Henry Selick’s „Coraline,” which was adapted from a novel by Neil Gaiman, accounts for the first stop-motion feature ever made in 3-D, telling a children’s story that revolves around childhood nightmares.

Focus Features’ „Caroline,” which debuted on Friday, February 6, shows great potential of becoming a family hit, if the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures plays its cards right where marketing is concerned.

The plot line is centered on Coraline Jones-to whom Dakota Fanning lends her voice- an 11-year-old girl who has recently moved into the Pink Palace with her parents, to whom Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman give life.

Unfortunately, Coraline seems unable to adapt to the change and her parents are not doing much to help, since they’re always busy and haven’t even got the time to unpack their daughter’s belongings or make the new home actually feel like home.

The other tenants, a talkative boy called Wybie Lovat, two aging British actresses and a Russian circus performer, can’t do anything to cheer the girl up either.

Nevertheless, when Coraline discovers a secret door and enters some sort of a reverse reality where her mom and dad are all affectionate, the tenants perform dazzling vaudeville acts and the cat at the Palace talks, her life takes an interesting turn which  leads to the girl having to choose between the two worlds.

Still ultimately, the alternative reality proves to be even worse, with the other mommy trying to keep Coraline there against her will, which turns bliss into nightmare and leaves the girl striving to find a way to save herself.