CORALINE – Julia INSISTED I include this on my Bad Mommies in Movies list.  This movie scared the bejeezus out of her and ruined her “last day of being six.” (We took her to see it the day before her 7th birthday).  “I can’t believe you took me to see this movie!” she SCREAMED in tears afterwards, completely forgetting that she BEGGED to go. But you know how it is, it’s always the mother’s fault.  And actually in this movie, it is.

This little stop-motion animated tale which is marketed as a kiddie flick, features an ALTERNATE WORLD MOM who pretends to be nice in order to LURE little children from their world, at which point she takes out their eyeballs, sews on buttons in their place, then murders them and keeps their souls locked in a dark, damp basement. Oh yeah. you read that right. That’s the plot in a nutshell. Yessiree it is. Do mommies get worse than that? Not sure it made ME feel better about my parenting skills. After all poor Julia had nightmares for weeks. In fact, she still does! On the other hand, I think it made HER appreciate my parenting skills. (Just as Coraline comes to appreciate her own flawed parents). So it might be worth a look…I mean if that’s your parenting style.  Oh also. A heads up. Lots of freaky, nightmarish circus imagery…in case you’re one of THOSE PEOPLE in whom clowns inspire night terrors and loose bowels. (Available on dvd July 21 – in case your kid needs a little lesson in appreciation. No?)