Coraline Collector's Edition

Is the world ready for 3D entertainment at home? Henry Selick thinks it's worth the attempt with this release of his wonderful stop-motion fable, Coraline. The director of The Nightmare Before Christmas has vividly brought to life Neil Gaimen's warmly sinister fantasy world of duelling maternal realities via the perspective of an imaginative young girl. Through a different sort of looking glass — in this case, a most mysterious tiny door opening to brick wall by day, psychedelic portal tube by night — Coraline travels to an alternate world where her "other" mother and father shower upon her all the affection and attention she feels starved of at home. An enticing escape from the doldrums and loneliness of regular life for our blue-haired heroine, but there's just something… off about parental doppelgangers with buttons for eyes, no matter how sweetly they charm. It's an admirably mature tale aimed at children of all ages that's not without its share of tension, chills and downright creepy imagery, all beautifully brought to life by the masterful direction of Selick. Among the bountiful but tightly edited special features, he proves to be a steady guiding hand through every aspect of the production. From the thoughtful film dissection in his feature commentary to informative introductions to each deleted scene and precise yet malleable direction of his voice cast, Selick appears completely hands-on, patient and focused on his vision. There are more fascinating moments in the production features than can possibly be mentioned, all adding a different sort of magic to this film — the magic of the complex marriage of art and science used to create such a unique animated world. But how does the 3D look at home? Well, it's a good thing the 2D version is included. Unless under optimal lighting and screen-to-eyeball ratio — a prohibitive set-up for some homes — it blurs and mutes an otherwise engaging experience and fantastic cinematic achievement.