"Be Strong, Coraline."

It's rare that one watches a move that no one can find much wrong with. Yeah, the circus scenes can feel a bit strange, but even those glimpses somehow fit with what we're seeing in Coraline. 

Coraline | Rotten Tomatoes 

Whatever movie "Top 10 List" I could settle on, Coraline would be in it. There's something about the style and tone, the story, the mystery of this movie that endears itself to me. If I were to speculate about why I love this movie so much, it's likely because I love Coraline's spirit so much. She's a tough character, and I am drawn to these kinds of characters more than ever these days. I see enough hardship in the world around me. I don't need to see it defeat the characters I love, too. One of the main reasons I watch and read stories is to feel larger than life. Coraline's spirit gives me this moment of strength.   

Meghan, the second oldest in our family (now 14), has long claimed that this movie is her favorite. What's striking to me now as I write this is that she is Coraline. That same spirit that Coraline lives with is the same one that directs Meghan. I can't believe I never realized this before! That's another reason to write. Are we ultimately drawn to the characters who most reflect our own spirit? "Be strong, Coraline." 

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