La Casa Lobo

One of the darkest, creepiest & genuinely unnerving films to grace the medium of animation, The Wolf House (La casa lobo) is a powerhouse of endless imagination, persevering vision & top-notch execution that employs its stop-motion animation technique in ways that's equally unique & nightmarish, and offers a cinematic ride that's as surreal as it is disquieting.

Directed by Christobal León & Joaquín Cocina, the story takes its inspiration from an infamous & disturbing slice of Chilean history and unfolds like a fairy tale. But if one isn't familiar with the historical context in play here, then events may seem confusing & frustrating. Still, the uneasy vibe & foreboding aura this chiller brims with ultimately makes sure that the viewers don't leave the scene.

The most impressive thing about this Chilean horror is the stop-motion animation itself. The set pieces & characters constantly deconstruct, reconstruct & transform while the camera remains in perpetual motion, thus giving the film an appearance of a single take perspective. The visuals are distinct & uncanny to look at and with further assistance from its haunting soundscapes, it amplifies the film's dreamlike, vivid quality.

Overall, The Wolf House is no doubt an impressive feat of animation filmmaking as it renders its scenes in ways that's simultaneously fresh & freakish and blends true life, propaganda & fairy tale into a wicked tool for indoctrination. But it can also be overwhelming for some as there's plenty to unpack & absorb here, given its multitudes of layers & ever changing visuals. In short, this Chilean horror will fare better with arthouse enthusiasts than mainstream filmgoers.