Movie: Coraline, A REAL 3D MOTION PICTURE EVENT!

Based on a children’s book written by Neil Gaiman (Stardust, MirrorMask), Coraline is a creepy fairy tale that clearly draws much of its inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Young Coraline Jones has just moved into a new house with her mom and dad, both of whom are writers and for the most part, too busy to pay any attention to her. Out of boredom, Coraline explores the new house and eventually stumbles upon a small doorway that leads to an alternate world that seems similar to the real world except that everyone has buttons for eyes. At first it seems to be a dream come true, a place where her parents are friendly and cheerful and only too happy to spend time with her. Eventually, however, she realizes that there is something more sinister at work, and with the help of a strange cat from next door, she must save the souls of others who have been trapped in the alternate world forever.

There isn’t as much emphasis on quirky, offbeat characters as there was in The Nightmare Before Christmas or Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, which may disappoint some, but it makes the central narrative that much stronger. With the exception of Mr. Bobinsky, the retired circus performer who lives upstairs, and Miss Forcible and Miss Spink, the retired actresses who live next door, the movie contains a fairly small cast of characters, and they aren’t overly cartoony. The majority of the real world is fairly subdued, which in turn makes the alternate world seem that much more fantastical.

Seeing the movie in 3D is also a treat. This was actually the first movie created in the new Real D technology, and it really enhanced the film, even if it wasn’t entirely necessary. There were only a couple of moments were it was deliberately distracting (particularly the opening credits), but for the most part it just added to the dream-like qualities of the alternate world.

Is it for everyone? Probably not. Is it just for kids? Definitely not. Once again, if you’re a fan of Pixar movies, Pan’s Labyrinth, or any dark fantasy film with a kid as the central protagonist, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t enjoy Coraline. Even if you’re just interested in the visuals, that’s fine, but this movie has a lot more to offer than Pee-Wee’s Playhouse-style surrealism.

Gyaaaaaaaa... I really really really wanna see this movie!!!