outshines the competition creating jaw-dropping surreal backgrounds and astonishingly alive figurines

Rating: 9/10 (22 March 2010)

Coraline has been created as a result of cooperation between animation genius Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and English iconic writer Neil Gaiman (the movie is based on his award-winning novella). The lovechild of these two individuals is a hypnotic stop-motion animated tale that combines old-fashioned storytelling and astonishing visuals. Selick approaches Gaiman's novella in an uncompromising way. While he adds his own elements to the story, he maintains the dark, gloomy atmosphere keeping "horror" overtones in the right place. As for the plot, this is basically a new version of Alice in Wonderland. It can't be regarded as a shortcoming in this intricate fantasy though: Coraline is simply too engrossing for that. The main point of the movie that can be summarized by the tagline "be careful what you wish for" realizes itself in a clever script being tight and well-paced with every detail relevant later in the movie. The characters are often freakishly bizarre, which fits the story perfectly and makes for some incredibly inventive scenes. The movie can be described as a triumph of imagination as Selick presents the spectacle enhanced by superb 3D effects. Selick outshines the competition creating jaw-dropping surreal backgrounds and astonishingly alive figurines. His level of precision and overall scope are just admirable. All in all, Coraline is exceptional in its depiction of wonders that traditional stop-motion technique of animation can bring.