MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

Coraline Rated PG

Directed by Henry Selick.  Animated Feature.


Photo © Focus Feature
Movie Review by Rev. Bruce Batchelor Glader

Neil Gaiman, whose children’s book is the basis for this movie, is one of the outstanding fantasy writers of his generation, and he knows how to tell a good fairy tale.  And Coraline’s story is based on a plot device that is a good one: When you wish for a world that is different than your own, be very careful about what you wish for. 

Coraline Jones’ family moves out to the country to live in a large house where her parents can write for various publications.  As her mom and dad stay hunched over their computer keyboards, Coraline begins to explore the house.  She meets the three other boarders – a strongman who trains mice and two little old ladies who once worked in show business, too – but they are only good for brief visits. 

Coraline starts to explore and discovers a door that takes her to a parallel world in which there is The Other Mother and Other Father who dote on her and spoil her rotten.  As Coraline spends time in both worlds, she finds herself being tempted to cross over to the other side – until she discovers some horrifying truths about what that might cost her and her family. 

If all of this sounds exciting and dark, that’s what the book intends it to be – a scary cautionary tale for children and parents alike.  I just wish that the film were more focused; it has a lot of problems with pacing.  While most of the scary scenes are effective, there are too many funny sequences that simply don’t work. 

The stop-motion animation is impressive and, in some theaters, in 3-D.  Director Selick is a master of the form, having used it to great effect in 1993’s The Nightmare Before Christmas and 1996’s James and the Giant Peach.  While definitely not for younger children, this movie creates a fantasy world that is worth visiting, even if you wouldn’t want to live there.

Pitchfork Rating: Two halos (A visually stunning masterpiece of film art that is, alas, slow-paced and boring in the long run.)
Two pitchforks (For a bawdy music hall scene that includes nudity; some swearing; and a very strained parent-child relationship.]

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