Halloween is right around the corner and watching scary movies is something people of all ages love to hate to do.

With its protagonist being an animated 11 year old girl, Coraline may seem more  of an “innocent” scary movie that is cute and a perfect match for young children. However, the movie’s dark plot twists and scary scenes prove that the target audience may actually be for someone much older and braver.

Coraline features Coraline Jones, a young girl who moves to Oregon with her parents. Immediately, Coraline begins to explore her new surroundings, hoping to find something interesting. She then discovers a secret door which leads her into an alternate world, where she has “Another Mother” and “Another Father.”  Coraline quickly realizes that this door leads her into a different version of her life. Her “other” parents dote on her and give her whatever she wants, which is something Coraline feels she is missing from her regular life.

Coraline falls under that old cliche “the grass is always greener on the other side” mentality; thus, she  enjoys this alternate world. But, that other cliche, “Be careful for what you wish for,” begins to take shape and Coraline eventually finds that life with her “other parents’  is not as great as she thought.

The movie features several chilling twists, which includes disappearing children. Coraline also realizes that behind the superficial kindness of her new parents, lies two people who are masters of manipulation and evil. The dark side of this set of parents eventually helps Coraline to see the good in her real parents.

Overall, Coraline is not as lighthearted and innocent as it may seem. However, it is still an interesting story full of adventure and new discoveries. Coraline is perfect for someone who wants to watch something on the spookier side, but still be able to watch the entire movie without getting too terrified.