Feats N' Faults: Coraline
Happy Halloween!
Welcome back to Feats N’ Faults, where we use our Tiered Point System to rank and record our favorite characters based on their achievements and deeds. For a more in depth look on how points are awarded, please check the About page. Below is our Tier System for quick reference.
Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you had a great October filled with sweet treats and spooky movies. As the season is ending, we are unfortunately at the end of our Halloween specials. But you all made your voices heard, and Coraline was the winner with 50% of the vote. This shocked me a little as I added this option just to fill in the rest of the poll. I had no idea it would get a single vote, let alone win! That’s what I like about reader reactions because I could never guess what you guys would do. It has been a while since I’ve seen this film. Probably getting close to a decade. Even though I love stop motion it is just never in my Halloween rotation. So, it made it a refreshing rewatch to wrap up the Halloween season! There are a ton of memorable characters, but we will be tracking Coraline, Other Mother, Wybie, Other Wybie, and Cat. Those are the characters that seemed to do the most in the story. Those of you playing at home should go ahead and list these characters from least to greatest and let me know how you did in the comments!
Let's Get Started!
5th Place, Other Wybie: 1 FN’F Score (2009) 1 Movie
In this magical world where anything seems possible, Other Wybie is our first clue that something is not quite right. Before him, we see magical pianos and gravy trains, but then it gets weird. The world is “improved” by removing this character’s ability to talk. A silent companion to lead Coraline through this world without being able to warn or point out the oddities of it all. It unknowingly reveals Other Mother’s goals of showing Coraline everything she might enjoy while hiding the truth. I still think the scene where Other Wybie’s mouth is sewn into a smile is one of the creepiest in the movie. You’d think he would want to act sooner if he cared about Coraline, but it is good that he acted when he did. If it wasn't for him, Coraline might never have returned to the real world. Even though that was the only Feat he earned, it was crucial.
4th Place, Wybie: 1 FN’F Score (2009) 1 Movie
Other Wybie and Wybie scored the exact same. As they should since they are reflections of each other. Each saving Coraline from Other Mother. Wybie started out thinking that Coraline was crazy. Just as crazy as his grandmother, who used to live in the house. As the story goes on, he realizes it must all be true. Having a final showdown with the evil hand. Taking it out while riding his bike. A pretty brave thing to do for the character who was almost too scared to enter an apartment building.
3rd Place, Cat: 3 FN’F Score (2009) 1 Movie
Cat is the MVP of the film. He was the only way Coraline could communicate and connect the dots between the Other World and the real one. He is the reliable narrator in the film, to go against the unreliable nature of Other Mother. He‘s also not afraid to get his claws dirty. Him killing that mouse puppet is deeply disturbing until you realize that it was a spy. He even saved Coraline and Blinded Other Mother. Clawing her button eyes clean off! He might not have wanted to be flung at her, but boy, did he make the most of it.
Another interesting tidbit is that this black cat is tied with the other black cat from Hocus Pocus! Cat and Binx both scored exactly 3 FN’F Score. Neither of them had any faults either. Just goes to show that if it is Halloween and you are facing a supernatural threat, you need a black cat along for the journey. I’m curious to see if this trend ever pops up in the future. Can you think of any other black cats we should keep an eye out for?
2nd Place, Coraline: 7 FN’F Score (2009) 1 Movie
It is rare to see the star of the show fall short of our number-one spot. Coraline might be in second but she still did a great job as a little girl with no real powers or skills. As we saw in the movie, three other kids were in the exact situation, and they all succumbed to the Other Mother. Other Mother bit off more than she could chew with this one. Her web was not strong enough to catch this little bug. Coraline went above and beyond. She didn’t just beat Other Mother. She went back and put three trapped souls to rest. Realizing that her parents might not give her everything she wants, but they actually love her. Unlike Other Mother, who just wants Coraline for herself. To fill her own ego or whatever void is left in her.
A 7 might be a low FN’F Score, but she was only in one movie. From a different perspective, she is on par with The Grand Master from Thor and Fili from The Hobbit. So, it's not too bad for a little girl. She pulled her own but was just not able to hit our number-one spot.
1st Place, Other Mother: 10 FN’F Score (2009) 1 Movie
Other Mother is a truly creepy villain. As a kid, I remember being really scared of the entire concept of the button eyes and the eerie feeling that something was just not right. When she finally revealed her true form, it sent shivers down my spine. The first time she grabbed Coraline's nose, I realized the danger she was in. Before, you assumed she was motherly and would never hurt her child. There was a false sense of security, but that all got erased in a single action. It is terrifying. As a villain, she was top-tier for only having a single movie to score. It is harder to score faults as a villain, but she still came out squeaky clean. Her plan was on point, and she almost succeeded. She lulled Coraline and then made her move. I know the other three children let Other Mother put the buttons in their eyes, but I wonder if they saw her true form before then? They might have fallen for her ruse and got trapped in her spider web of wonders. A great showing from Other Mother and the perfect creepy ending for our Halloween Specials!
Review:
Coraline: 6/10
It’s alright. Rewatching it probably hindered the score a bit. I remember being properly creeped out when I was younger. Watching it for the first time is just a different experience. This film was never in my yearly rotation, and I don’t think it will be added to it. Don’t get me wrong, it is a fine film, but it just doesn’t grab me like it used to. Great villain with a fantastic world and a fun premise. It is a perfect film to show a kid on Halloween. I can see this being a great introduction to horror movies for children. I think that is something that we are missing nowadays. When I was a kid, we had shows and movies whose entire purpose was to scare or creep kids out. Kids just don’t get scared anymore.
I am also a huge proponent of stop motion. It is a gorgeous film, and the craftsmanship that goes into it is astounding. The amount of time and effort these films take is a testament. It is worth watching just for that.
Recommendation: Yes, if you’ve never seen it or want to put a Halloween movie on for the kids.
Thanks again for joining me during the spookiest of seasons! I’ve had a blast planning out and watching these titles. It takes a lot of time to watch some of these series, so all the support really helps get these feeds out in a timely manner. I appreciate all the support and look forward to seeing this fantastic community grow. I hope you all have a fantastic Halloween and get sick on all the delicious candies. I’ll see you next Thursday for another Feats N’ Faults, so don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date on all your favorite IPs
Until Next Time!
I've never seen Coraline, although I've been meaning to for a long time. Still, as an alumni, I'd make the Dad the winner solely for wearing a Michigan State shirt.