Paraline

Paraline is a dark fantasy stop-motion hybrid film. It is a sequel to the 2012 film ParaNorman and the 2009 film Coraline, as well as a crossover to both films. The film was announced on May 2015. Malina Weissman and Milo Parker replaces Dakota Fanning and Kodi Smit-McPhee, the stars of two previous films, as the titular characters, due to Fanning and Smit-McPhee being all grown up. Paraline was directed and written by Chris Butler and Danny Elfman composed the score to the film. The film was produced by LAIKA Entertainment, and distributed by Universal Pictures and released in theaters October 13, 2017.

Symbiosis
Set one year after the witch's curse, Coraline Jones and her family move to Blithe Hollow. There, she meets a certain brown haired boy with spiky hair, named Norman Babcock. The two start to fall for each other, but once Norman discovers a small door, he travels to the Other World. Then he gets kidnapped by Coraline's old enemy, The Beldam. Now it'll be up to Coraline to go back to the Other World and save him, but she won't do it alone. She'll need help from Norman's friends, Neil Downe, Salma Ramsay, Alvin, and Aggie Prenderghast, Norman's sister, Courtney, and an old friend of hers, Cat. It's better when they stick together as a team to save Norman from The Beldam's clutches.

Plot
It is a beautiful day in Blithe Hollow, Massatuchets, a whole year after the witch's curse, and we see a car driving through the neighborhood, which happens to be the car of the Jones family. Inside the car are Mel Jones, her husband Charlie, and their blue haired daughter plus only child Coraline, who are moving into the town. The family finally reached to their house, but as of Coraline's russian singing, their car almost ran over a long spiky haired boy with a red jacket, same age as Coraline, but Charlie stopped the car in the nick of time. They got unpacking when they enter the house, but Coraline decided to explore the town. A tall 18 year old girl with blonde hair named Courtney Babcock sees the Jones family unpacking and goes tells her family that they've just moved. Courtney's brother, Norman, the same boy who almost got ran over by Jones family, sees Coraline walking down the street, asking Courtney if she's their daughter. He then follows her. His friends, Neil Downe and Alvin, comes with him.

The Babcock family (Sandra, the mother, Perry, the father, and Courtney, the oldest daughter) have dinner with the Jones family. Sandra heard that Norman, her youngest son, is following their daughter, Coraline. She show Mel a picture of him, which made Mel realize that Charlie almost ran over their son.

Coraline decides to draw some animals in the Park, since there's nowhere else to explore. Norman, Neil, and Alvin hide behind the bushes. Neil and Alvin realized that Norman's in love with her. Agatha "Aggie" Prenderghat, Norman's ancester, appears to check on Norman, who shows her Coraline. Coraline finds the boys behind the bushes, Neil, Alvin, and Aggie leaves Coraline and Norman alone. Coraline asked Norman who's he talking to before they introduce themselves. Norman tells Coraline that he can speak to the dead, and Coraline thought that's an amazing thing to do, and asked him if he could give her a tour around town.

After the tour, Coraline asked why's the town witched-themed. Norman tells her about Aggie's history and the witch's curse that happened one year ago. Coraline then tells Norman about when she traveled to The Other World, which happened on the same year, but when she got to part about the ghost children, Norman thought that she see ghosts too and ghosts can let other people see them, so he takes her to Knob Hill, where she's introduced to Aggie. When they leave Knob Hill, Courtney takes them home. She realizes that Norman is in love with Coraline but won't admit yet. Sandra thought it's sweet that Norman's in love, so she talks to him about it. After their talk, Sandra says that Norman's secret is safe with her.

Norman wakes up ready for a new day, but Courtney wakes up 10 minutes early due to cheerleading practice. To make up for the past, Perry asked him if he and Norman could have a father-son activity sometime this weekend. Norman was about to answer his question until Courtney comes downstairs. Courtney then asked Norman if she could drive him to school, but Norman said that he's walking to school with Coraline, but also tells his father that he would love to do a father-son activity this weekend.

The same routine is happening the Jones household, Mel asked Coraline if she could drive her to school, but Coraline says that Norman's walking her to school. Charlie comes downstairs looking like he hasn't been sleeping for days. Then Norman comes to door ready to walk Coraline to school but Coraline puts on her raincoat over her black sweater with stars before they head off.

They made it to school holding hands, everyone look at them, thinking that Norman has a girlfriend now. Coraline realized that she has a locker next to Norman. As soon as Coraline hangs up her raincoat in her locker, Norman introduced her to Salma Rasmey, Norman's second friend. It turns out that so far, they share the same classrooms together. At lunch, Norman asked Coraline if she could dance with him at the Blithe Hollow Fall Dance, Coraline says yes. Alvin congratulates Norman for manning up and asking Coraline out, and was about to give him some dance tips, but the bell rung before he could do so.

Norman asks Courtney for some girl tips so he could dance with Coraline. She tells him that if he really thinks she's cute and all, he should try and get a slow dance with her, maybe even give her a complament every now and then. She also explains to her brother that if she really agreed to go to the dance with him tonight, then she thinks he's cute as well.

Later at 6:00, Norman and Coraline slow dance at the dance. After the dance, Coraline said that was the best day of her life.

When Norman goes into the house to watch a zombie movie, he finds a creepy doll with button eyes that look like him (same doll from the beginning of the film).

Later at midnight, Norman get woken up by the squeak of a mouse. He tries to catch it and take it outside so he can sleep, but the mouse goes through a small door in the basement, a door that was never seen before in the house. When Norman walk through the door, sees a woman, who likes his mother, cooking in the middle of the night. That woman was his mother with black button eyes, his "Other Mother". Norman realized that he's reliving "The Other World" story Coraline told him about. Other Mother tells Norman to get his "Other" Father, Sister, and Grandmother for dinner. The Other World is like he's actullay welcomed at home. Then he gets tucked in his "Other" bedroom. When he wakes up, he's in his real bedroom, realizing it was only a dream.

Norman just can't tell if The Other World was real or a dream and wants to talk to Coraline about it, so he leaves early.

Mel opens the door and sees Norman, asking him shouldn't he be at school, and Norman reminded her that he walks to school with Coraline, he also tells her that there's something important that he needs to tell her. Coraline comes downstairs still in her orange pajamas, asking him if he's ready to go cause she's not. Mel tell Norman to sit in the living room, because girls need their privicy, but Norman goes to Coraline's room anyway, which shows her brushing her hair.

Later, when they leave the house, Norman did tell Coraline about his Other World dream, which made her sad, because the Other Mother could've killed Norman, and Norman promised he'll never go through the door again, he was about to tell her about his feelings, but he realized not just yet, instead he tells her that he cares about her, and then she tells him she cares about him too, then they continue off to school.

At the gym, there is a dodge ball game in progess and on first team is Norman, Coraline, and Alvin. On the other team is Salma, Neil and Angela. After Angela taunts Norman and Coraline, Coraline confronted her, saying that she rather have a hard-core boxing match ten rounds than to kiss Norman, which made him heartbroken and Angela shocked.

Norman decided to hide in the boys bathroom until school was over. Once the coast was clear, he ran to Knob Hill, when Aggie sees him upset. He tells her that he's heartbroken, at then he ran back home Aggie tells him to get well soon, if he will.

At the Blithe Hollow Mall, Coraline and Norman's friends, Neil and Salma are chating with each other. Coraline was wondering where has Norman been all day. Neil didn't know the answer, but Salma did. She told Coraline that Norman has a crush on her, and she broke his heart when she confronted Angela. Coraline rushed out of the mall to see Norman.

Norman is in bedroom, sad and lonely, where his Grandma finds him, but he said he'd like to alone. He then wishes there's a place where he's more welcomed and appretiated, but then he remembered the Other World and heads straight down to the basement check if it's real or not, but when opens the small door, the purple tunnels are shown, which mean.. IT WAS REAL!!! He comes to the Other World to see it very different than before, it's all bug-themed. He tells Other Mother about when he got heartbroken, but he tells her that it was Coraline who broke his heart, he felt like he wants to stay in the Other World forever. But then, Other Mother transforms out of her Sandra-like form, her gentle legs transforms into spider legs, her soft hands transform into needle-like hands (which reveals she was the one created Norman's doll in the start of the film), her Sandra-like face gets cracked up like a skull and her blonde hair transform into dark black hair that belongs to a witch, which is her true form... THE BELDAM!! Norman changed his mind, he don't want anything to do with this Beldam, he rushly ran to the basement so he could escape, but it was too late.

Coraline ran into Angela (A.K.A. NAPZ Girl), who apologized for what happened at the gym. She knew that Coraline was trying to find Norman and tells her he's in Knob Hill. Coraline been at Knob Hill before, it's the place where Aggie is.

Coraline comes to Knob Hill finds an angry Aggie, the same one from when she first met Norman. She knew that Coraline broke Norman's heart, she told her that in the 18th century, it was men who break women's hearts, and it turns out that in the 21st century, it's women who break men. Coraline asked if Norman's there, Aggie said he was but he ran to his house. Coraline ran out of Knob Hill, and Aggie had to calm down.

Coraline finally got to the Babcock household and knock on the door. Courtney opened the door and sees her. Coraline wanted to see Norman and Courtney asked why do she want to see him. Coraline tells her about Norman getting heartbroken at the gym and that she likes him, not just like him, she like-like him. While Courtney goes to look for Norman, Aggie appears behind Coraline, not angry and just seeing how are going. Then Courtney is worried that Norman is... GONE!!

Coraline, Courtney, and Aggie has been searching the entire house up and down. They've even looked everywhere around the neighborhood. Sadly, Norman was nowhere to be found. And of course, Coraline blamed herself for it all. Norman had gone missing somewhere, and would probably never return.

While sitting in the living room of the Babcock's residence, Coraline begun to cry softly to herself. It was very depressing that the last time she saw the boy was when he got knocked out in PE. This was also partly Angela's fault as well. If she hadn't said those things about her and Norman, Coraline wouldn't have said all those things to break Norman's heart. As much as Aggie was disliking Coraline a little bit, she decided to comfort her, knowing what it's like to never see someone that you loved again. Then Courtney came to the living room, calling the police, then hung up. She then sat down on the floor, next to Coraline. Just like Aggie, Courtney knew what it was like to loose someone who you loved. She thought that Mitch was the right man for her, but after revealing that he's actually a homo-sexual, it broke Courtney a little bit, it still does sometimes. But she's managing; and it's the same with Coraline, except for the fact that Norman got missing, and that he's not a homo-sexual. They've checked every room in the house except for the basement.

When Coraline gets to the basement, Aggie finds two clues, a missing note and Norman's doll. Coraline knew where Norman is... The OTHER World.

When Courtney comfonted Coraline for little bit, Coraline glared at the small door, she knew what had to be done. If anyone had to go through that door, it would be her. Suddenly, a noise is heard.

Coraline and Courtney quickly ran upstairs when they make it to the kitchen and see a black cat. Coraline knew this Cat. Courtney was wondering how'd this cat even get in the house. Coraline had an idea and she ran to her house to get few things.

As Courtney waits for Coraline to come back, Neil, Alvin, and Salma comes over to look for Norman. Courtney says that Norman's not here and she thinks Coraline has an idea where he is. Everyone sees Coraline in her pajamas, underneath a dark green/blue vest, red sneakers, and a navy hat, with a hand bag with some sorts.

Coraline takes everyone to the basement, showing them the small door, but they think she's lost her mind. She tells them seen it one year ago when she was saving her parenets from The Beldam, but they still think she was crazy. When Coraline opened the door, they finally believed her. She walks through the door, with everyone joining her.

Coraline and the gang appeared back in the basement. Everything looked the same... except that green-and-white colors are everywhere, ghosts (including Aggie) are visible, and Cat can speak. When they came downstairs, a buffet of food was seen in the kitchen. Coraline feared for what was in the food, but everyone decided to eat anyway (except for Aggie and Cat). But, they've became unconsisicus and sleepy. Suddenly, the lights went off, and everyone felt like something was grabbing them.

Coraline finds herself in the OTHER woods. The Beldam came to her, telling her it's been a long time since last time they've met. She proposed another "finding game", Coraline has to find the rest of the gang and the key to Norman's bedroom, which could be where Norman's at, before midnight. Coraline accepts the challenge.

Walking through the clearing, Coraline was beginning to take the time to think everything through that had lead her to this very moment: the Pink Palace, the door, the key, everything about her old home before moving to Blithe Hollow. If only she hadn't gotten so curious about that stupid door, none of this would've happened to her. Or if her parents had any brains and didn't have them move there for that matter. Of course, that would mean that she'd possibly never move to Blithe Hollow and met wonderful people. Like Norman. kept blaming herself for this whole mess: breaking Norman's heart like that. Keeping a crush is hard, especially if you really want to tell someone, but you're too afraid to. A bright light shines from the horizon. Coraline then falls off the edge of a cliff.

The bright light is revealed to Aggie. It's also revealed that she and Cat manged to escape The Beldam, but didn't have time to save the others. They were glad they got Coraline's help. Help. That word stuck to Coraline. If there was anything right now that could assist her to save Norman and find the others it was help. They either had to stick together or go and separate again. Cat picks the first one, because two.. three heads are better than one. The trio make their way back up the cliff. Coraline thought that Courtney was in The "Other" Blithe Hollow Mall.

Back in the real Blithe Hollow, a tragic scene is happening at the Jones residence. In the living room, Norman and Coraline's parnets, Sandra and Perry, and Mel and Charlie, are sitting and talking with the Police Cheif Jeffman, along with Shrieff Hopper and Deptuy Dwanye. The Police Officiers are trying to find where Norman is, but someone knows the answer, an old friend of Coraline from The Pink Palace before moving to Blithe Hollow, Wybie Lovat.

Nobody knew who Wybie was, except for Mel and Charlie. Charlie said that before they moved to Blithe Hollow, Wybie and Coraline were like best friends after some crazy dream thing Coraline kept bringing up, but Wybie said that those weren't dreams and shows Norman's doll to everyone, which made them get crept out. Mel then remembered that Coraline once had one of those dolls back at their old house, and Wybie said that the other doll looked like Coraline and the one in his hand looks like Norman, but Sandra asked how did Wybie knew about Norman. Wybie explains...

Coraline was on her laptop, chatting with Wybie on Skype. Wybie asked if she liked Norman, Coraline admitted yes. Wybie teased her, but Coraline told him not to, Wybie apologized. Coraline said that she'll be dancing with Norman at Blithe Hollow Fall Dance. After talking to Wybie, it was time for the dance. Coraline gives Wybie one last good-bye.

Perry then asked Wybie asked how did he find out about the situation, and how exactly did he managed to get there, and most of all... what do he mean he knows where Norman is and how will they never believe him. Wybie said it's hard to explain and mostly because they'll think he's crazy, but Sandra says they won't think he's crazy, but Wybie was still nervous, but then he takes a deep breath and explains...

Everyone started to listen very closely. Wybie went into detail after detail about how Coraline explained to him about this other world when she was living in the Pink Palace. He even went into detail about the Beldam, and how she stole his grandma's sister when they were kids, and how he heard about her plans for Coraline after her defeat. After going over the past, he started to explain how Coraline had texted him after the disappearance of Norman and how she was worried sick. He got on his bike and rode it to Blithe Hollow. Wybie had gotten Norman's address from Coraline, due to him wanting to help and needing clues. Once he got into the house, he found a small doll somewhere in the basement, with Norman's appearance. And finally, Wybie explained how this is all some part of revenge scheme for the Beldam to strike back at Coraline.

After Wybie finished telling the story, he thought the four adults, and the Police Officiers didn't believe him and think he's crazy, Mel says it sounds crazy but it's not. Coraline told her and Charlie all of this stuff back at The Pink Palace, in fact, she kept bringing up this small door. And Wybie tells her that the small door she's referring to leads to The "Other" World. Perry asks that there's a another Blithe Hollow and their children are stuck in there. Sandra tells him she know it's hard to believe but it could the closet to the children's disappearence, even Mel and Charlie believed Wybie's facts, and she then asked if she remind him about the witch's curse one year ago, Dwanye told Hopper she slapped his fingernail after the witch's curse. Perrg then asked Wybie where is this door because he ain't driving to The Pink Palace. Wybie tells him there's a one in basement. And he shows them the small door and it wasn't a hoax. There was only one thing to do... He's going through the door.

The trio made it to The Other Blithe Hollow Mall, where they try to look for Courtney. Coraline flashes on a life-sized witch ornament, but she flashes back... IT'S GONE! But the witch ornament was now alive! The witch was green-skinned, wore a long, black dress, and a black cape. Her pointy witch hat matched her nails and outfit, and her long, black hair reached to her mid-back. The witch was actually... COURTNEY! Witch Courtney throws a ball at the trio, Coraline and Cat tried to escaped but the doors were locked by magic. Escaping from Witch Courtney was hard work. Aggie meets The Other Courtney, who gives her a soda bottle because she had a plan. A slurping sound was heard. The sound come from Aggie slurping on her soda bottle. She then spills some of her soda on Witch Courtney, which caused her to melt back to normal Courtney.

Coraline explains to Courtney on what just happened, and Courtney asked her if they've got hurt or not, but Coraline said no and it's okay, but they need Courtney's help. Courtney asked what kind of help, and wonders where Neil, Alvin, and Salma are. Cat saids they too have been taken prisoners by The Beldam and they have to find them before midnight and get to the "Other" house. Aggie finished Cat's statement by saying "And with a key of some sorts". Courtney wonders where Neil could be. Coraline realized since they've found Courtney at the mall, The Beldam has hidden the team at places in Blithe Hollow they enjoy the most. But before she finished on where Neil could be, a sudden scream was heard.

The team run up to the corner of the sidewalk to see Neil running from a bunch of... CANDY MONSTERS!! Aggie joins Neil into running from the candy monsters. Cat pounces on top of a chocolate bar monster and slices its eyes with his claws, Coraline runs towards a gummy bear monster and attempts to do a volley kick, but the monster grabs her by the legs. As the monsters approach Neil, Cat attacks once more, only this time, a candy cane monster grabs him and throws him at a dumpster, which he falls into. As Neil begins to think that this is the end for him, the sound of a chainsaw comes from behind the large group. The candy monsters turns around to see Courtney with a chainsaw. She don't eat candy. She uses her cheerleading skills and chainsaw to kill all of the candy monsters. Once she was done, there was nothing left of the candy beast but tiny bite-sized pieces everywhere. But then, the bite-sized pieces transforms themselves into a cloud of delicious evil. Coraline sucks the cloud into a leaf blower and throws it to the ground. Now they just needed to find Alvin and Salma. The team wonder where they might be, but Courtney reminded that they could be in the school.

Wybie enter the The Other World, heard a cry for help. But it was actullay a trick. Wybie encounters The Beldam, But The Other Courtney helps him escape but she got killed by The Beldam.

The team enter the school. A strange noise was heard, which Neil found out it was Salma, and Alvin was with her. She tells the team to help her escape quietly. A lizard-like creature was guarding. Alvin tells them to kill the creature, and they got a key that can open any door. When Coraline screamed, the creature heard and comes after her, but got killed by Wybie. After the team exit the school, which was burnt down thanks to Coraline, The Other World starts to unravel.

The team finally made it to Norman's bedroom, but Norman was hurt. The Beldam tells Coraline the game wasn't over, it was far from over... IT WAS JUST BEGINNING! Everything in The Other Blithe Hollow were now the center of a green tornadeo. Norman was now The Beldam's puppet trying to kill Coraline, but she cut the puppet strings off him, thanks to Aggie. Coraline tells Aggie to get Norman to safety and she'll take care of The Beldam. She escaped from The Beldam, and gets to the door, but doesn't goes through because The Beldam might come back again. Wybie tells Coraline to hand him a lighter, before she heads to the door. Wybie lights up a bomb and throws it at the Beldam. Before The Beldam tried to get Coraline, her stomach was burning, and she exploded.

The team escaped from the door and returned the real world. The door exploded and was gone for good. Then Norman and Coraline's parnets came down, seeing that their children were alive. But Norman was still hurt and got carried to the hospital. As they leave, Cat looks up at the sky, thinking that they haven't truly won, before taking his leave.

Coraline sat in the waiting room of the hospital, hoping that Norman will be alright. She's just glad that The Beldam was defeated once and for all, the other world was in ruins for good, at least that's what she think. Seconds have turned to minutes, and minutes have turned into hours, and still, no news about Norman's current health. The doctor came to waiting room and tells them that Norman didn't make it. Sandra is sad that her son is gone forever, but Perry tried to cheer her up, Courtney cried in her own hands, sad that she lost her youngest brother, Neil, Alvin, and Salma couldn't that they lost their best friend and he's in the ruins. The doctor was too busy trying to comfort them, that he didn't notice Coraline sneaking pass them, and entering the hallway, though Wybie did. Aggie spots Coraline, and follows her. Coraline was so sad that she admitted that she was in love with Norman. Suddenly, out of the ordinary, the heart monitor started to work once more. NORMAN WAS ALIVE! He admitted that he was in love with Coraline too, and The Beldam did, in fact, killed him, but put a spell in heart. And there was one thing to break the spell and bring him back to life... Love. Th others came to the room. Sandra and Perry gave him motherly and fatherly love, Neil went blabbering on how he thought he was a goner, and how he vowed he'd go to his grave, Salma, though confused, was still happy to see him alive and well once more, Alvin also tells him that he's glad he's okay, and Courtney wanted Norman to not scared them again, but Norman says no promises and scary us his thing. It was a very touching reunion. And nothing was going to tear them all apart now. Not while Norman and Coraline's journey was just beginning...

After Norman was checked out of the hospital he and Coraline didn't know where the future was going to take them from there, but whatever life had in store for them, they'll be ready. And as long as they're together, by each other's side, nothing could go wrong.

In a mid-credit scene, It is revealed that even though The Beldam is dead for good, she was just the beginning of a much bigger threat.

Cast and Characters
Malina Weissman as Coraline Jones, an adventurous 12-year old explorer girl with blue hair.

Milo Parker as Norman Babcock, a 12-year old boy with long, spiky hair, who can speak to the dead.

Jeremy Ray Taylor as Neil Downe, an overweighted red hair boy and one of Norman's best friends.

Jace Norman as Alvin, a former bully of Norman who is now one of his best friends.

Skai Jackson as Salma Ramsey, the smartest girl in Blithe Hollow.

Anna Kendrick as Courtney Babcock/Other Sister, Courtney Babcock is a blond 17-year old teenager and Norman's oldest sister.

Millie Bobby Brown as Agatha "Aggie" Prenderghast, an 11-year old Puritan girl who lived in the 1700s.

Keith David as Cat, a black cat who can speak when he goes to the Other World.

Leslie Mann as Sandra Babcock/The Beldam (in Other Sandra form) Sandra Babcock is Norman's mother.

Jeff Garlin as Perry Babcock/Other Father. Perry Babcock is Norman's father.

Teri Hatcher as Mel Jones/The Beldam, Mel Jones is Coraline's mother. The Beldam is a button-eyed creature whose goal is to give children a button-eyed doll that resembles them, which leads them to The Other World, which will at first pretends to be dream come true, but is really trying to take away their souls by sewing buttons in their eyes.

John Hodgman as Charlie Jones, Coraline's father

Tylen Jacob Williams as Wybie Lovat, Coraline's best friend at the Pink Palace.

Trivia

 * While the original voice cast reprise their roles from the two films, Norman and Coraline got recasted.
 * In the film, Mitch and Norman talk to each other now in this film.