all perfect isn't always perfect. I liked that it was a bit dark and creepy. The animation was really good. The film has beautiful colors and I loved the garden. Dakota Fanning is great as Coraline. She fit the character wonderfully. I loved the story. I think it may be for older children though. My seven yr old newphew found it a bit scary. Plus there is a burlesque performance with an old lady wearing some pasties. My nephew was pretty grossed out. But I think ten and older will be OK watching this."

Coraline's actually a great movie when you are able to see its true beauty in 3D. It really takes animation to a new level; somehow the claymation works even better. Usually it's not that big of a difference when it's 2D or 3D, it's the true imagination and good storytelling that should hold up no matter what. However, 3D is such a vital part to the story of Coraline that it's hard to appreciate it as much in any other platform. This has a great story, characters (voice talents as well) and Selick's great use of music.

It is not really that what I expected but it was not boring. Full of Phantasy and funny moments. What I liked about the Movie was there was not much musik (background sound) *humph* these days the Movie are added so much which backgournd sound you can hardly hear actors talking. Gee, it sometimes badly annoying. If I want to watch a musical Movie, I d go watch a Bollywood Movie.

What brings if you cannt hear the actors talking only sound. In theater its even worster.

A cool movie, but maybe too scary for kids, and this is coming from me, the guys who never cares if kids will find it scary.

A dark and suspenseful film, but what did you expect from the director of "Nightmare Before Christmas." Though there were some unnecessary things in the movie like, the whole scene with the two busty old ladies, it was funny, but it was unneeded in the film, especially in a kids film.

it was alright, i found it quite predictable but it was interesting enough!
i like the tim burton feel altough not a tim burton film it gives us a quirky and interesting concept which is wonderful to watch this animated cartoon.
Its interesting that should be watch even if its for a simple easy to follow movie.

Director Henry Selick makes his first stop-motion animated film without the assistance of Tim Burton. THANK GOODNESS!!! What is the film exactly? Its an adaption of Neil Gaiman's acclaimed horror novel, "Coraline."

Coraline tells the story of a girl named Coraline Jones who just moved from Michigan to Oregon. Her new home is old and dull and her parents are frickin' boring. She soon discovers a small door that leads her to an alternative universe in which her parents are fun, her neighbor is less annoying, and where danger and dark secrets lurk.

Coraline is well animated, voice acted, and directed. The characters are believable and likable. We are VERY VERY VERY upset that I did not see this in the theater in 3D because it could have been a movie experience we would never forget. It's that good.

You don't have to be goth or emo to enjoy Coraline. You'll like it and it is sure to entertain you.

As much as we enjoy the films of Tim Burton, we're glad he was not involved in this.

"Thou art still living."

Wow! I was completely blown away by this movie. I will divulge a well-kept secret in film culture: Tim Burton is not the reason A Nightmare Before Christmas kicked so much ass (just look at Corpse Bride). Neil Gaiman's story is wonderfully inticing and rich, and I didn't think Henry Selick's aethetic would necessarily lend itself to it, but it does really well. They tend to accentuate each other, I think. I can't say a bad word about this movie. It looks beautiful, the characters are great, the story is wonderful and the villain is insidiously terrifying. I especially love Coraline's neighbours, the two elderly woman who were formerly performers in some sort of series Shakespeare-themed burlesque acts, or the massive Russian dude on the top floor and his insightful mice. I also love how everyone staunchly refuses to pronounce Coraline's name properly.

B+