Coraline: Movie Review

Coraline: Movie Review

Rating 7/10
Vocal Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David
Director: Henry Selick
From the director of James and The Giant Peach, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and MonkeyBone comes Coraline, based on a book by renowned fantasy writer Neil Gaiman.
Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) has moved to a new apartment with her mother and father (Teri Hatcher from TV2's Desperate Housewives and John Hodgman) - but she finds that her parents are too busy to get her settled in.
To her amazement during her exploration of the new drab home, she finds a locked door - which, when opened takes her through to an alternative version of her current life.
The trouble is, in this alternative world, her Other Mother and Other Father are much more attentive and she starts to feel maybe she should stay with this family (even though everyone in this world has buttons for eyes).
But she gradually begins to discover that not everything is as it seems in the new world&.can she escape back to her old life before it's too late?
There's much to love in this latest animated outing.
Coraline is a beautiful piece of Gothic tinged work - full of dark greys to start off with, its colour schemes are resplendent on the big screen.(Even more so in digital 3D)
They're vibrant and vivid to show the contrasts in Coraline's world and life - Coraline herself wears a bright yellow coat in her humdrum world - and when she goes through to the Other World, the garden comes to life with plush colours (blues, purples, reds) which really light up the screen.
It's a dark, cleverly animated fable which will scare some smaller children and is a cautionary tale (in some ways) of Mother Knows Best.
Coupled with its ethereal soundtrack (which is wonderfully evocative) and beautiful surroundings, it's quite the treat to behold - and with the added subtleties of the 3D, it really brings the worlds to life.
The stars of the show - outside of the score and animation - are Teri Hatcher and Dakota Fanning; Hatcher in particular is both motherly and sinister and works hard to bring the Other Mother to life.

Coraline is a gothic horror film for children and adults alike - and it should be cherished and enjoyed - even if it does scare the little horrors senseless in places.