In real life, some bored children play the “floor is hot lava” game. In movie life, they get to explore alternate universes.

Based off of the novella by Neil Gaiman, “Coraline” is the story of Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning), an 11-year-old looking for amusement in her new home.

Her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) are too busy copywriting gardening books to pay attention to her.

Coraline’s neighbors fail to provide her with adequate entertainment. A hidden compartment to another world (always found in hidden compartments) answers her pleas for excitement.

In that world, button-eyed doppelgangers of her parents and neighbors shower her with attention, especially the new Other Mother.

Everything seems peachy, until the Other Mother asks her to stay forever and sew buttons on her eyes.

Coraline refuses to cooperate, but the Other Mother kidnaps her real parents. Coraline makes a deal with the imposter: If she can find her parents and the eyes of the three previously kidnapped children, she can go free.

Having worked with stop-motion before, most notably in “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Selick does a wonderful job of conveying the story with visuals. In the real world, the background is gray and cramped.

The other world is filled with bright lights and colorful attractions, like a flower garden in the shape of Coraline’s face.

“Coraline” is the first stop-motion film shot for digital 3-D. The film seldom uses the jump-out-at-you technique.

Its primary use is for perspective, making objects appear farther or closer.

The 3-D is supposed to convey an open, uninhibited atmosphere to the other world by adding depth, but the effect is minimal at best.

The voice acting is excellent. When voice actors phone it in (“Kung Fu Panda”) or are too enthusiastic (“Madagascar”), the characters seem one-dimensional or annoying.

Fanning’s work as Coraline is particularly engaging, which is relieving, considering she is in almost every scene.

Coraline is saddled with a boy sidekick, Wybie, once again proving that Hollywood thinks all women need men to carry them. It’s really tragic, because “Coraline” would have been significantly better without him.

The be-careful-what-you-wish-for story is kind of tired. That would be fine, if the dialogue was more intelligent and thought-provoking. But this is a kids movie so maybe that shouldn’t be expected.

Still, Selick’s expertise in such a demanding artform probably deserves better than a PG rating.

Reach the reporter at cogino@asu.edu.