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Coraline Scares in Stunning 3-D

Dazzlingly creepy stop-motion animation conjures up children's worst fears

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 6, 2009 10:14 AM CST

(Newser) – Coraline is an eerie marvel of stop-motion animation guaranteed to give little kids nightmares, say critics. The story of a young girl—voiced by Dakota Fanning—who stumbles into a strange parallel universe where life seems almost too good to be true is a "dazzling, delightfully dark children's movie," Rafer Guzman writes in Newsday.

Coraline's 3-D technology—a first in stop-motion animation—"sets a new standard in animation," writes James Verniere in the Boston Herald, who predicts the film "is going to make you gasp out loud." Some intensely macabre moments will terrify sensitive tykes, Peter Travers writes in Rolling Stone, "but those who tough out this twisted, trippy adventure in impure imagination will only be the better for it."

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In this image released by Focus Features, a scene is shown from the animated film, "Coraline." (AP Photo/Focus Features)

In this image released by Focus Features, the character Coraline, is shown from the animated film, "Coraline." (AP Photo/Focus Features)

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Coraline Scares in Stunning 3-D