Coraline (4k UHD Steelbook) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Shout Factory / Laika
Release Date: December 13, 2022
Rating: PG-13
Film: 4.5/5

Plot
Eleven-year-old Coraline Jones (voiced by Dakota Fanning) has just moved with her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) to a new home in Oregon. With her parents distracted by work and no one to play with except an annoying boy, Wybie Lovat (Robert Bailey Jr.), she spends her time visiting her older neighbors. When she convinces herself that her new home is the most boring place on earth, she uncovers a secret door that leads to a parallel world much like her own—but much better. Is the grass greener on the other side or is it all an illusion?

My Thoughts
Pixar has changed the way animated films are made, but the days of stop-motion are far from over as director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) proves with this visually stunning and wildly entertaining tale of a young girl in search of attention. One caveat—this isn't really a kid's movie. There are some intense sequences in the "other world" that may frighten younger viewers, so a prescreening is recommended for parents with young children. 

I originally watched this film on Blu-ray 3D when it was first released in 2011 and even though it sits in my collection, I haven’t gotten around to watching it a second time. While I really enjoy the story, it’s the phenomenal stop-motion animation that really draws one into the film and definitely takes the film from an entertaining vehicle to one of a visual and aural experience.

While I enjoyed the 3D experience, I have to say that 4K is the preferred viewing format for a couple of reasons. First, you don’t have to wear the damn glasses and second, the image has a lot more visual pop. While some may claim the lack of the third dimension is a drawback, I’d disagree since the 4K has plenty of depth and detail. The HDR treatment adds an additional level of pop and the primary colors really pop off the screen.

As much as I loved the uptick in video quality, the Dolby Atmos track is simply outstanding. It’s a reference-quality track from beginning to end and does a great job of enveloping the room. There’s really nothing negative to say about the audio at all—it’s crystal clear and checks all of the boxes.
 
Video 10/10 (AVC)

Audio 10/10 (Dolby Atmos)

Special Features:

• Booklet with an essay by Peter Debruge
• Commentary
• Inside Laika: Discovering the Characters of Coraline
• Inside Laika: Revisiting the Puppets with Laika’s Animation Team
• Feature-Length Storyboards
• Making of Coraline
• Creepy Coraline
• Voicing the Characters
• Deleted Scenes
• Still Galleries
• Theatrical Trailers
• UHD + Blu-ray

Conclusion
Although Laika is a small studio with only five films under its belt, Corline was the first and its success allowed the studio to continue to make other stop-motion titles to entertain families. This film has the distinction of being the first stop-motion animated feature produced in stereoscopic 3D, which looks great on the format, but it really shines in 4K. Furthermore, the Steelbook packaging is beautiful and will be a highlight of your film collection. Highly recommended.

Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
M&K Sound X15+ Subwoofer
SVS SB3000
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[bmoney]

I’m a fan. Might be time for the 4K