A Bold and Refreshing Break from "Madagascar"

Rating: 8/10 (10 February 2009)

(I haven't been compelled to write a movie review since The Dark Knight. This movie, however, inspired me to play the role of the critic yet again.) Today I've come to a fantastic realization: animated films are getting smarter. With the development of GCI films, filmmakers have found a new way to produce bizarre and creative fairy tales for adults to enjoy as well. Shrek was, essentially, a grown-up fairytale, with a few jokes about bugs and farts to appeal to the kids. Then, the always-brilliant Pixar gave the world Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and WALL-E. Even Seinfeld's under-appreciated Bee Movie was directed towards adults. Of course, the world is a ridiculously narrow-minded place. If it isn't rated R for excessive potty humor and sex jokes, adults will instantly classify any and all animated films as "kid movies." That's why intelligent animated scripts are directed towards children.
The latest animated film to win my semi-adult heart over is the brilliant, beautiful, and downright terrifying stop-motion movie, Coraline. It was directed by Henry Silick, the genius who gave us James and the Giant Peach and The Nightmare Before Christmas, and based off of the equally-chilling children's book by Neil Gaiman.
Coraline centers on a curious (and somewhat lonely) 11-year-old girl with a name that is almost always confused with the name "Caroline." After she and her parents move to an apartment in Oregon, Coraline is forced to count leaky windows and creaky doors to subside her horrible boredom. Her parents are working for a gardening magazine and basically neglects their daughter, forcing her to explore her new neighborhood with a talkative boy named Wybie. Her new neighborhood is filled to the brim with interesting and bizarre characters, each of them having no time to listen to this girl.
After Coraline finds a mysterious door underneath the wallpaper, she stumbles into a world that almost mirrors her own, only everything is much more appealing and downright fun! Her button-eyed Other Parents cook, sing, and, most importantly, give Coraline the attention she's always wanted. In fact, everyone in this new world seems to love Coraline. However, it doesn't take the girl very long to realize that her Other Mother wants her to stay in this seemingly-perfect world. Forever. This leads to a series of strange, magical, and frightening events that Coraline must overcome, leading her to the conclusion that maybe her "boring" real world isn't so bad after all.
The story is one that I think children's movies should be made of: great dialogue, a relatable main character, and a lesson that's subtle, but efficient. The movie treats children with respect, not dumbing down the story to make it "more appropriate" like many other kid's movies today. Instead, Coraline follows in the footsteps of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, where the dangers are real, deaths do happen, and the filmmakers are not afraid to shove it into the kids' faces. Children hate being treated as such, and with movies like Coraline, they feel like they're watching a genuine film instead of just another kiddie movie.
This being said, this movie isn't necessarily for younger children. It does have many frightening moments in it, ranging from creepy ghost kids to a giant, lanky spider-woman who attacks with metal claws. The opening of the film deals with someone ripping a doll open and ripping it's stuffing out, a scene that, combined with the eerie background music, is one of the most spine-tingling moments in the film. There is also a moment involving an elderly, yet ridiculously-large-chested, woman that will no doubt result in many parents covering their children's eyes, if not walking them out of the theater altogether. It was definitely awkward and not really necessary, but it hardly distracted from the overall feel of the film.
The film is in 3D, but it's in such a way that I've never seen before. There are no pop-out gimmicks in the movie, allowing the 3D effect to act more as an enhancer rather than a crutch. After seeing it in 3D, however, I honestly can't picture seeing it in any other way. The entire movie is absolutely beautiful, the stop-motion so flawless that a quarter way into the film, I forgot that it was stop-motion and not only accepted Coraline's crazy world, but believed it. If you look back at Nightmare Before Christmas (or even the more-recent Corpse Bride), you'll notice minor lighting or movement inconsistencies. Coraline has seemed to perfect the stop-motion format, and the 3D gives the audience the ultimate viewing experience.
In all honesty, this is not a film that can be described in one review. You won't be able to fully appreciate the story and the art direction if you only read about it. This movie is one to be experienced, especially in 3D, if you have the chance. Coraline, like Silick's previous films, is an instant classic and the first must-see film of 2009.