Saw Coraline. In 3D no less. For all my apprehension, they did manage to capture the spirit of Gaiman's book (UNLIKE that ridiculous mutilation of Stardust that even Claire Danes' cuteness couldn't save).

Ok, so I was irked that they added a male sidekick character, and that they glossed over some of the Beldam's nuances (what made her so scary and disturbing in the book was that she really, really wanted to love and be loved, but due to her nature didn't quite "get" what love was about...it was that pitiable, incompetent perversion of motherhood that was so freaky, far moreso than the movie's somewhat more two-dimensional "monster" version of her). But they got Coraline herself to a T, ditto the cat, and Tim Burton was the perfect man for the job of the visuals. Worth seeing, although I think a lot of parents are going to be severely surprised when they bring their kids to what the previews make out to be a fun fluffy family movie...

- SW