coraline & 9
We watched a late showing of Coraline this past weekend and while it did not blow me away, I think the visuals were interesting enough to make me like it and feel like it was worth watching 3D in the theater. I’ll go as far as to say that if you do not watch this movie in 3D, it’s probably not worth your time. Unlike Bolt, Coraline doesn’t really have a charming little story to draw you in. On a side note, I think the 3D element has really given animated movies a boost. I don’t know if it’s just the child in me but the 3D still thrills me, especially as they improve the technology and utilize it more and more in the movies. I wonder if 3D will soon become commonplace in our living rooms and not just at the theaters.
I’m going to give away some low-level spoilers but it’s not really a plot twisting kind of movie so it’s up to you whether you want to read ahead.
A lot of the people we watched it with didn’t enjoy it. I agree with most of their complaints. The pace was way too leisurely. I told the husband that the movie pace strangely reminded me of the PS Simpsons game where you walk around and solve puzzles and riddles. The AngryBaker expressed similar sentiments saying, “Oh no, the princess isn’t in that castle!” The story was pretty shallow, despite efforts to be dark and creepy. (Great job Teri Hatcher on the vocals!)
What really won me over was just how visually interesting it was. You could probably put a great soundtrack to the visuals and cut out all the dialogue and I would enjoy the movie just the same. Maybe more! I feel like it’s a lot like Fantasia. Weak storyline, but the visuals make it very worth your while. I especially liked the opening scenes with the credits when the doll was being unstuffed and then filled with sand. I also enjoyed it when Coraline and the black cat walked to the “end of the world” and the background slowly became simplified. Of course I loved the scene in the garden (I knew those live flowers could potentially be dangerous!) and the dancing mice. I also liked the way everything turned to greyscale whenever Coraline found a pair of eyes. The overall feel of the movie was pretty unique. It was like a cross between claymation, plastic, and really rough fabrics. It fascinated me.
If I could change the story in any way, I would make the parents stay aloof and uninterested even at the end — that way the message is really driven home. (The message: the unglamorous reality we live in is better than our indulgent fantasies where nothing is sure and safe.)
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One of the movie trailers they showed before Coraline was Tim Burton’s new movie project: 9.
It looks promising as far as character development and plot lines go. It should be better than Coraline. I hope it’s not as disappointing as The Corpse Bride. The characters remind me of LBP’s sackboy and the environment reminds me of Fallout 3 (which the husband started playing recently — it really creeps me out.).
Here’s the trailer:
. Oddly, i dont know how burton is attached to this project cuz Shane Acker writes/directs. But it does help sell it. 
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