by Paula Love

Created on: October 17, 2009

Things are amiss in the world of eleven-year-old sapphire-haired Coraline Jones. She has been unwillingly uprooted from her home and her friends in Michigan and relocated to a drab old apartment house in rainy Oregon. Her parents, busy with their writing assignment for a gardening catalog, seem to be eternally irritated by her presence. Her neighbors in the Pink Palace Apartments are two ancient dingbat burlesque actresses and an eccentric, possibly drunken circus performer. The only person close to her age is Wybie, the landlady's annoyingly verbose grandson. On top of all this, her new acquaintances insist upon calling her Caroline despite Coraline's attempts to correct them.

One dreary day shortly after her arrival she receives a package from Wybie. Inside is a button-eyed doll bearing a striking resemblance to Coraline, right down to the blue hair and yellow raincoat. The appearance of the doll kicks off a series of increasingly strange events. Coraline discovers a small sealed door, behind which lies a parallel universe where everyone has buttons for eyes. Her attentive "Other Mother" cooks enticing meals. Her doting "Other Father" is peppy and optimistic. Her neighbors in this other world are young, beautiful and talented, and "Other Wybie" has been stripped of his most exasperating characteristic - his voice.

The other world seems like a dream come true for a neglected little girl, but Coraline soon finds that things are not always what they seem. In a race against time, will Coraline manage to beat the "Other Mother" at her own dreadful game and find her way back to the real world before she becomes trapped - and button-eyed - in the other world forever?

Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, Coraline is the first three-dimensional stop-motion animation film. The screenplay was written and directed by Henry Selick, best known for his direction in the animated features The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach. Featuring the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, and John Hodgman, Coraline is just dark and eerie enough to become a Halloween favorite without being blatantly scary. While some scenes may be frightening for very small children, older kids are sure to find delight in both the fantastical and the suspenseful elements and adults will love the visually striking cinematography.

Charming and creepy, Coraline is perfect viewing for a crisp autumn evening when night falls early and grinning pumpkins adorn front porches. Curl up on the couch with some popcorn and a cozy blanket. But be careful what you wish for!

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