Last month in August, Coraline, the remastered 3D movie, was shown in selective theaters again since its original release date in 2009. A very popular movie that has gained a massive following of people who just can’t get enough of the movie. So, what makes the movie so special? The biggest thing that fans love about the movie is the aesthetic of this stop-motion animation. However, the themes that are shown in this movie are, in my opinion, what really makes the movie so interesting.
If you haven't watched the movie yet, (…why haven't you??) Coraline is a movie about a young girl who moves into a new apartment at The Pink Palace Apartments with both of her parents. An apartment that was initially a house is now separated into different units. In this apartment, Coraline finds a door leading her into a world much like hers. However, everything about the other world is a much better version of her ordinary world. From the people to even the gardens. However, what really makes Coraline happy is her "other mother." Her other mother is everything that her original mother is not. She cooks for her, gives her clothes she likes, and gives her the attention that her real mom doesn't. Coraline thinks that the other world is perfect, but the black cat that can transport from the original world to the other world warns Coraline that although she thinks the world is a dream come true, not everything is as it seems. And Coraline soon finds out that maybe the cat was right. The other mother tells Coraline that if she wishes to stay with her forever, she needs to do one thing. Sew buttons into her eyes. Coraline doesn't give in and wishes to return to her real home, but loses her parents to the other mother for not agreeing. Three ghost children, whom the other mother had taken in the past, describe the beldam to Coraline and say, "She spied on our lives, through the little doll's eyes, and saw that we weren't happy. So she lured us away, with treasures and treats, and games to play! Gave all that we asked yet we still wanted more. So we let her sew the buttons. She said that she loved us, but she locked us here and ate up our lives." With the help of the three ghost children, Coraline finds their missing eyes and her parents and escapes back to her world, where she throws the key to the little door down a well.
Throughout the movie, we see Coraline constantly ignored by both of her parents, who are too busy working. The other mother puts up a grand facade of a caring mother, which helps deceive children into wanting to stay with her. And just like the three ghost children, Coraline soaks in the attention and accepts the gifts the other mother gives her. Coraline also shows significant bravery for such a young girl who is put into a situation that most wouldn't find the courage to do. She stands up to the bedlam and plays her game at the risk of her own life. At the movie's end, we see Coraline spending time with her parents and neighbors, which is a far contrast to her lonely self in the beginning. I would really recommend watching the movie if you haven’t already!
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