Coraline (2D Version Only) [DVD] [2009]

Just for the record there are two editions available of Coraline on Blu-ray - one has '3D' in a bubble on the leftmost side of the package and states that glasses is included, and is the anaglyph 3D version (i.e. a poor substitute for real 3D). THIS one (the one with 3D written in a bubble on the right side of the package and with 'Blu'ray 3D + Blu-ray' at the top of the front cover consists of the Real 3D version (i.e. you need proper 3D TV with compatible glasses, 3D Blu-ray player, and HDMI cable) AND it contains the conventional 2D version which plays on any Blu-ray player, plus extras in 2D. Therefore if you're going to buy Coraline this is the version to get - you can watch 2D now and legitimate 3D when you buy appropriate equipment later on.

The image quality is stunning and highlights the beautiful details of the models used for the film (this is stop motion rather than computer animation, hence is more 'physical'), plus there's about an hour worth of extras. Great disc of a highly imaginative film that is okay for kids but features a few darker moments that may exclude it from the pleasure of much younger viewers. As an adult I enjoyed the film. Henry Selick (the director of this and Nightmare Before Christmas) is a truly talented person with fine understanding of animation.

Paul (The Grim Cellar)

This is a challenging film.I saw it first in the cinema, with a packed house and in 3D. Worth every penny! For parents and children, make no mistake, this is not some fluffy fodder to merely entertain. There is a profoundly atmospheric and emotive core to this film which isn't easy. Some viewers may find that its sombre and dark, almost gothic tone, is disturbing, as well they might, for it is so. That said, this is a wonderfully refreshing, contemporary "fairytale" that is uncompromising and inventive. There has never been a stop-motion,puppet animation film to touch this in technical terms. It is simply, stunningly, awesomely fine. But it is the content,the shift in tone, that makes this more than flimsy, family fodder. Will it scare the kids....? Oh yes! Will it scare the parents...? I think so, because it enters into the terrain of primary fears in a dreamlike way to which only those who are completely anaethetised may be immune. Comparisons have been suggested with "Alice in Wonderland" and they are fair enough. It is an "Alice" for our times, though I consider that such a statement doesn't necessarily do the film justice. This is great filmmaking. Selick is a filmmmaker infused with the drama of passion,style,sensitivity and taste."Coraline" is a complete winner and quite simply, unmissable. Oh, and by the way, don't miss the sensational animation at the end of the endcredits. Most viewers and audiences do.

First of all

I'm 22, and male. And I loved this film. It was quite eerie, and the dark undertones were brilliantly conveyed. I think the film itself is absolutely fabulous.

My review though is going to be mainly orientated around the blu-ray quality/etc.

The blu ray picture is akin to other recent animations like Wall-E... Absolutely fantastic and five star.

The 3-D feature though, as has been discussed a few times before, is a bit of a different story. The quality in the 3-D from the original blu ray is amazingly retained - to me it looked as stunning (of course there are colouration issues from the r/g but so far as the actual resolution, etc, it looked as good). However, the 3-D was quite gimmicky. It worked really well in some parts of the film - it gave an amazing added depth perception which was quite cool to see, but in quite a lot of the film (~50/50 in my opinion) its very miss - giving the same appearance as it appeared in 2d blu-ray. I think the way the 3-D has been brought in could have been incorporated to a much better method - though with technology at where it is at now - e.g. waiting to move onto either polarizing glasses or differential TV sets - it might not be entirely important.

As a side note - I got this product today after pre-ordering off Amazon like a month ago. Hugely impressed - 2 days before the official release date.

All in all I'd strongly recommend this - after picking up my PS3 and 1080p tv I'm really starting to get into genres of films I wouldn't have considered before, for video quality alone, and along the way I'm enjoying the films too. I'd throw Wall-E, Coraline, things like Pan's Labyrinth up there.

----Update: ***********

I re-watched Coraline in 3D the same night, and the quality was bundles better than what I observed in the day.

The 3D is absolutely stunning quality, and you don't depreciate any of the blu-ray quality when watching it in 3-D, absolutely brilliantly worth it. Watch out for the gravy train scene and the performing mice circus.