CORALINE

Sunday February 7, 2009

CORALINE (2009) is a high-definition stop-motion animated feature, the first to be originally filmed in 3-D, with spectacular CG effects, directed by Henry Selick ("The Nightmare before Christmas"), based on Neil Gaiman’s international best-selling masterful children's horror fantasy. CORALINE is a film that is both visually stunning and wondrously entertaining. Ever since Lewis Carroll first imagined Alice tumbling down a rabbit hole, stories have abound of lonely, imaginative little girls passing through dark, narrow portals into crazy—upside-down often menacing other worlds—but never so fully envisioned in stereoscopic 3-D stop-motion animation.

There is a real need of more films with smart, mischievous young girls. Coraline is a smart, savvy and clever eleven-year-old girl, without being sappy or sickly sweet. She’s the girl next door that we actually might like having living next door. Especially since she’s brave, resourceful and not afraid to confront her darkest fears.

Coraline, (Dakota Fanning) discovers a key and walks through a secret door from her boring new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life—only much better. However, when this wondrously off-kilter, fantastical adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents (Other Mother voiced by Teri Hatcher) tries to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home—and save her family.

Perhaps a bit dark and gothic to be regarded as a mainstream family film. CORALINE is not for young children, (there are some scary disturbing images), but ultimately CORALINE proves a brilliantly enhance gothic comedy that mingles horror and whimsy into a "family-friendly" version of Gaiman's dark story.

CORALINE (2009) ***½