With some very nice voiceworkв‰Ѕakota Fanning shines as our titular heroine Keith David's baritone brings the cat's mixture of foreboding and help to life and Robert Bailey Jr. Patience is a virtue and youngsters unfortunately don't learn that fact until they are all grown up, finding ways to apologize to their parents for being such confused and naГЇve monsters. With something a tad off-kilter in the fantasy world, Coraline finds herself shaking it off and relishing the opportunity to experience all that she had dreamed of, not knowing that if her parents succeed with their new gardening catalog, those dreams will be fulfilled in reality. The mantra 'never talk to strangers' is never more applicable than it is here. A disgruntled child is easily malleable and fooled when doted upon and given sweets and a smile. This cat can travel between worlds and therefore knows it all, allowing him to warn Coraline by orchestrating events via those she encounters. Only a weathered black cat appears to know what is going on, what the too good to be true farce beyond the door is actually masking behind it.

There are stories about this door used to explain the disappearances of some local children, including the sister of loudmouthed and shy Wybie Lovat's grandmother. What we are shown is a world through a tiny door in the wall of an old triple-segmented home. Only when Coraline sees the manipulation and truth behind the 'kindness' her Other-Mother gives her does she realize what she has back at home. What may seem like neglect in the eyes of a child is really two people doing all they can, sacrificing their time, in order to give him/her a chance at success. Children need to be raised and supported and that takes money and a lot of hard work. But that idyllic utopia doesn't exist, especially in the times for which we live today. Do we all want the parents that dote on us? The guardians that will do what we want and when we want it? Of course we do. More psychological terror than jump out at you scares, the tale of Coraline escaping into a parallel world, perfectly mirrored of her own only inhabited by animated dolls, is one of enlightenment and discovery of what love truly means. Be prepared for a methodically and deliberately paced story. With that said, however, it is very, very good in a very, very different way. Remember folks, this is a story that won the 2002 Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers it's not all sing-songy like Selick's masterpiece A Nightmare Before Christmas.

Life is not about getting it all right now, but instead a slow and steady climb built on love and trust, one whose benefits far outweigh the whirlwind romance that is never truly as it seems. A cautionary tale on being careful what you wish for, our heroine must discover the difference between a world of people neglecting her and that of people doing all they can so that they may give her all she could ever want in the future. This is very much Alice in Wonderland displayed in all its non-Disney possibilities. I'm not saying keep all youngsters away, but do use some discretion on whether your son or daughter can handle the fantastical elements.

Well guess what parents? No one is to blame but you. For a guy like me, those things equal undivided success for a child aged ten, those things equal nightmare filled evenings and parents writing angry letters to Focus Features for subjecting their children to lewd and horrific imagery. Based upon the horror novella by acclaimed author Neil Gaiman, Henry Selick's Coraline is chockfull of heavy material, dark story threads, and bleak possibilities. A PG rating and stop-motion animated aesthetic do not always make a child-friendly adventure. OK America, before you go blindly into an animated film with your young children, why don't you do a little research on what they are about to witness.

Int he book and film coraline