A Different Kind of Rabbit Hole

Rating: 8/10 (26 December 2012)

It was just yesterday when no one would've imagined an animation studio going toe-to-toe with the reigning heavyweight champion known as Pixar, but the creative minds at Laika studios have done just that. Coraline, which arrived on DVD and Blu-ray this past July, is a work of art from top to bottom. It's a real shame that it's taken me so long to sit down and review the film, but, at long last, I was able to devote an afternoon to taking in what can only be described as a truly exquisite feature.
The story follows a young girl by the name of—you guessed it—Coraline. She's just moved from Michigan to Oregon, and isn't at all happy about having left her friends and the life she knew. This should sound instantly familiar to most moviegoers, as being displaced from a familiar locale is often used as a catalyst for unrest by many writers (it's the whole "fish out of water" mechanism). What's especially relevant about Coraline's situation, however, is that she comes from the Motor City; her family has been forced to move because of the economy, and that's something many people can relate to. Symbolism is pops up in more tangible forms too; namely in the form of Wybie Lovat ("Wybie" is short for "Whyborn," which aptly accentuates the disconnect Coraline feels from her parents, who are constantly working in an effort to pay the bills).
What makes Coraline so effective, though, is its perception of a child's imagination. As Coraline explores her early 20th century apartment home, she takes pleasure in the rusty water heater, the leaky windows, and an inexplicably small door cut into the living room wall. Beyond this door is a world that caters to all of Coraline's desires, and she discovers this through a series of "dreams." In this "bizarro world" she encounters her "other" family, who have buttons for eyes and pay her all of the attention she could ever want. The design of this colorful playground is reminiscent of a Disney/Burton hybrid: it's at once startlingly beautiful, but warped (and borderline Gothic) in its undertones. As the illusion of the "other" world existing only as a dream is dissolved, Coraline quickly becomes immersed in a very dangerous situation. In fact, I could easily see this freaking out very young viewers. It's rated PG, but there are times when the creepiness abounds and the proceedings approach horror film territory.
But let me return to the beauty of the animation. For the most part it's extremely fluid, and rarely does the realization that it's all stop-motion result in a distraction. One of the best ways to describe much of the art design is to imagine a Van Gogh painting (and, toward the film's conclusion, the echoes of The Starry Night are impossible to ignore). The smooth animation combined with the stark contrast between the gray "real" world and the colorful "other" world is mesmerizing, and I can't see a youngster—or an adult, for that matter—being able to look away. I watched it as a 2D Blu-ray, although it did give me the option for 3D. From one of the very beginning, in fact, it's clear that this was a movie made for 3D: a sewing needle remains motionless in front of the camera for a good 3-4 seconds, suggesting that an "in-your-face" effect was the intent. This, combined with a relatively tidy conclusion, dampens what would be an otherwise unforgettable film.
Still, it's more than worth your time, especially if you have children. Sit back, relax, and marvel in the beauty of what director Henry Selick has created. Just don't be surprised if said child wants to sleep with the light on afterward (you know, just in case).