This Week in Doctor Who - 5/14/11

Lets be honest, last week's episode sucked. Nothing happened, the characters weren't interesting, and overall it was just a waste and had nothing to say. And in all fairness, the season opening two-parter, while interesting and grand, wasn't nearly as good as "The Time of Angels" and "Flesh and Stone". So, with Neil Gaiman's first foray into the world of Doctor Who, does he bring some life into this so far unimpressive season?

Episode 4 - "The Doctor's Wife"

There are a lot of things to say about this one. First things first, one of the "fan theories" I've heard regarding River was that she was the TARDIS, and I angrily dismissed this theory because while the TARDIS is referred to as living, it's never once been shown as a humanoid lifeform and just the idea of the theory was so stupid and canon breaking that it upset me. And then this episode showed up (with no River thankfully)...

The Doctor, Amy and Rory travel into what can only be described as a bubble outside of the universe, but not really, after the Doctor receives a piece of Galifraen mail, filling him with the hope that the Time Lords are indeed still alive. But instead, he's led to what is basically a TARDIS scrapyard, with a few strange inhabitants. Oh, and the soul of the TARDIS is ripped out and put into the body of a strange Victorian woman. Just the Doctor's type.

The episode follows the Doctor as for just one day, he lives his ultimate fantasy of traveling with his TARDIS as a woman... while Amy and Rory are trapped inside of the actual TARDIS, which is now controlled by an evil entity (voiced by Michael Sheen).

Overall this episode, unlike the last few, was just really interesting to watch; there was an actual sense of risk (something this season lacks from the last) and the creep factor was actually creepy and not just looking like it it's trying to force it. The moments with the Doctor and his living TARDIS are quite tender, and it was pretty sweet to see that Eccleston's and Tennant's TARDIS 'desktop theme' is still intact somewhere as well as seeing some familiar classic TARDIS pieces on the junkyard world. Gaiman's first attempt at Who was a great one, and I hope he comes back to it at some point.

Overall Score: 9.5/10

Sadly, next week's is the first of a two-parter from the writer of "Fear Her" probably the most hated episode from Tennant's run. Whoever's idea it was giving that guy another chance hopefully made a wise choice, or I'll be quite upset.

Coraline review

While, I may have only written about the film once prior to this, I did promise a review. Being the first animated feature film from Laika (a studio previously only known for producing commercials) and the first stop-motion film to be shot in stereoscopic 3D, the film has a lot on its shoulders for a studio's first feature. But does it fall under pressure or rise above the norm?


First things first, Coraline is not a completely original film, in that it is an adaptation of a Neil Gaiman novel of the same name. However, I never read the novel, so I can only judge the film by itself. The film centers around Coraline Jones, and her mother and father, who have just moved to a new home, "the Pink Palace," but there's some strange things about the place. Coraline doesn't have a good relationship with her parents though, as they both put their work before their own daughter, making Coraline hope for a better life. However after exploring her new home, Coraline finds a mysterious door which leads to a world much like her own. But this world is different; it's perfect ... or so she thinks.

Obviously I can't say much more in terms of story as we have a spoiler policy. But I will say, the story definitely pulls the audience into the film, as the characters feel alive; however, running at just over an hour and a half, it does seem to drag on a bit at times. And considering the film's PG audience, I'm not sure how many children will be will to sit through this, as I heard plenty of kids asking their parents when it would be over as I watched the film.

And that right there is an aspect I want to touch up on. As with director Henry Sellick's previous stop-motion films, The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach (another book adaptation), he use very dark imagery and themes throughout the film. And while I understand it is rated PG, there are some elements that I was surprised to see in the film, such as language, partial nudity, and somewhat adult themes. Not that I'm offended, as I'm an adult and that stuff doesn't really phase me, but parents looking to take their young ones to this should take note of that.

Technically speaking though, the film is brilliant. 3D or not, the imagery of the film is pretty amazing. From the intricacy of the sets and characters, to the fluidity of complex movements, and the overall attention to detail, it's quite amazing. It's safe to say this is the first stop-motion film that will give some computer generated films a run for their money, as it should be. I have to say, there were parts of the film that actually looked like they were CG, but fooled I was not, the film just looks that good though. As for the stereoscopic 3D, that's just icing on the cake. The feature is used through out, adding a sense of atmosphere to the film, however many a time I removed my glasses just to see the difference, and I could see the film working without it. But if you're looking for the full experience, I'd have to say go see it in 3D, no question.

Being Laika's first feature film, I have to say, I'm impressed. Not so much on the story level, but from a technical aspect, the film really stands out among other animated films: 2D, 3D, or stop-motion. This is certainly a giant step forward, not just for Henry Selick's portfolio, but animation as a medium. And if you're going to see the film for anything, I hope you can appreciate that technical aspect of it, even if the rest of the film doesn't draw you in right away.

Overall Score: 8.7/10

Thoughts: Coraline

You know, I can't say I had much of an interest in this film before seeing footage of it ... what with me missing out on a preview screening with director Henry Selick that I now regret. But none the less, this film, based on a book written by Neil Gaiman, has really re-sparked my interest in the stop-motion medium. See for yourself, here's a trailer of Coraline for you:



Also, after spending quite some time on the film's official website [www.Coraline.com], I found very cool Theatre section. Here you'll find a ton of behind the scenes footage, which for someone as myself who has experimented with stop-motion animation, is pretty neat and inspiring. However, there's one aspect of the film that I can't show you, which is that it's the first stop-motion film shot in stereoscopic 3D. Being that I missed out on the aforementioned preview screening, I can't exactly tell you how the result is, but those I've spoken to that attended the screening say it's one of the prettiest things they've ever seen on screen.

Coraline won't be releasing until February 6th, but hopefully I'll be able to catch it and provide you with a review soon after. See you then!

Update: How coincidental, I missed another preview screening tonight ... I guess that's my punishment for doing work?...