Coraline (2009)
Last Watch Date - November 30, 2025
Total Times Watched - Probably like 5?
Comments
My wife and I saw this movie together before we saw it with our kids. I think both of us felt like it was a children's movie first and maybe a bit of a horror-adjacent movie second. When my oldest was probably around 8 or 9, we watched it with her. She did not approve. It gave her nightmares. We watched it today with her again (17, almost 18, and our youngest, who is almost 13) and this time it was an overall success for everyone.
This movie is definitely creepy in a lot of areas. I can see WHY she had nightmares as a kid. It's not strictly the Other Mother that is weird, but all of the oddness of the Other World altogether. The Other Father trying to tell her stuff and being punished. The Other Wybie having a sewn-on smile. Even the food was unsettling despite not having anything visually wrong or off. Maybe I'm incapable of understanding what appears to be purely loving output toward me. Like real life, there's always a catch!
The stop motion in this movie is so good. I am not going to pretend to know anything about it as an art, but the models look amazing, the lighting is great, and the movement is so satisfying to watch. I'm particularly fond of when the mice-rats die and flop out of existence, turning into weird sand creatures.
The story itself is both cute and creepy, which I think is a perfect kid's movie. Our youngest was really enthralled with it and he's not generally a fan of movies. It has a good mix of whimsy and uninvitingness. The ghost children are probably my least favorite bit of this, but it's more because of the way they talk than anything.
Recommended?
Yep! But maybe wait until your kids are 10+ to watch it with them?
