by Tim Cush
Today, movies that are made in 3D are usually sappy, silly, animated Disney stories with little to no substance. Even more horrifying, Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers are the latest group of stars to grace the movie screen in 3D. Just as I was about to give up all hope and put my 3D glasses away forever, Coraline snuck underneath the cinema radar and completely restored my faith.
Coraline tells the story of a spunky and independent blue haired young girl named Coraline, voiced by the lovely Dakota Fanning, who discovers an alternate universe when she moves with her inattentive and almost always busy parents to a new house. Bored and without her old friends, or any real friends for that matter, Coraline decides to explore and look for something interesting around the new house and discovers a hidden door that leads to a world populated by her “Other Parents.”
Everything is picture perfect in the parallel universe. Her parents’ sole purpose is just to entertain her, feed her, clothe her and love her. However, there is a price for all this attention. She has to give her soul up, sew buttons in her eyes, and love her “Other Mother” (creepily played to perfection by Teri Hatcher) forever.
This is, without a doubt, one of the most visually gorgeous films you will see in your lifetime. Made with the same stop-motion animation that was present in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline is a stunning piece of work. Every detail in every frame is beautifully crafted and plays an integral role in the story. What works the most is that this is not a typical children’s film. This movie was actually quite scary at moments and had me cringing when mechanical witch hands and child ghosts were popping out in 3D.
The moral? Be careful what you wish for. Save your money on seeing the Jonas Brothers clutching to their purity rings in 3D and enjoy something more thoughtful and thoroughly entertaining. Well paced, original, charming and frightening all at once, Coraline is an epic motion picture event that can be enjoyed by any person at any age.
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