Gaiman's animated 'Coraline' a visual triumph

"Coraline" (two-disc special edition) - Wow, who knew that buttons - yes, just plain old buttons - could be so creepy?

Henry Selick and Neil Gaiman, that's who. Selick wrote and directed "Coraline," the wonderful new family fantasy film based on Gaiman's short novel. Selick uses old-school stop-motion animation to tell this story; the result is as lively and bewitching as anything from the Pixar folks.

Eleven-year-old Coraline Jones has just moved into a drab new home in a drab town with her drab parents. While exploring the house, Coraline discovers a hidden door that leads to a parallel world, one that looks and feels just like her own, only better. Improved versions of her parents are there - warmer, funnier, more attentive. Except for one strange quirk: They have buttons for eyes. It doesn't take long for this dream world to curdle into a nightmare, making Coraline realize that her boring old world wasn't so bad, after all (and making me look at buttons a bit differently from here on out).

Selick, director of the stop-motion favorite "The Nightmare Before Christmas," expertly balances human drama and fantasy in "Coraline." The story unfolds at a relaxed pace, but it never drags. Selick gives us time to get to know the characters, so that when bad stuff goes down, we're fully invested in the outcome. Visually, "Coraline" is a marvel. It's hard for me to comprehend the work involved in animating static puppets so that they appear to move naturally and show emotion. Selick pulls the trick off beautifully. "Coraline" deserves to become a new family classic. (The film has some scary moments, but it should be suitable for all but very young viewers.)

Universal's two-disc DVD set offers two versions of the movie, one in 3-D (glasses are included) and the other in traditional 2-D. "Coraline" was filmed specifically for 3-D display in theaters, but I found that the effect doesn't translate very well to home viewing. Thankfully, the 2-D presentation looks fantastic. Also on board are a Selick commentary, a slew of deleted scenes and a nice making-of documentary. The Blu-ray offers additional featurettes featuring Selick and Gaiman. This is a nice DVD set. (PG; Universal, $34.98 or $39.98 for Blu-ray)

Also out this week - Paramount Home Entertainment offers two DVDs that will allow fans of "So You Think You Can Dance" to get in shape as they wait for the reality show's Aug. 6 finale. In "So You Think You Can Dance - Get Fit: Cardio Funk" and "So You Think You Can Dance - Get Fit: Tone and Grove," dancers from the show demonstrate a variety of routines that will help viewers burn calories and sculpt their bodies. Extras include interviews with producers and dancers. The discs are available now at $16.99 each.