During this fall season, fans were gathering in theaters all around the country, ready for a special screening of Coraline, the beloved animated film by Henry Selick, for its fifteenth anniversary. As the lights dimmed, and the intro started to play, it took me back to when I was a little girl, excited to watch Coraline every day, no matter how much it would terrify me. Its unique style and engaging story helped cement its place as my favorite movie, and just seeing it in 3D again brought back memories of when I first watched it in elementary school.
As the movie began, the audience was drawn back into the life of Coraline Jones, a young girl who moves into a new, boring town and a new, boring house. But everything changes once she discovers a hidden door that leads to the Other World. Here, Coraline encounters an alternate version of her parents, and all the people around her, who seem perfect at first, but soon reveal dark intentions. We follow her journey as she navigates the dangers of this fantasy world and fights to return to her true life.
The animation, a stunning mix of stop-motion and creativity, is even more vibrant in 3D, making the Other World feel alive. Sitting in the theater, it was hard not to remember the first time Coraline’s brave spirit and curiosity pulled us into her dark adventure, exploring themes like reality vs. illusion, family, and the temptation of escape.
This film’s relevance throughout the years is what makes it such a remarkable experience, one that alters your way of thinking about family bonds and the importance of being grateful for what we have. One of the reasons that Coraline has stayed so relevant over the years is the various theories that fans can interpret into the film. Some of the most talked about theories on the internet include the one about Coraline never truly escaping, the little boy in the painting, and the well being another portal to the Other World. If you want to dive deeper into all of these theories, and see how they´ve been interpreted, there is a two-hour-long YouTube video that analyzes every single Coraline theory.
Watching this movie in 3D is very interesting, considering the fact that they remade the entire film using more advanced technology. This has resulted in slight changes in terms of saturation and visual effects.
Overall, I loved this experience, but I prefer the older version of the film, as it gave me a more eerie and nostalgic feel. In general, the older movie features a much more neutral palette, and that makes the movie perfect to watch on a gloomy, rainy day.
Although the fifteenth anniversary release was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I greatly enjoyed, especially watching it in 3D with my family and friends, the older film still has a special place in my heart. It gives me a feeling of nostalgia that lingered with me throughout my childhood. I’m content with knowing that Coraline is a masterpiece of a film, one that can be shared with other generations and something that can be appreciated for many years to come.
