10 Movies To Watch if You Love ‘Coraline’
Coraline, is one of the most thrilling animated films and a favorite among movie fans, especially those who are avid admirers of animation and twisted fairy tales. Based on the 2002 novella by Neil Gaiman, Coraline is a gothic fantasy film which follows a young girl who, after moving to a new town with her parents, discovers a secret door which leads her to an alternative version of her world where she is adored and given all the attention she lacks in her normal world, unaware of the darkness and evil that lurks beyond the picturesque surface.
Fans typically enjoy Coraline for its visually stunning stop-motion animation, its intriguingly mysterious plot, and the memorable and detailed characters. While many can find movies with similar elements to Coraline, there is a collection of titles including Kubo and the Two Strings, Tim Burton‘s Corpse Bride, and The Princess and the Goblin, which are among some of the best movies to watch for anyone who loves Coraline.
10
‘Monster House’ (2006)
Directed by Gil Kenan
In a quaint suburban neighborhood, a 12-year-old boy, D.J. Walters (Mitchel Musso) has a grouchy elderly neighbor, Horace Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi), who lives in a creepy old house which Walter and his friends discover is actually alive. With Halloween approaching, D.J. and his friends must find a way to destroy the cursed structure to save trick-or-treaters from being consumed by the house.
The 2006 animated film, Monster House, puts a humorous twist on the traditional concept of every neighborhood having that “Boo Radley” type of neighbor who was misunderstood, especially by the kids in the cul-de-sac. The movie takes the extra step of incorporating a supernatural element that makes it stand out from other similar stories and is topped off with alluring and appealing characters voiced by an array of stars, including Kathleen Turner, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Kevin James.
9
‘9’ (2009)
Directed by Shane Acker
Set in a post-apocalyptic version of the 1940s, a small rag doll named 9 (Elijah Wood) comes to life in a world where there are no signs of any human life. When 9 discovers others like himself, he realizes the only other inhabitants are giant machines which hunt them, forcing the rag dolls into hiding.
9 is an animated science-fiction and action movie which features the voice talents of notable names, including Christopher Plummer, John C. Reilly, and Jennifer Connelly. Despite earning lukewarm reviews, 9 is a visually remarkable and thrilling animated movie with an unusual but fascinating premise that boldly explores the science-fiction and historical fiction genres without hesitation. 9 may not appeal to a large, general audience, but its dark and ominous plot and the array of well-structured characters makes it a perfect fit for any Coraline fan.
8
‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ (2016)
Directed by Travis Knight
The Oscar-nominated animated adventure, Kubo and the Two Strings, is an imaginative masterpiece which tells the story of a 12-year-old boy, Kubo (Art Parkinson), who, after accidentally being found by his mother’s evil twin sisters, is sent far away by his mother in an effort to protect him. Armed with a magical musical instrument, Kubo joins forces with a snow monkey (Charlize Theron) and a human-stag beetle hybrid (Matthew McConaughey) to defeat his aunts as well as his grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes).
The dazzling animation of Kubo and the Two Strings goes hand in hand with its perfectly balanced grim and sentimental plot, making it an ideal choice for any Coraline fan. Kubo and the Two Strings earned rave reviews from both audiences and critics, including The Washington Post, which gave the movie four out of four stars. The movie received two Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Visual Effects, solidifying its spot on the list.
7
‘James and the Giant Peach’ (1996)
Directed by Henry Selick
Roald Dahl‘s beloved children’s book, James and the Giant Peach, comes to life on the silver screen with a hybrid of live-action and stop-motion animation treatment. The classic story follows an orphan, James (Paul Terry), who manages to escape his horrid life with his awful aunts after discovering a giant peach which rolls its way into the grand ocean. Joined by a crew of friendly insects, James sets sail with his new friends to the one place he has always dreamed about: New York City.
Coraline director, Henry Selick, delivers an epic adventure with James and the Giant Peach, which is an animated movie musical that remains faithful to Dahl’s original story with its innovative animation and charming characters who are voiced by well-known stars such as Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, and Jane Leeves. Much like Dahl’s story, James and the Giant Peach has as much spirit as it does heart, embodying the valuable importance of what truly defines a family and the love and acceptance we all crave in our lives.
6
‘The Princess and the Goblin’ (1991)
Directed by József Gémes
When a king (Joss Ackland) leaves his kingdom to attend to matters of the state, he leaves his daughter, Princess Irene (Sally Ann Marsh), in charge while he is away, but the king’s absence presents an opportunity for an army of goblins to attack and conquer the peaceful kingdom. With the help of a miner’s son, Curdie (Peter Murray and Paul Keating), Princess Irene must protect the kingdom and its people by fighting the evil goblin prince who desires to make the young princess his bride.
The Princess and the Goblin is a lesser-known Hungarian animated adventure which is based on the 1872 novel of the same name written by George MacDonald. The movie was originally released in 1991, but the English version was released from 1992 to 1993 across Europe, becoming a cult classic among animated film fans. While it’s not in the same league as other popular animated movies of its time, The Princess and the Goblin still has its high points as a dark fairy tale and reigns as a creative contribution to the animation genre.
The Princess and the Goblin
- Release Date
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December 20, 1991
- Runtime
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82 minutes
Cast
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Claire Bloom
Great Great Grandmother Irene
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Sally Ann Marsh
Princess Irene
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5
‘Rise of the Guardians’ (2012)
Directed by Peter Ramsey
Immortal beings, including Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), and the Sandman, have protected the world’s children from darkness and nightmares for centuries. When the bogeyman, Pitch (Jude Law), threatens to overthrow and destroy the Guardians, it’s up to Jack Frost (Chris Pine) to fight and derail Pitch’s plan and not only save the Guardians but also the children around the world.
DreamWorks‘ Rise of the Guardians is a highly marginalized animated movie based on the book series The Guardians of Childhood and a short film, The Man in the Moon, both by William Joyce. Despite the overall plot having some minor flaws, Rise of the Guardians makes up for them with its exceptional animation and an unwavering dream-like atmosphere that taps into the emotions of adolescence and childhood. Rise of the Guardians gives life to timeless fantasy figures who are all uniquely tailored to a compelling imaginative story that makes it a must-see for anyone who loves Coraline.
4
‘Corpse Bride’ (2005)
Directed by Tim Burton and Mike Johnson
In a small Victorian town, the son of a fish merchant, Victor Van Dort (Johnny Depp), is set to be married to the daughter of aristocrats, Victoria Everglot (Emily Watson) and, despite never meeting before, the two are pleasantly surprised by one another and are immediately smitten. When Victor struggles to recite his vows correctly, he ventures into the forest to practice but, after he accidentally places the ring on what he believes to be a dead tree branch, he soon finds himself married to a corpse bride (Helena Bonham Carter) and trapped in the underworld.
Between the stop-motion animation and a fun spin on a rather dark, grisly story, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride is a no-brainer choice for any Coraline fan. Similar to Burton’s other films, Corpse Bride centers around dark subjects such as death and murder and features creepy, grim characters, but by embracing the material with cheeky humor and satire, the movie proves to be both a wholesome family feature and a bittersweet love story, cementing it as one of Burton’s finest films.
3
‘A Troll in Central Park’ (1994)
Directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman
Dom DeLuise stars as Stanley, a cheery troll with a magical green-thumb who, after being banished from his grim kingdom, finds refuge under a bridge in Central Park in New York City. While Stanley struggles with his new, unknown surroundings, he befriends a boy, Gus (Phillip Glasser), and his little sister, Rosie (Tawny Sunshine Glover), but when the evil queen of Stanley’s kingdom discovers that he’s not suffering, she sets out to destroy him as well as his new young friends.
A Troll in Central Park is an entertaining piece of animation that essentially showcases Don Bluth’s signature combination of darkness and fantasy…
A Troll in Central Park is an animated musical adventure that also features the voice talents of Cloris Leachman, Jonathan Pryce, and The Parent Trap star, Hayley Mills. Even though the movie received less than rave reviews, A Troll in Central Park is an entertaining piece of animation that essentially showcases Don Bluth’s signature combination of darkness and fantasy, which makes it an appealing choice for those who are fans of Coraline.
2
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)
Directed by Henry Selick
The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the best dark fantasy animated films which follows the Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon), who lives in Halloween Town, where he has grown tired and bored with his designated holiday, craving a change of scenery. When Jack stumbles upon Christmas Town, he’s inspired to throw his own holiday celebration, but his aimless ambition and the town’s inability to grasp the genuine concept of Christmas turns Jack’s takeover into a terrifying disaster.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is a quintessential choice for any Coraline fan and features the same mesmerizing animation, well-constructed characters as well as the moral lesson of how the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Upon its original release, The Nightmare Before Christmas was both a major commercial and critical success and was praised for its delightfully strange and haunting backdrop paired with creepy but endearing characters voiced by a versatile cast including Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, and Ken Page.
1
‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ (2022)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
Guillermo del Toro‘s Pinocchio is easily one of Netflix’s best original movies as well as a spectacular reimagination of a classic children’s tale. In Italy, a heartfelt wish made by an elderly and lonely woodcarver, Geppetto (David Bradley), brings a wooden puppet to life and a son for the woodcarver to care for. Geppetto names the wooden boy Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) and, with the help of an optimistic cricket (Ewan McGregor), the father and son try to navigate their way through life and find their place as the country becomes embroiled in war and fascism.
The movie is loosely based on the 1883 Italian novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio, written by Carlo Collodi and was visually inspired by the work of Gris Grimly. The movie essentially follows the traditional premise of Pinocchio, which many are familiar with, but del Toro’s version has a more realistic tone and sense of morality against a historical backdrop that sets it apart from other adaptations of Collodi’s famous wooden boy. Some may initially be put off by the familiarity of Pinocchio, but Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation is easily one of the best in recent years, which not only gives new life to a timeless story but is also a beautiful achievement in stop-motion animation.
