Coraline

Directed by Henry Selink, who also directed The Nightmare before Christmas. Laika produced the film and was distributed by Focus Features. Henry Selink not only directed the film but wrote it as well. It was based on the book that was written in 2002 by the same name. It came out in the US theaters in February 2009 and had its world premiere at the Portland International Film Festival. In the opening weekend, it made close to $17 million, which made it third in the box office. As of September of the same year in made $120 million worldwide.

It starts out with a doll of a little black girl coming through a window and being caught by needle hands. The hands then start changing the doll into Coraline, the main character. After it is finished the doll is sent out the window again. Coraline Jones a eleven year old girl, and her parents, Mel and Charlie have just moved into The Pink Palace Apartments. Their neighbors come to see who is moving in. Mr. Bobinsky is the one that lives above them and is a retired Russian acrobat is watching from the roof. The two that live in the basement are nutty actresses, Miss Spink and Miss Forcible. Miss Spink is the one on the steps that is watching what is going on outside. After the moving men get everything in, they leave. Coraline goes out the back door to go explore the grounds. Before she leaves the yard, she picks up a branch and uses it as a dousing rod. She walks down a cliff path that you can see the house from and a rock fall from a cluster of big rocks up above her. Coraline asks who is there, but no one answers. She then throws a rock at the sound and hears a cat yowl. Coraline runs down the path until she gets to a tree stump and a ring of mushrooms. The cat jumps on the stump behind her and yowls at her, she jumps and screams. Coraline tells it you scared me you mangy thing, it just looks at her. She then asks it if it knows of a well, it nods, but she says not talking huh? It thunders and she sees at the top of the hill is a boy on a bike with a skull tri-scope mask on a bike. She screams again as he descends the hill with a battle cry and takes her stick. He stop in front of the stump the cat is on and lifts the mask. He looks at the stick and says I have heard of water witching, but they are from Texas or somewhere like that. Coraline frowns at him and says if I am a water witch then where is the well? In addition, stomps her foot. Well if you stomp too hard you will fall in it, he tells her. She goes O and jumps back off the cover for the well. The boy helps her get the dirt off to show her where it is. He then tells her his name is Wybourne but he is called “Wybie”, and then asks her what she was saddled with. I was not saddled with anything, my name is Coraline. Well, he says, it’s not scientific but I heard a plain name has great expectations. It’s C-O-Raline, Coraline Jones. He is not paying her any mind and is petting the feral cat, that he says is not his but brings him little dead things. She stops, hearing something; it’s his grandma calling him. I think someone is calling you Wybourne. I don’t think so he tells her. Oh, I definitely hear someone calling you “Why Were You Born”. WYBOURNE! He jumps and the cat falls. Well I got to go he tells her, but next time I would wear gloves. Why, she asks. Because your dousing rod is poison oak. Akk she says and drops the stick.
The movie is wonderful for all ages and gives a lesson as well. You will not be disappointed by this film. With the many well known names, such as Dakota Fanning as Coraline. Keith David as The Cat also voiced Goliath on Gargoyles. Get the DVD to find out what happens next.

Buy Coraline on DVD at the Cartoon Store