Coraline by

Stop Motion

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 17:42:09 UTC

Coraline is a very unique film because it was fully shot in stop motion! The director of the film has released many behind the scenes videos of the creation of the movie. There is a museum filled with many of the actual pieces used from the movie.

Book

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 17:43:46 UTC

The movie was based on a novel released by Neil Gaiman in 2002. The book and the movie are similarly based while the book is more in depth perception of the story.

Bobinsky

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 17:50:59 UTC

Very unique characters are used throughout the storyline to create a more engaging environment. Many of the characters have traits about them that aren't explained but rather implied. One example of that is the character Bobinsky, he lives in the top of the Pink Palace, the house where the story takes place. He is wearing a pin that was given to the volunteers from Chernobyl. This provides a small insight into what his life looked like before moving into the house.

The Cat

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 17:53:52 UTC

A very important character to the film would be the Black Cat that is seen throughout the story. He takes the role more like a narrator or in place of the audience, sometimes taking the voice of reason. He is seen more detached from the story basically moving freely between scenes of even worlds within the story. The Cat is never given a proper name so that leans into the mystery setting an eerie tone for this character.

Coraline

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 17:56:20 UTC

Coraline is appropriately the protagonist of this movie. Her character is personified by classic pre-teen or teenage girl traits, wanting to be understood by her parents, lashing out, and being moody.

The Pink Palace

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 17:59:01 UTC

The Pink Palace is the setting for most of this movie. Being separated into sections for different characters giving into the depth that the author was trying to convey. Even the yard/garden of the house is separated for the other father.

Storyline

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:02:26 UTC

Coraline is a stop motion film about a young girl finding a portal to the "other side." This shows a mirrored version of her life the way that she wants to see it, but magic doesn't come without a price because the "other side" is not a beautiful as it seems. The "other mother" kidnapping children and sewing buttons onto their eyes. The movie ends with Coraline successfully saving the kidnapped children, parents, and her new friends from the grasp of the "other mother."

The Other Mother

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:07:32 UTC

Based on the European folklore, "The Beldam," she is a shapeshifting entity known as a witch. She kidnaps children that say the are unhappy with their lives at home, sometimes being neglected or cast off from their original families. She is the primary antagonist of this movie and more complex than one might realize.

Button Eyes

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:14:08 UTC

The button eyes are meant to symbolize loneliness from the other mothers point of view. She wants the children to give her company and give her life more purpose. She sees the children as dolls of some sort and the buttons only further this fantasy for her.

The Doll

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:17:45 UTC

At the opening of the film we see the other mother reconstructing a doll that ends up being a small version of Coraline. We see that she is using a embalming kit that a morgue would use for real bodies. This continues to give a sinister tone to the doll. Coraline was gift a doll from one of the neighbors, and towards the end of the story it is revealed that the other mother was using this doll to hear Coraline's unhappy thoughts to entice her to the other side.

Henry Selic

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:21:43 UTC

The director of this movie was Henry Selic. He has come out and said that every shot is this movie is purposeful. If there is a part of the story that mirrors another shot or if there are connections made, that they are intentional.

Audience Engagement

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:25:20 UTC

Coraline is widely controversial and celebrated movie for many ages. For many it is nostalgia, for others it is the craftsmanship, but for all it is the intriguing theories. Online there are many groups that speculate about all the easter eggs in this movie; in every shot there is something to point out. This is a main reason that many people are still so drawn to this movie.

Controversy

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:30:03 UTC

Although the movie is rated PG, many parents were hesitant to allow children to watch. There are a couple scenes through the movie with sinister tones that could be found frightening. This has left a bad taste in many peoples mouths drawing them away from the movie. Given that the movie was released in 2009 many peoples minds have been changed but the world view of this movie has fluctuated through time with many others.

The Cast

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:42:30 UTC

The cast was filled with many stars including but not limited to, Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, and Keith David. Actor Dakota Fanning, voicing Coraline, was still quite young and this movie was filmed at the start of her career which is still flourishing with 3 projects released in 2024 already.

Creative

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:46:27 UTC

Watching this movie at a young age really changed the way I look at animated movie. Seeing the amount of effort that was put into this large of a film helped me understand the way people review movies.

Intriguing

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:47:37 UTC

It is hard not to be immediately immersed in this world when the film starts. Seeing the characters with lots of depth and the color schemes that flow throughout the movie, gives you a lot to think about.

Relationships

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:51:25 UTC

The most rewarding relationships in the movie are the ones between Coraline and her family. Her parents throughout the movie are very distant with her and do not pay attention to her and her needs. From their perspective, they work all day and are preoccupied with their jobs. Coraline does not understand that and doesn't understand the important of meeting deadlines. Because of this communication barrier and the fact the Coraline is so young and by the end of the movie, she learns to have respect and love for the relationship with her parents. Similarly, her parents eyes open to the struggles that their daughter is having in a home and city.

Friendship

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:54:32 UTC

In this movie, there are really no good displays of a healthy friendship. The only friend we interact with is Wybie, a boy her age that also live near the Pink Palace, his Grandmother owns the building. But their friendship is less of that and more of an infatuation. Wybie really doesn't know how to interact with her and quickly becomes obsessed to what she is doing. This character is regarded generally as a confused sidekick, and she likes him better when he physically cannot speak due to the other mothers precautions.

Conclusions

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 18:57:19 UTC

The story ends with the new friends and families all gardening together in the back yard. The doll has been discarded and the door has been locked to the other side. A happy conclusion is what was needed to end this film with the cat again disappearing around a corner still seemingly being bale to move freely without consequence.

Learning From my Peers

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 19:07:22 UTC

We both chose and mentioned that we both appreciated animation!

Learning From my Peers

lmc8b — 2024-07-08 19:08:30 UTC

We both mentioned that family is important and fighting for them is beneficial!