Movie Review: Coraline 3-D

A young girl walks through a secret door in her 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. But when her adventure turns dangerous and her "other parents" try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home - and save her family.

This movie has a fantastic musical score, fantastic stop-motion animation and an imaginative storyline from Neil Gaiman. It's a marvelously entertaining movies for kids and adults alike. The stop-motion animation is just visually stunning and the 3-D effect isn't overdone but really adds depth to the world of the story, mostly as a backdrop. It's really gorgeous in some scenes.

I think it's still a horror movie really, so be warned for the really small children, but it's more creepy and weird than in-your-face horror. There's no blood or anything like that but there's evil, but really no more than some of the good old Brothers Grimm tales I grew up with. It definitely borrows from Alice In Wonderland, Hansel And Gretel and other fairy/fantasy tales too but it's a spookier, more Gothic twist.

If there's a knock on this movie from me, maybe it's that it succeeds much more visually than it does in terms of plot. Despite the sort of "careful what you wish for" lesson and moral of the story, it's nothing too memorable. It's the way it's presented that makes it classic.

8.5/10