Pimping Coraline

Z and I are so excited that the Coraline movie was released this weekend! We are both big fans of Henry Selick, maker of The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach. (And yes, this four year old knows who Henry Selick and Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman are.) We always wait a few weeks before going to the movies since Z likes to read the titles and credits out loud and pre-say the lines that he already knows from previews.

If you are considering taking your kid (or your unashamed adult self) but aren't familiar with the story yet, Harper Collins awesomely has the entire text available for free online right now. And here is my review of the story from last November. Of course the movie script veers a bit from the book so be sure and read the movie reviews to find out if this is the right movie for your younger half. Neil Gaiman himself loved the New York Times review and so did I. I would like to quote the same opening paragraph that Neil did --

"There are many scenes and images in “Coraline” that are likely to scare children. This is not a warning but rather a recommendation, since the cultivation of fright can be one of the great pleasures of youthful moviegoing. As long as it doesn’t go too far toward violence or mortal dread, a film that elicits a tingle of unease or a tremor of spookiness can be a tonic to sensibilities dulled by wholesome, anodyne, school-approved entertainments."

Or in the simple words of The Nightmare Before Christmas -- "Life's no fun without a good scare."

Impatiently awaiting our goose-flesh,
K and Z


Note: This is a PG movie so if you or your offspring aren't ready for this film yet, you can still have fun on the Coraline movie website with the amazing flower creator. Z spends quite a bit of time building beautiful and eerie flowers these days.