Film Review: CORALINE (2009)

Director: Henry Selick
Writers: Neil Gaiman (book), Henry Selick (screenplay)
Running time: 96 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): PG

Genre: Animation/Adventure/Fantasy
UK Release date: 8^th May 2009

Watched on DVD Sunday 25^th March 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

This is a film I have wanted to see for a long time. I’m a fan of animation, as some of you know, and this is one that, for one reason or another, always got pushed back in the viewing pile. Well, a window of opportunity finally opened this weekend and it got its long-awaited viewing. It was well worth the wait! I’ll give you my thoughts after this brief summary.

Coraline Jones lives with her parents in an old building that has been split into apartments. They have recently moved in and Coraline feels her parents have no time for her. She visits the, very eccentric, neighbours to relieve the boredom, but it is when a local boy, ‘Wybie’, gives her a doll he got from his grandmother that things really liven up for her. She finds a secret door behind the wallpaper that leads to another version of the building. There she has another mother and another father, but everyone has buttons for eyes. This does not seem to matter to Coraline as her ‘other’ parents have time to spend with her and they cook such wonderful meals! But nothing is ever quite what it seems… I will leave it there or the Spoiler Police (Animation Division) will be re-animating me (again).

Excellent stop-motion animation and a rather brilliant storyline are what I took from this film. I must admit I love the look and feel of it, so hats off to the designers and animators who put it together. I should give mention to the performances, although nobody really stood out, but honourable mentions go to the voice talents of; Dakota Fanning as Coraline Jones, Teri Hatcher as Mel Jones / Other Mother / Beldam, Jennifer Saunders as Miss April Spink / Other Spink, Dawn French as Miss Miriam Forcible / Other Forcible and Keith David as The Cat.

I really enjoyed this film; it may be a bit quirky for some, but I really liked the animation and the storytelling. This, combined with some great characters, makes for a very pleasurable experience. I was trying to think what it reminded me of, and the only thing I could think of was ‘Pans Labyrinth’, but only in a very superficial way. If you liked ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ then I’m sure you’ll love this!... Recommended.

My score: 8.5/10.

IMDb Score: 7.7/10 (based on 63,514 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0327597/

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 90/100 (based on 231 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 77/100 (based on 317,343 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/coraline/

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FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Wybie Lovat: I'm Wybie. Wybie Lovat.
Coraline Jones: Wybie?
Wybie Lovat: Short for Wyborn. Not my idea, of course. What'd you get saddled with?
Coraline Jones: I wasn't 'saddled' with anything. It's Coraline.
Wybie Lovat: Caroline what?
Coraline Jones: Coraline. Coraline Jones.
Wybie Lovat: Hm. It's not real scientific, but I heard an ordinary name like Caroline can lead people to have ordinary expectations about a person.

Coraline Jones: [blank] I almost fell down a well yesterday, Mom.
Mother: [typing] Uh-huh.
Coraline Jones: I would've died.
Mother: That's nice.

Other Mother: You know, you could stay forever, if you want to. There's one tiny thing we have to do first...

Coraline Jones: He's not drunk, Mom, he's just eccentric.

[last lines]
Coraline Jones: Welcome, Miss Lovat!
Wybie's Grandmother: Oh, hello.
Coraline Jones: I'm Coraline Jones. I've got so much to tell you.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://coraline.com/
Trailer: