The James Logan Courier

By Chad Brady, Courier Daily Editor

Coraline is the first in what is sure to be a long string of animated children’s movies for 2009. But while most of these movies are computer animated and aim to copy the style of movies such as Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, Coraline is more dark and offbeat.







Coraline is based on a fantasy/horror novella by British author Neil Gaiman, published in 2002 by Bloomsbury and Harper Collins. The novella won the 2003 Hugo Award for Best Novella, the 2003 Nebula Award for Best Novella, and the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers. It has been compared to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland because of its surrealism and plot based on an alternate-reality,

Coraline,rendered in stop-action animation, follows the title character as she and her rather boring parents move into an old house with a mysterious door in it. Tired of being ignored by her parents, she escapes to a dream world on the other side of this mystery door. But this world proves to not be all it appears.

The movie is a well put together story with spectacular visuals, especially when seen in RealD. The characters are distinct and memorable, making for a very entertaining experience. Although it is rated PG, Coraline is in no way a movie exclusively for kids.