The House

Though 'IMDb' lists 'The House (2022)' as a TV series*, 'Netflix' presents it as a feature-length affair and plenty of online sources (including 'Wikipedia' and several reputable film critics) refer to it as a movie. As such, I'm going to consider it a feature film, making it the first film I've seen that was initially released in 2022. It's also worth noting that, although its three stories exist more or less in isolation from one another, the thing feels like a cohesive experience that presents a few different interpretations of its central concept (so it's better suited to a movie than a mini-series, in my opinion). The first flick of the year is usually a bit subpar, but this is far from such. It's actually pretty great. The piece is an anthology of stop-motion animation that tells three distinct stories, each of which surround the eponymous house regardless of the fact that they're separated by many years and, even, the species of creature they focus on. The fact that the three stories star humans, rats and cats respectively can be interpreted in a few ways. Firstly, the changes in species could be entirely stylistic, meaning that the characters are represented by humans, rats and cats but are actually always one of the three (perhaps whichever you most connect with). Secondly, the timeline could be entirely linear and be set over a couple of thousand years rather than a couple of hundred, with giant rats at some point overthrowing humans before then themselves being overthrown by giant cats. The third possibility is that the house transcends conventional boundaries of space and time, occupying several different realities (across which these three stories take place). This aspect of the picture isn't particularly important and is certainly open to interpretation, like most of the narrative's surrealist events. It isn't so much a straightforward plot as it is a sort of unsettling mood poem. Even though the three stories are written by the same person, they feel wildly different in terms of tone and theme. Even their aesthetics are unique, the loose wool of the first segment contrasting sharply with the crisp fibres of the last. The segments compliment each other, though. In a way, they each start with the same concept and take it in their own direction, which makes for a consistently compelling watch. The first segment is, for me, the highlight, with a genuinely creepy atmosphere and a wonderfully moody aesthetic. There's something almost intangible about it and it often makes you smile because of how confidently bizarre it is. It feels like 19th century gothic horror, even if it's a lot more surreal than most entries in that genre, and it's certainly the most conventionally disquieting short in the film. The second segment has a surprisingly effective final moment, though, which is all the more startling because most of this story plays out like a pseudo 'kitchen sink' drama about an uncannily realistic renovator. As a result, it's actually rather scary as a whole. Its down-to-earth central performance and its nuanced animations make it feel remarkably true to life despite the fact that it features talking rodents. This is actually one of the things that makes it get under your skin, since it feels so strangely familiar and stressfully alien all at once. The moments of genuine comedy (largely absent from the first story) also add to this effect. The picture's third segment is very light on horror, more or less whittling its scares down to the gnawing realisation that the protagonist has been trapped by her own domesticity. It's a different sort of horror and it plays out more like a drama for most of its duration. Its hopeful ending is also tinged with a dash of sadness; perhaps it's too good to be true? Despite not being creepy, the final movement is still effective and engaging. Overall, this is a really solid animated horror film. Its aesthetic is gorgeous and its concepts are oddly engrossing. It isn't terrifying, but it is unsettling and it has the ability to provoke real retrospection. It's an entertaining affair from start to finish. 7/10.

*'IMDb' has subsequently altered the movie's page, which means that 'The House (2022)' is now correctly labelled as a film rather than a TV show.

I was not all all familiar with The House when I noticed it on Netflix, yet was drawn to check it out, and am very glad that I did. It's a very interesting and charming film anthology of stop-animation. The three stories and characters are all unique and distinct from one another except for this house that ties them together. The animation is excellent, the score is solid, and the stories engaging and thought provoking. I total surprise delight for me.

Lovely animation that perfectly suits the tone of the three stories. I was especially unsettled while watching the first story. Darkly funny, enjoyably uncomfortable, and I like that not every little question is answered (for example: who exactly is the builder of the house?). If you liked Love Death & Robots, give this a go.

A three story house serves as the centerpiece of three stories. The first follows a poor family who are given a new home constructed by an enigmatic benefactor only to find out all too late that the house is still under construction and more a prison-like labyrinth than a home. The second follows a struggling developer who due to economic pressures, pest infestations, and miscommunications finds himself in an uphill battle to refurbish and showcase the home to potential buyers, only for two such potential buyers to become overly familiar with the house. The third follows a struggling landlord who tries to keep the house a float (literally) after a flood has driven off most of the tenets leaving only a collection of eccentric deadbeats as her last loyal tenets.

The House is a British stop-motion anthology film featuring three segments done by a different team of directors and animators. Produced at Nexus Studios for Netflix's streaming service, the film features a collection of tales surrounding the titular house that run the gamut from Edgar Allen Poe inspired gothic macabre, dark as black comedy, or even whimsical magic realism. While the stories vary in terms of quality, they form a mostly satisfying whole and create a weird but memorable experience.

The animation is well done with each animation team giving their segment their own visual identity while tying into the central linking device of the house. The segments are all visually appealing with their unique styles with the first segment's character designs and environments matching the bleak and depressing atmosphere created, while the other two shorts focus on anthropomorphic characters such as mice and cats who play their stories a bit more for humor (albeit quite dark).

The House sets the bar high for itself with its first story, And heard within, a lie is spun, playing itself as a gothic horror story where a family of lower class is given what seems like the deal of a lifetime as they come into possession a seemingly attractive house only for the grandiosity and opulence to be taken to ludicrous extremes that soon become horrific in nature and concept. It creates a solid feeling of creeping dread and has the air of if Poe had given his take on the Winchester Mystery House. While this opening segment is quite amazing, the following segments kind of pale in comparison to it. Not that they're bad or anything as there's still some solid work in the animation and artwork with the Fur Beetle dance and the final sequence delivering some truly amazing sights, but their stories didn't really resonate the way the first part did. The plots of the last two segments are also pretty similar with both dealing with a protagonist who is trying to rebuild the house (though one by unwilling obligation and the other doing so of their own volition) and also dealing with unwanted "guests" who curtail their plans (with one set malevolent and the other set benevolent). The segments have some really strong elements and themes but they never really reached the level of the first short (at least for me anyway).

The House is an ambitious stop-motion anthology with strong animation and memorable imagery. While it starts with its best story and continues with two okay stories, as a showcase for solid stop-motion animation that carries a sharp edge The House truly is home.

I just finished my first 2022 title, and it was hypnotically weird "The House" streaming on Netflix and produced by Nexus Studios, i can't recommend it enough. It is wildly ambitious triptych, which uses stop motion animation to explore peculiar inhabitants in a house through different periods of time and worlds. All the stories take place at the same house, across different eras exploring the theme of home, capitalism, existential crisis, dreams and emptiness as the living are reduced to inanimate entities.

In Emma de Swaef & Marc James Roels opening act, "And Heard Within. A Lie Is Spun," it is a gothic tale with all the classic haunted house genre troupes. We follow the Raymond family who abandon their modest lifestyle and relocate to a luxurious mansion nearby, it belongs to Van Schoonbeek, a mysterious and faceless architect. What follows is the supernatural drama which is developed in a very interesting labyrinth like narrative. There are so many moments but everything is presented with an indispensable horror subtext. Even the furniture and the mundanity of Raymond family does accentuate the atmosphere of the film. It is normal but disturbing with eerie soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla. My pick and my favourite in this three-part anthological film.

The second chapter, directed by Niki Lindroth von Bahr's is titled "Then Lost is Truth that Can't be Won," set in the modern world, at the centre of the story is an anthropomorphic rat. He is now the developer for the Van Schoonbeek's estate and desperately hopes for a good buyer. He is disillusioned with the way his life unfolds and is bombarded with calls from the bank. He is enthusiastic about the unannounced visit of a couple who show interest to buy the house but later finds out their motive. This leads to all sorts of miscommunication and strife with the strange visitors. From there, a Kafkaesque labyrinth is built based on the home invasion genre and it is impossible for the protagonist to recover. The existential crisis increases with the passing of days, it turns out the person (darling) who he speaks over phone is his dentist. He is plagued by bugs and in the midst of all the stuff, there is Busby Berkeley-esque dance number for the vermin. It is funny and sad but never taking itself too seriously but reveals the obsession which cost the protagonist everything. In order to not give away everything, i don't want to reveal much.

The concluding chapter, directed by Paloma Baeza "Listen Again and Seek The Sun" is set in a post-apocalyptic flooded wasteland and the setting serves as the backdrop for the Van Schoonbeek estate. A fed-up landlady (Rosa) has to put up with the antics of her laid back tenants - Jen and Elias who never pay their rent in money but through crystal stone and fish. Jen is visited by her partner Cosmos and this irks Rosa. Nevertheless, she agrees to offer accommodation in return to restore the dilapidated house. This decision turns the life of the landlady completely upside down resulting in a bittersweet ending. This chapter is a hodgepodge and doesn't seem to fit with the tone of the previous two. It also blends humour and emotion well with little room for surrealism.

Minor quibbles aside, i'm happy that Netflix backed this experiment. I was surprised when a niche series like Brand New Cherry Flavor was sold to the mainstream. I was so impressed with The Summit of the Gods (2021) and The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021). I hope they can assemble many more such experiments and balance it with a commercially clickbait titles too.

Overall, If you are into stop-motion animation, this is a must watch. Those who can appreciate surrealism from a purely visual point of view, i bet you won't be disappointed by this film. If you happen to love this, i recommend a list of underrated filmmakers who have some amazing stop motion titles to their credit: Lee Hardcastle, Robert Morgan, Christiane Cegavske, Jirí Barta, Regina Pessoa, Suzan Pitt, Tadanari Okamoto, Tomoki Misato, Izabela Plucinska, Siqi Song, Daria Kashcheeva, Jan Balej, Dave Borthwick, Martha Colburn, Phil Tippett, Cesar Cabral, Katariina Lillqvist, Takeshi Yashiro, Jirí Trnka, Brothers Quay, Len Lye, Anna Solanas, Bruce Bickford, Marc Riba, Jan Lenica, Keita Kurosaka, Ujicha, Joaquín Cocina and Cristobal Leon worth checking out in that regards.