I should have returned to this earlier. I ended up seeing Coraline in 3D 3 times (so... in 9D, I guess). I may have erred in listening to the audio book earlier in the week the movie came out. The first time I saw the movie, part of my brain was picking apart the differences between the movie and the original story. This is not the best way to appreciate a movie. So I was glad to have the chance to go see the movie again.

The second time I saw the movie, I was able to feel much more of the wonder of things like the garden and the mouse circus without comparison. Henry Selick has done an incredible job of animation, making this film dark and colorful at the same time. The 3D is interesting without being intrusive, generally used for depth of scene and mood rather than "let's make them lean back in their chair" moments.

The third time, I was able to come full circle. And it's here where I introduce some spoilers.