The whimsical paring of Henry Selick and Tim Burton serve up a real winner in "Coraline". The movie is a stop-motion wonder that is stunningly pretty, yet gloomy and sometimes frightening. This really isn't a movie for kids in the sense that kid's movies are categorized today. It's got some real scares, a true sense of danger, and a scary vibe that hearkens back to films like "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas".

The Coraline character is delightfully curious and totally likable. Her facial expressions and voice (Dakota Fanning) reflect a smart girl searching for the ideal family and finding that she has much to be thankful for back home. The evil "Other Mother" is a great villain and looks to be a great cook as well. I didn't expect to be hungry after watching.

This is not something that your average Attention-Deficit-Disorder stricken 10-year old is going to sit through. There is as much depth to this story as there is in most adult dramas. There are also some laughs provided by many of the quirky characters and Coraline is a sharp-witted, funny squirt herself. I was amazed by the animation the second time I watched it. I can't get over the little details. Just amazing.

I knew going in that "Coraline" would be a visual treat but what I got was a very nuanced story about appreciating the things you already have.