It's not long before she becomes aware of a cubbyhole-sized door that leads to a brighter, richer parallel world where the decor is cheerier, the food is better, and [Coraline]'s self-identified "Other Mother" (also voiced by [Teri Hatcher]) has all the time in the world for her daughter. But Coraline is an observant child and she soon suspects something is off about this other world, and it's not just because everyone who lives there has black buttons for eyes.

[Henry Selick] is best known for helping Tim Burton realize his Gothic fantasy world by directing The Nightmare Before Christmas. But Selick's own vision is equally compelling, equally eccentric and richly detailed. It is the kind of movie that would yield new observations with every repeat viewing. And unlike most of the kid-targeted film product out there, repeat viewings on DVD would be a pleasure: from a purely esthetic standpoint, this is nothing less than the most visually beautiful animated film to come out in years. ''''