Coraline (2009)

Genre

Animation | Fantasy | Horror

Director

Henry Selick

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, John Hodgman, John Linnell, Ian McShane, Keith David, Robert Bailey Jr., Caroline Crawford

Storyline

Coraline (Dakota Fanning), a young, adventurous girl, finds another world, a much better alternate version of her life, but nothing is really like it seems. 

Opinion

A few weeks ago I watched "The Boxtrolls" and it was so good I decided to give the other films from Laika a try, starting of course from their first film. And let me say it, they started off pretty well with "Coraline", a creepy yet delightful fantasy with stunning animation.

Based on Neil Gaiman's novel of the same name, the story is a dark fairy tale suitable for all ages. It has some genuinely scary moments and a sense of creepiness that can be perceived since the very beginning, but that's what makes the film so enjoyable and hauntingly beautiful.

Henry Selick, director of "The Nightmare Before Christmas", once again takes us to a wonderful world, and arguably did the right thing when he decided to go for stop-motion animation in a computer-generated world. This indeed is what provides the film with even more magic as it is incredibly fascinating to look at all the minute details.

Other than being a visual masterpiece, "Coraline" also delivers a message for children and adults alike through the passage of the protagonist through that door. Often we believe what's on the other side it's better, that's the reality we wants to live in, but as soon as we find ourselves living that reality we actually realise that it's not all roses, that this better version is not better at all. The message being, we should appreciate what we have and make the best out of it.

The film can also claim a great work from its voice cast. First up Dakota Fanning, who proves she is a great voice actress in the leading role of Coraline. Teri Hatcher is simply flawless in the role of the Mother, both of them. And of course let's not forget about Keith David's excellent performance as the cast.