David AllsoppCoraline (2009)
December 14th 2009 23:47
A friend mentioned a film where the characters have buttons in their eyes. Then one afternoon I walked past the video store at Broadway Blockbuster and saw a rather large poster, which spoke to me and said “Quinn, you should check this story out buddy”. Deciding not to mess with this menacing looking advertisement, I did just that. Besides, I have always liked the idea of other worlds waiting to be explored since I was a wee lad, especially with a touch of malice.
The story opens with a dark hue, revealing an old house, a black cat, a few dead trees, and an only child moving house for the first time, all in stop animation. Coraline has a blue bob, and seems fairly tomboyish. Her self absorbed parents don't seem to have much to say to her from their heart, rather they are too occupied with writing about gardens, which they appear to dislike. Coraline is missing her friends, and to add to her gloom, her dad is a shit cook, and a loquacious kid who dons a welding mask appears to be stalking her. Feeling despondent, Coraline decides to explore the house on her own, until one afternoon she is lead to a little door in the wall by mysterious bouncing mice. What was yesterday a blocked up old passage, is now a violet tube that leads to somewhere else. Plunging headlong with excitement, Coraline arrives in what appears to be a parallel world, where she meets her 'other' parents. On the surface, everything is the same, except her dad is a successful inventor, her mum an amazing cook, the garden flashes garishly with wonderland excitement, and her parents have buttons instead of eyes.
Niel Gaiman's story, besides being phantasmagorical, contains elements of darkness and absurdity, and it is these elements that cut this stop animation a little above the average fantasy. I love the character Bobinsky in both of Coraline's worlds, especially her original one. Here we see his ridiculously nimble manoevers, his communication with the mice about Coraline's potentially dire situation, his fairy floss cannons, and the pungent cheese he receives in the mail, all the while maintaining a cheerily disproportionate head. Miss April Spink and Miss Miriam Forcible are over the top characters, but are likeable none the less. From their eccentric stuffed Scottish terrier collection, to the best (and possibly most ancient) candy in the world, these two ladies play an integral part in helping Coraline overcome adversity.
The story was a little formulaic, as far as children's fantasy goes, and has an ambience somewhat like a Tim Burton tale (Selick also directed The Nightmare Before Christmas) or an ominous Alice in Wonderland romp. This aside, Coraline still manages to produce some of its own wicked flair. The use of buttons for eyes, a Voodoo like magic used to ensnare Coraline's parents in a snow prison, children trapped behind a mirror without their souls....bwwaahahaa. There is a charismatic black cat throughout the film that manages to travel between the two worlds, seemingly at its own will. There is also no sunshine throughout the entire tale, just darkness, and lots of red flowers.
Three and a half bruised bananas out of five.
Niel Gaiman's story, besides being phantasmagorical, contains elements of darkness and absurdity, and it is these elements that cut this stop animation a little above the average fantasy. I love the character Bobinsky in both of Coraline's worlds, especially her original one. Here we see his ridiculously nimble manoevers, his communication with the mice about Coraline's potentially dire situation, his fairy floss cannons, and the pungent cheese he receives in the mail, all the while maintaining a cheerily disproportionate head. Miss April Spink and Miss Miriam Forcible are over the top characters, but are likeable none the less. From their eccentric stuffed Scottish terrier collection, to the best (and possibly most ancient) candy in the world, these two ladies play an integral part in helping Coraline overcome adversity.
The story was a little formulaic, as far as children's fantasy goes, and has an ambience somewhat like a Tim Burton tale (Selick also directed The Nightmare Before Christmas) or an ominous Alice in Wonderland romp. This aside, Coraline still manages to produce some of its own wicked flair. The use of buttons for eyes, a Voodoo like magic used to ensnare Coraline's parents in a snow prison, children trapped behind a mirror without their souls....bwwaahahaa. There is a charismatic black cat throughout the film that manages to travel between the two worlds, seemingly at its own will. There is also no sunshine throughout the entire tale, just darkness, and lots of red flowers.
Three and a half bruised bananas out of five.
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