Unless you just have to watch the next Time Burton pic as I must, skip this film and go to your local bookstore and by either the book or graphic novel edition.

This film starts off sooooooooooooo slow! I was about ready to turn it off about 30 minutes in. There is more of a focus on Coraline loving her other family than being wary of it and instead of coming off like a dread fairytale, the movie is way too Tim Burton-y. The animation and the cat, voiced by Keith David are the films saving graves and what keeps this film from being not worth consuming!

Did not enjoy this, particularly.

I took it home with some curiosity, but also some trepidation. Our 8-year-old was of course curious, and we sat side-by-side eating ice cream as we watched.

Frankly, I could have given up during the first 20 minutes. I am no big fan of stop-action animation. And though this is marketed as a kids’ movie, there were several sections I felt we inappropriate for children. We gladly fast-forwarded through the scary, climactic scenes, and were glad when the film was over.

This story’s one virtue was that the stereotypical scrawny black cat was in this instance a hero. The two black kitties who live with us were more than happy to curl up with our daughter and me when we went to bed.

The animation is gorgeous and I love the story idea of some parallel world with the buttons. Pretty near to perfect. Of course, the reason for the buttons or why the other mother does what she does is unexplained, but it doesn’t need to be, it is as it is. The only thing missing for me was that on some occasions there are smoe tiny stiches missing that would make the story run a bit smoother. The last bit, from where Coraline goes to sleep on the marbles to the end, seems a bit rushed. Like the movie had to be cut down in size and there is this very hasty last blurb of action or something.

Apart from that, lovely movie, I wouldn’t mind seeing it again once or twice :)