The Wolf House

It's miraculous to watch a film that you started watching with little to no expectations, only to come out feeling influenced, your heart is in awe, while your mind reels.

I feel that it would be doing the film a disservice by simply comparing the film to a dream, yes that was the aim, and it is effective due to this. But not only is it a great dream, it's a dream you don't want to wake up from. It's a fantastic experience.

But most importantly, La Casa Lobo is the most imaginatively satisfying animation I've seen.

Prepare to be in awe at the pure insane creativity spun out before you, every set-piece is a work of Art. This may even be one of my favourite animated films.

You may not feel the same, although it's hard to ignore such an astounding craft.

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.

This is unlike anything I've ever seen before. Stop-motion is generally a cool medium, but "The Wolf House" takes it to a whole new level. The film comprises of wall paintings and rough models, that morph into each other throughout the film. As the camera moves, the set around it changes. The wall colour changes, furniture moves around, etc. Its so visually striking that you can't take your eyes of it. It took 5 years to make, and I can see why. Everything is so detailed. They could have made it easy for themselves, but instead went as far as possible to make an incredible film. The jolty camera and rough models make the film very eerie to watch. Despite not having any jump scares or violence, it is very grotesque and terrifying. On top of that the dialogue is chilling. The characters whisper into your ear, it literally gave me chills. I'd say use headphones or surround sound speakers to watch this, cause hearing the dialogue like it's coming from a person whispering into your ear really adds to the experience. Story wise, it's very weird. There's obviously a hidden meaning behind, buts It's not very clear. The dialogue is very ambiguous at times so don't worry if you're not getting the story, this films more about the visuals.

One of the most amazing pieces of stop motion I've ever seen. I've not seen the like since the works Bruce Bickford. I can't even imagine how much time and dedication this took. In terms of the plot it's...confusing? I admit I didn't really get it. It's not really a horror movie, it's unsettling and surreal like a David Lynch movie. It definitely makes you feel like something awful is going to happen, but it never really does. That said, I'd recommend it to anyone on technical brilliance alone.

The outstanding craftsmanship involved in one of the most mesmerizing animated films I have ever seen, in conjunction with a complex and invigorating narrative present one of the most intriguing films I have seen this year. Its a little to intricate for my liking, and although I dont believe I fully understand its vision, I really appreciate the work and passion put behind its creation.

8.5/10.