Coraline (2009), a film directed by Henry Selick, tells the story of the titular Coraline as she and her family move into a dreary home in Oregon. Her parents, busy with their work, have no time to pay attention to her, forcing the young girl to explore their mysterious, drab home. She meets her strange neighbors- but even their eccentricities aren’t enough to keep her occupied. However, a small trapdoor in the families parlor room happens to catch her attention, and come nightfall Coraline is able to travel to the home of her Other-Family, who always has time for her. The perfect world created by her Other Mother slowly begins to fall apart, leaving Coraline to play the game and fix the disaster she created. 

Coraline is a spectacular combination of animation and storytelling, and is captivating from the very beginning. It’s been a favorite of mine since I was 6 years old. So many small details are littered throughout it’s hour and 45 minute runtime that rewatches are practically necessary to truly understand just how fantastic of a film this is. I would recommend Coraline to anyone in search of a captivating story, or fans of Henry Selick’s other works, such as The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

Coraline is a 10/10, for a fantastic story and keeping me hooked for ten years and counting.