Movie Revue: Coraline

This movie is the story of a girl who reluctantly moves to a new town and discovers that there are hidden dangers and a deadly secret...on a completely unrelated note, the Twilight DVD hits stores this Saturday.

After her parents move her across the country, Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning) thinks her life couldn't be worse: her friends are hundreds of miles away, her new neighbors can't get her name right (they all call her Caroline), and her parents have no time for her. Everything changes when she discovers the tiny door hidden behind some wallpaper. Late at night, the door opens into a passage into an alternate reality, where life is just like Coraline wishes it would be...at first. It's populated by Other versions of her family and neighbors, who all have buttons for eyes and aren't as benign as they first appear.

This movie is based on a book by Neil Gaiman, who is known for writing creepy, disturbing children's literature. He's fantastic. The movie stayed fairly close to the book, though Coraline's new neighbor Wybie was added in to the mix. I absolutely loved the movie. First off, the animation was phenomenal. I've been a fan of the Real-D animation since it was first used, and "Coraline" is a prime example of how it can make a great movie excellent. I knew enough about the story that I could focus on the details a little. For example,the passage between the real world and the Other world changes. The first few times when Coraline goes through, it's colorful and bright and looks...squishy, almost. Once she discovers the horrible secret, the passage is hard and gray and filled with spiderwebs and bones. The voicework is fantastic, and the story kept Johnny guessing (I'd already read the book, which kept me guessing, but then I knew how the movie would end).

Overall: 5/5 stars!