Runtime: 100 minutes
Directed by: Henry Selick
Starring: Various voices, including Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane and Keith David
From: Focus/Laika
Featuring dowsing rods, snow globes, circuses, & women Russ Meyer would love. All of this was a surprise to me. Yes, when I went to a cineplex in Orlando to view Coraline (the 2-D version, before anyone asks), it was to see a film never seen by me before. Some may be AGHAST at this revelation yet it was a treat to view the movie on the big screen and during this time of year. Through cultural osmosis in the past decade and a half, the basics of the plot were known by me. This foreknowledge did not ruin the experience for me; neither did the reminder that this was based on a story by… Neil Gaiman, he of those allegations I won’t mention here.
Most are presumably at least a little familiar w/ the film even if they were like me before last night, so no need to dwell too long on the plot specifics. As the titular Coraline discovers an alternate universe that seems to be a respite for her humdrum Oregon life as her parents are preoccupied w/ work instead of her as this Other World seems to be the perfect version of her life she desires, is it a spoiler to say that this is a dark fantasy and thus our eleven-year-old protagonist goes through a harrowing journey?
Even if there weren’t that many surprises, it was a story well-told and I was engaged throughout. It was a delight experiencing both the audio and visual component theatrically; while I enjoyed the score, the stop motion animation was at times stunning & always looked lovely. It helped accentuate the difference between Coraline’s world and the mirror universe she discovers. There are some rather eccentric characters she encounters; this includes one of a pair of burlesque performers who was designed to be a woman that Russ Meyer would love. That was quite the decision; for certain, Laika women are different from Pixar women!
As time-consuming as the process is, it is appreciated by me that stop motion animation is a style that hasn’t faded away & in fact a small studio in Oregon can be successful making a feature-length film released every several years. I’m an old man so this film came out deep into my adult years; now, I finally can comprehend why some kids found it to be nightmare fuel. However, anyone can enjoy this quirky yet charming & macabre movie.
I’m glad that Fathom Events has been playing this film across the United States for the past few weeks now; the only trailer they show is a teaser for the new Laika movie Wildwood which was just an announcement that its release is next year. Missing Link did far worse than the other Laika films at the box office-despite my attending it-but without a doubt I’ll view Wildwood theatrically in 2025.
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