Coraline

Release Date:
Feb 06, 2009
Rated:
thematic elements, scary images, some language and suggestive humor
Runtime:
1 hr. 40 min.
Genres:
Family
Cast:
Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David. Full cast + crew

On DVD: Released Jul. 21, 2009

On Blu-ray: Released Jul. 21, 2009

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Synopsis

A young girl walks through a secret door and discovers a parallel reality that is eerily similar to the life she already knows, yet deeply unsettling in a number of ways, in director Henry Selick's animated adaptation of Neil Gaiman's international best-seller. Eleven-year-old Coraline Jones (voice of Dakota Fanning) is fearlessly courageous, and perhaps far too adventurous for her own good. Coraline and her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) have recently relocated to Oregon from Michigan. Bored in her new home since her parents are distracted by work and she has yet to make any new friends, Coraline passes the time by exploring her new neighborhood with an annoying local boy named Wybie Lovat (Robert Bailey Jr.). But after paying a visit to her eccentric neighbors Miss Spink (Jennifer Saunders) and Miss Forcible (Dawn French), a pair of aging British actresses, and crossing paths with the outright weird Mr. Bobinsky (Ian McShane), the precocious young girl becomes convinced that her new surroundings are just as dull as she'd initially suspected. Shortly thereafter, Coraline discovers a hidden door in her new house, and decides to investigate. Venturing into the eerie passageway inside, Coraline emerges into an alternate version of her own reality. At first glance, this strange new world seems even better than the real thing; there her parents aren't distracted by work, and Coraline is always the center of attention. There's even a mysterious Cat (Keith David) that's fascinated by her every move. But when Coraline's button-eyed Other Mother (also Hatcher) attempts to make her stay permanent, the frightened young girl must summon her resourcefulness and bravery in order to find her way back home and save her real family. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Our critics say

5.0

Dave White

"Eraserhead" for kids! Full Review

Metascore®

80out of 100

Generally favorable reviews

on Metacritic.com based on all critic reviews.

The Blogfather

News + views from around the web, updated in real time.
  • 2010-01-08 09:00:04

    Scott Mendelson: Better Late Than Never: The Best Movies of 2009

    Pardon the obvious tardiness, but as often occurs, life got in the way. So, no more procrastination, here are my favorite films of the just finished year, in alphabetical order, with my very favorite pick singled out at the end. And away we go... Avatar James Cameron wasn't lying. The hype was...continued

    From HuffingtonPost

  • 2009-12-31 09:00:04

    Stanton Peele: Top Ten Greatest Films of 2009

    It's that time of year again, the time when film critics and aficionados remind you of those great films in the past year - most of which you've missed - thus adding to your sense that you aren't living life fully. Here are my criteria for inclusion: Good things and bad thing happen in the film...continued

    From HuffingtonPost

  • 2009-12-22 09:00:05

    Brad Schreiber: Top Ten Films of 2009

    It is relatively simple, for me, at least. This annual list does not include expensive but unoriginal films based on comic books, video games, graphic novels, old movies that were bad, old movies that were good or sequels. It includes everything else and strives to recognize that a documentary...continued

    From HuffingtonPost

  • 2009-12-19 09:00:05

    Scott Mendelson: Huff Post Review: Avatar: The 3D IMAX Experience

    Avatar: The 3D IMAX Experience 2009 160 minutes Rated PG-13 I don't know if Avatar is a 'game-changer'. I don't know if Avatar cost $300 million or $500 million. I don't know if it will come anywhere close to Titanic's box-office totals or Oscar glories. Frankly, I don't care about any of those...continued

    From HuffingtonPost

  • 2009-12-14 09:00:05

    Scott Mendelson: HuffPost Weekend Box Office Review: Princess and the Frog Puts Disney 2D Animation on Top

    In what was neither a blast-off nor a crash, The Princess and the Frog marked Disney's return to 2D animation with $25 million in its debut weekend in wide-release. Mid-December releases are notorious for insanely long legs. The last traditional 2D Disney cartoon to open in this slot, The...continued

    From HuffingtonPost

All BlogFather posts for Coraline

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