Family Horror: Coraline

If you think animated films can’t be scary, you’re wrong. The animated film Coraline released on February 5, 2009, directed by Henry Selick and nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, is a family horror that will genuinely scare at least younger children. Centered around the story of Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning), an 11-year-old girl who discovers an alternate world that is a weirdly idealized version of her own home, the story progresses to a thriller as Coraline learns that Other Mother (Teri Hatcher) is not the better version of her mother but rather a kidnapper attempting to keep Coraline in the alternate world forever. Coraline’s subsequent journey to free herself traverses all childhood horrors, including a myriad of characters who were forced to have buttons sewn over their eyes. 

Selick has stated that it is appropriate for fearless youngsters of all ages. To say the least, thats an understatement. This is a nightmare material for children under a certain age no matter how brave they are. I understand that children are exposed to a variety of horror films through video, but Coraline is distressing not because of the horrific scenes, but because of the story it portrays. A lot of movies are good at recreating murder but few are good at writing stories that pulls us in and keep us there. The New York Times Movie Review, by A.O. Scott states that Coraline, “Lingers in an atmosphere that is creepy, wonderfully strange and full of feeling.” And, trust me—if you think having your eyes replaced with buttons isn’t scary, again, you’re wrong. 

If you like Coraline then you might like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hotel Transylvania, Frankenweenie, The Addams Family, Edward Scissorhands, and Monster House.