We went to see Coraline last night at Cinetopia with friends. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. I loved the art direction and the style–it was all very reminiscent Tim Burton, without being a total copycat. And while there were changes to the storyline (yay for movie translations), the changes that were made didn’t take away from the original novel. The movie was made here in Portland, by LAIKA, an animation/design company founded by Phil Knight (of Nike fame).
I was a bit nervous about the 3-D technology at first. Usually 3-D movies are totally weirded out and “in your face” so much that it makes the movie experience more surreal than enjoyable. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Coraline’s use of the technology helped add to the dream-like atmosphere. It gave the animations and backdrops a depth that helped the movie.
If you like animations, a good story, then go watch this film. Pay full price and help support LAIKA.