Anyone see Coraline yet?

[apirateslifeforme]

Have you ever read anything by Neil Gaiman? I'd read a note scribbled on a napkin if it was written by him, but he is not a children's writer. This is an adult fairy tale that, because it is in essence a fairy tale, has been mistakenly marketed to children. This is the man who once wrote personalized Christmas cards with a short story about how Santa was really just this poor sap imprisoned by the elves and forced to work through all eternity.

Funny...I was just thinking of how I'd happily read his grocery list if he published it! I absolutely love him - he's one of my friends on GoodReads.com - and I've never been disappointed by anything he's ever written. Except Mr. Punch gave me the creeps...

I thought The Graveyard Book was another one of those "children's-book-that-isn't-really-for-children" books...Anyway, we were talking about Coraline! Sorry for the OT!

 

[mjantz]

SPOILERS!!!


Well, I haven't seen the movie, but the book is about this girl who finds a doorway to another world. In there is a replacement mother and father, who are always there for her and listen to her...and all she has to do to stay with them forever is to let them rip out her eyes and replace them with buttons. Also, there was this walking hand....this incredibly disturbing walking hand. And well, other stuff. Point being is that I found the book dark and disturbing. In HP there is evil, but it is easily defineable and everyone knows where and what it is. Here the evil is in your own home, and it's your parents.

Have you ever read anything by Neil Gaiman? I'd read a note scribbled on a napkin if it was written by him, but he is not a children's writer. This is an adult fairy tale that, because it is in essence a fairy tale, has been mistakenly marketed to children. This is the man who once wrote personalized Christmas cards with a short story about how Santa was really just this poor sap imprisoned by the elves and forced to work through all eternity.

Actually Coraline is a childrens book. Gaiman wrote it for his daughters. It may not be all sunshine & rainbows but I wouldn't expect that from Gaiman, even in a childrens book.

 

[tasha99]

Actually Coraline is a childrens book. Gaiman wrote it for his daughters. It may not be all sunshine & rainbows but I wouldn't expect that from Gaiman, even in a childrens book.

I think it's a children's book, though it's disturbing (kind of like Matilda in the way the parents/caregivers are menacing and/or unreliable). Now Gaiman's Sandman graphic novel series--I won't let my kids read those till they're at least middle aged. As excited as I am to see Watchmen come out this year, I would really like to see some of those brought to the big screen. With Guillermo del Toro directing . . .

I'm talking DS10 and DD16 today. I would have taken DD at almost any age, DS only for the past year or so. Different kids, different "it's too scary" boundaries.

 

[Kimberle]

My 9yo & I just saw it. (in 3-d) It was one of the best movies we've seen. The animation is incredible!! The story line is excellent. The first part (Coraline being "sulky" is SSOOOO my dd!! ) Lots of young kids in the theator, none appeared scared.

 

[Barb D]

I couldn't stand the book, and have no desire at all to see the movie. The book was disturbing and horrifying to me, and I'm 47. It's scary in a totally different, disturbing way than Harry Potter, which I have no problem with. My 9yo has seen all of the HP movies, but there's no way she's seeing Coraline. If my teens want to go, more power to them.

 

[lillygator]

I think we are going to go see it tonight.

 

[Ohiodislover]

My 9yo & I just saw it. (in 3-d) It was one of the best movies we've seen. The animation is incredible!! The story line is excellent. The first part (Coraline being "sulky" is SSOOOO my dd!! ) Lots of young kids in the theater, none appeared scared.

Same here. Just took my 10 y.o. and 2 of her friends (both 9). To the side, in front of, and behind us were children who appeared about 6/7 and younger. We all were loving it!

I think it just depends on the kid.

 

[luvmy2sams]

DS5 and I just got back from our Saturday date with Coraline in 3-D. He absolutely loved it, and so did I. The theater was packed with lots of kids, and no one seemed to have issues with any of the scenes. Wish I could say the same for the Land of the Lost preview... There were a couple of parts that I could see being to much for some children, but I think giving it a PG-13 rating would be going way too far. Nothing in the movie justifies that rating, IMO.

The animation was great, and the storyline kept us interested the entire time. I wasn't really excited about seeing it and was dreading having to take DD10 to see it next weekend. However, I actually won't mind watching it again.

 

[audrabolster]

I saw it. It was a little creepy/scary. I was also a little shocked at the woman with the giant ****s wearing a bikini that looked like pasties!! I laughed out loud in the theater when I saw that as anxious parents near me just about lost it!

 

[Ohiodislover]

I saw it. It was a little creepy/scary. I was also a little shocked at the woman with the giant ****s wearing a bikini that looked like pasties!! I laughed out loud in the theater when I saw that as anxious parents near me just about lost it!

It "was rather inappropriate" to quote my DD. But it was quite funny

 

[Disneyland Princess]

I think it does depend on the child if they will be scared or not. My sister (age 11) and her friend (age 8) liked it but one family in the theater with what looked like a 5 and 7 maybe 8 year old left early and never came back (the little boy was crying after the ghost kids came out). The little girl behind us (I would guess 5 or 6) was realy sacred she kept asking her dad if she could sit in his lap and if they could please go, but her brother was laughing and loving it (he looked a couple years older then her).
I would definatly not rate this movie PG-13 either its not that scary but for some kids it was just a little to much. We did go to the 9:30 at night showing though, if we had gone in the day time it might have been diffrent.
I think most kids over 10 will like it but for kids under that I just dont know, I guess it depends on the child.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I wanted to see it today (had a bunch of kids with me) and two of the girl's said the previews looked too scary and didn't want to see it. So we saw Paul Blart Mall Cop instead... which they loved but I suffered through

DH and I may have to go see Coraline while it's in the theater!

 

[lovepurple]

We saw it last night and my DS who just turned 5 loved it. As we were leaving the theater he said "mommy, we have to buy that one." I found some of it scary myself but I think he did not because he didn't really think about the story, just found it to be visually appealing. I think if a kids actually realized what the story is about, it is quite scary.

 

[haley123]

I just saw it and didn't think it was scary at all. I would say it wasn't any more scary then the Harry Potter movies.

 

[wvdislover]

Cool! Thanks for the comments and reviews, everybody! Keep 'em coming!

Ohiodislover, LOVE your screen name (it's just like mine!!!)

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I just got home. I loved it! There were LOTS of little kids in the theatre (looked to be under 10, most of them) and not one seemed scared or upset by it.

This part...

I saw it. It was a little creepy/scary. I was also a little shocked at the woman with the giant ****s wearing a bikini that looked like pasties!! I laughed out loud in the theater when I saw that as anxious parents near me just about lost it!

...had them all giggling. Well, okay, even my 34-year-old (male) date couldn't stop giggling

I'm curious if anyone else noticed (potential semi-spoiler...highlight to read) the photograph of Coraline's "left-behind" friends - were they supposed to be Harry Potter and Ron Weasley? They sure looked like them!

 

[lillygator]

ok we are back...I guess everyone's definition of scary differs. We didn't think there was anything scary at all. At all.....

 

[EMom]

Any opinions on 3D vs 2D? My DD wears glasses at the movies and she'd have to wear those bulky 3D glasses over her regular glasses, unless we got fairly close seats. And considering it's opening weekend and I expect it to be crowded, I don't think we'll get to be too picky about seats. It's just as likely we'll end up at the back of the theatre. (Five of us are going to sit together.) Logically, going to the 2D theatre allows us more flexibility with seating choices.

Did anyone see the 2D version? Were you disappointed or was it just fine?

 

[NMAmy]

I saw it yesterday and I loved it. I did notice quite a few parents had brought very young children (like 2 and 3 years old) and there was quite a flurry of parents and children rushing out of the theater during the scenes with the other mother at the end of the movie.

 

[Kimberle]

Any opinions on 3D vs 2D? My DD wears glasses at the movies and she'd have to wear those bulky 3D glasses over her regular glasses, unless we got fairly close seats. And considering it's opening weekend and I expect it to be crowded, I don't think we'll get to be too picky about seats. It's just as likely we'll end up at the back of the theatre. (Five of us are going to sit together.) Logically, going to the 2D theatre allows us more flexibility with seating choices.

Did anyone see the 2D version? Were you disappointed or was it just fine?

My dd wears glasses to. She had no problem wearing the 3d glasses on top.