40in40 – Coraline
My Netflix rating: 3/5 stars
I tried to like this movie as much as everybody else did. I really tried. I thought it was a fine movie with a creative story and wonderful imagery, but I guess I was expecting more. I was trying to find a masterpiece, but I only found a diluted version of Pan’s Labyrinth and Alice in Wonderland. I don’t know, maybe I was looking too hard.
Like me, the adventurous Coraline wanted more than she had. For her, life as a kid was not what it was cracked up to be. Her parents were always busy working, her neighbors were total oddballs, and nobody could get her name right. Even though she was very ordinary herself, she really wanted to have an extraordinary life. Enter the Freaky Button-Eyed World. In the spirit of Narnia and Wonderland, this world can on be discovered via curiosity, boredom, and a secret pathway. Once through that pathway, there awaits danger and adventure that will make you forget about home, but also long for it at the same time. It’s wonderful how appreciation is really just a matter of perspective.
The Button World was just what Coraline thought she wanted, but in the end, she realized how much she missed home. Having a murderous Other Mother helped change her mind. That’s where my opinion of the movie starts to diverge from Coraline’s opinion of home. I don’t think I will be changing my 3 star rating. Maybe the movie was over-hyped and I needed to approach it with lower standards. Maybe after dozens of award winning dramas, I couldn’t fairly judge a family movie like this one. But maybe, this movie just isn’t what it was cracked up to be. The storyline, though artfully depicted, was not original (it had pieces of all the movies I already mentioned, but it mostly reminded me of Peter Pan and Hook). The supporting characters were extremely eccentric, but not in the way that makes you wonder about the profound symbolism behind them. Rather, they seemed to exist purely to entertain the family audience with outlandish song and dance. In fact, the entire movie felt like a spectacle of sorts, full of fun and entertainment but lacking any vision and depth.
I should mention here that I did not watch Coraline in theaters or in 3D. It probably would have swung me to a more favorable review, but would it have been more accurate? Again, it’s funny how appreciation is just a matter of perspective. Had I watched this in a big theater with friends who loved it and 3D effects, I probably would have liked it more. But instead, I watched this alone in my room, half falling asleep. Which one results in a more honest review? According to Coraline, true appreciation emerges from a difficult test. By that cannon, my harsh movie-watching conditions shed a more honest light on the film. If, through my dreary eyes, I had seen a real quality film, it would’ve been a definitive thumbs up. But as it stands, I can’t imagine watching this again unless it’s with kids or on cable.
It’s all about perspective. I’ve now seen over about 30 movies that were recommended by my closest friends. The experience has left me painfully critical of everything meant for the silver screen. I can’t watch another movie without forming a blog-worthy opinion. I was bound to come across a movie that is half decent, but totally over-hyped. It’s like dating all of your friends’ eligible ex-girlfriends. Of course they’re gonna be awesome! But with every new date, you’re setting the bar that much higher. Like Padmé says in Star Wars, you’re going down a path that nobody can follow. Eventually, you’ll meet a knockout girl that just doesn’t cut it because of your new high standards. All that being said, I definitely plan to rerate all my movies when I’m done. But yea, it doesn’t look like I’ll be changing my mind about this one.
“She lured us away with treasures and treats and games to play.” –sweet ghost girl
Shout out to Phil, for getting me an awesome bootleg copy.
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