A dark fairy tale.

Rating: 8/10 (1 February 2016)

Coraline is a modern day, adult fairy tale. Neil Gaiman is known for his imaginative, genre-bending tales, and Coraline is no exception. It shifts in tone from whimsical to frightening to somber, but it's all presented in a truly engaging manner.
Even if the story wasn't as good as it is, Coraline would be worth seeing for its strikingly beautiful art style and fluid animation. It's different from that used in The Nightmare Before Christmas or Corpse Bride, but it does remind one of them.
Kids may like this film for its pretty images, but it lacks the snappy humor and wackiness that many modern fairy tales have. It takes a older child or an adult to appreciate the subtleties, melancholic sensibilities, and depths of Coraline.