Stopmotion

I'm pretty open to checking out nearly every theatrically-released horror movie. Stopmotion had a limited release, but it looked really creepy so I gave it a chance.

There is definitely a lot of good here. I enjoyed the performance by the lead actress. It's filled with really cool, creepy imagery. And the stop motion stuff was done really well.

Unfortunately, a few things really tanked this movie for me. It did a bad job of keeping me invested and engaged. I was fairly bored for such a short movie. And it leans way too far on the metaphorical side for my liking. I get what they were going for. I just need more than that.

When it ended, I felt fully unsatisfied and a bit annoyed.

(1 viewing, 3/19/2024)

Greetings again from the darkness. The art of stop-motion consists of bringing hunks of clay to life and telling an interesting story. It's excruciatingly slow work requiring meticulous attention to detail. The first feature length film from animator-turned-writer/director Robert Morgan is co-written with Robin King, and pays homage to this distinct art form. Of course, since it's a horror film, it also makes good use of the adage ... an artist being consumed by their art.

Aisling Franciosa (so memorable in THE NIGHTINGALE, 2018) stars as Ella Blake, who is assisting her mother (Stella Gonet), a renowned stop-motion artist, with her "last film". Arthritis has seized mom's hands and so she barks orders at her daughter in frustration of her own limitations. Once out from under her mother's controlling ways, Ella finds her own space in an old apartment, where she begins to pursue her own vision. Soon she's visited by an odd and inquisitive little girl (Caolinn Springall), presumably from the neighborhood. The girl labels Ella's work "boring" and proceeds to tell her own story about Ashman, who haunts a girl in the forest over three nights. Ella is captivated, and we quickly recognize she is in the midst of a slow descent into madness ... unaware of who this little girl actually is.

Director Morgan first introduces us to Ella over the opening credits. The flashing lights in a nightclub play visual tricks, and Ella alternates between good and evil looks (think of the two-face syndrome in "Seinfeld"). This is an early clue about the film's path. Morgan also provides contrast between the stark working conditions of the studio (whether it's mom's basement or Ella's apartment) and the more lively and colorful clubs and parties where she hangs out with her boyfriend (Tom York). Adding to the film's visual treats are some unusual camera angles courtesy of cinematographer Leo Hinstin.

The final act features some extreme gore, so be prepared. It's rare for a film to feature raw meat, a dead fox, maggots, and mutilation, but few films have successfully blended the use of stop-action animation with live-action drama. Aisling Franciosa has the instincts to convincingly portray a troubled artist when the wires are crossed between reality and creativity. Getting creeped out is all part of the show.

Opens in theaters on February 23, 2024.

The film did its job of grossing me out with the body horror bits, and to an extent, successfully bothered me with its psychological horror layers. But as a whole, it still felt undercooked and wildly predictable in the final act. Undoubtedly, the best parts of the film are the stopmotion animations featuring these creepy meat-puppets. There's something eerily unique about stopmotion animation, isn't it? Maybe, since it's got to do with bringing inanimate (read: dead) things to life. The film conveys the uncanny aura of the entire process quite effectively, in a minimalist setting.

I thought the plot already had an interestingly uneasy angle to explore between the mother and daughter; however, the makers went in a totally different direction as it progressed, with subplots involving the boyfriend's sister and so on, which didn't hit the mark completely for me. I still applaud writer-director Robert King's approach to creating something wacky and authentic, unlike most horror films these days. Aisling Franciosi also does a solid job playing the lead who's facing a creative block. It's certainly NOT one of those films you'd rewatch a lot, and I guess, for good reason.

There's nothing "bad" about Stopmotion and I enjoy Aisling Francoisi as a genre actress but there's nothing very interesting or new here. Beyond the cool imagery (which certainly borrows from Dead Ringers and Videodrome) there are 100 other movies with an identical plot and progression and ultimately Stopmotion is just kind-of ends up being a boring and joyless trip down that familiar path.

You could just watch the director's other work to appreciate the macabre art style instead of watching this and probably end up being more satisfied with the viewing experience. I didn't dislike Stopmotion, but it's pretty forgettable.

Creepy? Check. Tense? Check. Realistic and bloody gore? Check. Character development/story building? ((Crickets))

The stop-motion sequences are amazing but still not as great as the sound. The squishes, tears, cuts and breathing kick you into this movie more than anything. The lead dives headfirst into her descent to madness well, but something is still missing.

The cast does well, but the chemistry between them all lacks greatly and their relationships aren't fully fleshed out. It seems as though they could have cut most of the relationship scenes (particularly her partner and his sister) out OR added 20 minutes of additional backstory into them. What I was left with was confusion.

The movie ended and I was a bit confused about how I felt about it, hence a 6/10. It's a tense and unsettling movie.