1 hour 40 minutes
Written and Directed by Henry Selick
From the Book by Neil Gaiman
Voice Talents of Dakota Fanning, Terri Hatcher, Keith David, and Ian McShane
* * * * (Great)
Coraline in 3D was great. I’m a big fan of stop-motion animation – have been ever since Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas, also directed by Coraline’s Henry Selick. The addition of the 3D – here used more to add depth to the film (the very best use of 3D, in my opinion), rather than just pointless pointed jabs to make you jump (i.e. My Bloody Valentine 3D), gave the film an extra weight. My favorite sequence was the opening scene, in which the Other Mother is crafting a Coraline doll as the credits play out – literally – over the creepiness of the doll’s creation. (The Girl liked the scene with the hummingbirds; she’s a hummingbird fan.)
What made this film only a 4-star flick, was the – oftentimes – radical departures from the source material, Neil Gaiman’s book of the same name. Normally I don’t get too hung up on details such as this, but after having reread the book recently (for the fourth or fifth time), it became glaringly obvious the wonderful lines taken straight from the text. More lines – more faithfulness – should have been observed because, honestly, they didn’t need changed. I can understand the additions made to make the film the film it was, but some part of me would have enjoyed the film a bit more dark and original, like the book.
Still, I recommend this movie highly to anyone a fan of the story, or animation in general. If you can catch it in 3D – you’ll be all the better for it.
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