User Reviews

Lately I've heard about this movie multiple times and I was pretty excited to see the result. The premise seemed interesting and I heard that the effects are good, which both turned out to be true. You have a unique premise for the movie that makes it stand out from all the other horror movies that are dumped out nowadays. The effects and especially the gore were also pretty great and had a gritty feeling to it which complemented the movie.

However I feel like this could have been so much more and I was a little let down after I finished watching. The movie has pacing issues and it tries to be way too artsy and pretentious instead of just focusing on its strengths. It's a decent flick but I was hoping for something special and great. [5,7/10]

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.

Ella Blake (Aisling Franciosi) works under her demanding mother Suzanne Blake (Stella Gonet) doing their own indie stop-motion animated films. She's doing all the work since her mother is disabled. After her mother suffers a stroke, she encounters a young girl. She creates a new character with usual materials.

I really like some of the ideas in this movie. There are some interesting themes and I really like the creation. It reminds me of Puppet Master with elements of Cronenberg body horror. There is a lot to like, but the overall effect is a slow moving indie horror. Despite the individual ideas, none of them can overcome the general grind of the story telling.

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.

I'm writing this review because I only read the good reviews and believed them to be true. The fact is, this is not a good movie at all. It's more of an experimental school film project with basically no budget at all. It tries to be arty and "strange" but fails miserably.

It's about a young woman who's doing stop motion videos together with her stupid and unkind mom. Then the young woman found herself in a twisted dreamlike nightmarish reality and the movie becomes surrealistic but not in a good way. I'm not going to spoil it. But what makes it so bad is both the slow and dull storyline as well as the boring characters I never cared about.

As a school project, sure! But as a commercial movie I strongly recommend you to pick something else.

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.

Despite having its ups and downs, this film can captivate, in its weakest points I could say that its climax is very short and since the plot is so slow, little by little it is difficult not to imagine what is going to happen, they put a lot of effort in the visuals and left the script aside, since it is a horror story related to the artist and for those who really enjoy stop motion, and its well-crafted sounds. I would say that it is not a movie that you will love, but if it is something that will keep you watching, and that is a lot.

I would recommend watching it the day you want to see something different and if you are a casual viewer like me, and you like a little bit of everything, you should give yourself the opportunity with this movie.

Special makeup and effects / creature designer Dan Martin has become must-see tv for me. He's behind the insanely captivating, haunting, juicy (?? Lol) stop motion creatures in this movie, as well as some of my favorite films of the last few years, The Banshees of Inisherin, Infinity Pool, A Wounded Fawn (!), and he's doing the creature work in Sony's upcoming film Tarot.

If you take out the stop motion work this movie is obviously just any other movie. Granted the acting is very great, but you find yourself absolutely salivating for more of the stop motion. It's so effing creepy. There's something so gripping and yucky about it. It reminded me of my first watch of Hereditary. It's really somethin'. *watches through fingers*

For fans of: Beau is Afraid, May, Tales from the Crypt.

Stopmotion (2024) isn't your average animated flick. It's a plunge into a psychological abyss, masterfully crafted with stop-motion animation that elevates the film's unsettling atmosphere. For fans of the meticulously crafted and darkly atmospheric horror films churned out by A24, Stopmotion delivers in spades.

The film is smart. It weaves a narrative that begs to be unpacked, leaving room for interpretation and lingering questions. Be prepared to analyze what you see, as the story unfolds with layers that hint at deeper meanings. This isn't a horror film that relies solely on jump scares; it seeps under your skin with its disturbing imagery and psychological exploration.

But the brilliance doesn't stop at the script. The casting is superb. The actors breathe life (or perhaps unlife) into their characters, making them all the more believable within the stop-motion world. And let's not forget the gore. Stopmotion doesn't shy away from depicting the macabre, but it does so with a chilling artistry that stays true to the film's overall tone.

If you're looking for a horror film that's intelligent, disturbing, and beautifully crafted, Stopmotion (2024) is a must-watch. Just be prepared to have your mind bent and your stomach churned. Highly recommended.

While I won't say this film is a 10, I would also caution against putting to much credibility into reviews that give only 10s and 1s. I think this film could have been better but I am confortable with giving it a 7 or 6.5. It is a good watch and worthy of being watched. To that end, make up your own mind of whether you like it or not. But honest reviews won't give this a perfect 10 or a perfect 1.

...then crammed a student film plot into the underside of it.

Right from the beginning, the mother was a main issue for me. If I had a book of cliched, overbearing maternal figure types, it would show this women. So she was immediately pegged with an eye-rolling "oh, how arch." Next.

The "neighbor" brat. Yep. Stock character number two enters the picture. Yes, yes, yes, I get who she was supposed to represent. The film is nowhere near the mysterious Lynchian masterpiece it thinks it is. But this child actor was just agonizing to watch and listen to. So it wasn't even satisfying when the scene that rectified this character turned into another cliche. I physically yawn and hit the fast forward on the video at this point.

Once a film hits the "is anything real or not?" without earning it, I am gone. It just becomes weird for the sake of weird. And that is why this comes across as a superficial student film.

It would have played better as a silent film and it really needs to apologize to Adam Jones.

A slow burn which didn't bother me, but unfortunately I don't think the general audience (even in horror) would appreciate.

The film does a good job at building the character arc for the leading lady. There are three specific relationships she has with other characters that do have a fitting narrative conclusion. However the overall ending of her story did leave me confused.

The combination of the stop motion into real life was very well done and creepily pleasing to watch. Another thing I really loved about the film was the sound design. I'm not sure how it would immerse someone watching it at home, but in the theater it really amplified the viewing experience for me.

While not a terrible film, it's too sparse in its storytelling. The entire experience can be summed up in one sentence: "An animator loses her grip on reality and descends into hallucinatory madness and self-destruction." That's basically the entire "plot" of the story. This visuals are essentially a collection of other artist's influences rolled into 90 rather tedious minutes. Obvious elements of The Brothers Quay (grotesque faces and bodies), Jan Svankmajer (using meat as a medium), and David Lynch (mainly his art projects) were clearly used. Many films have documented a character losing their mind, and this film doesn't break any new ground in that arena. "Repulsion", "Censor", "Possum", and "Jacob's Ladder" (just to name a few) are far more compelling at depicting mental breakdowns while also containing an interesting story. Ultimately the film is watchable and will probably be enjoyed by those with very limited film experience.

Ella Blake (Aisling Franciosi) is a stop-motion animator who assists her animator mother Suzanne (Stella Gonet) in finishing her final work as debilitating arthritis has robbed Suzanne of her ability to animate. When Suzanne suffers a stroke and is rendered comatose, Ella is intent on finishing her mother's film and rents an apartment to use as a studio. However, the appearance of a mysterious little girl (Caoilinn Springall) sends Ella on a different path animating the tale of a girl in the woods hunted by an entity known as The Ash Man, but the lines between reality and fantasy soon become blurred.

Stopmotion is the feature debut of director Robert Morgan, a British stop-motion animator and director whose work has previously been seen in a number of short films including as a segment in The ABCs of Death 2. Given a limited release in February 2024 before its premier on Shudder, Stopmotion has earned considerable praise for its direction, atmosphere and performances and you can see why in the final product. While I appreciated Stopmotion on a technical level, I was overall left somewhat cold by it.

To start off, Stopmotion showcases some nicely unnerving animation by Morgan that is intermixed with the live-action work with some memorable sequences of the effects interacting with the human elements in grotesque and macabre ways. While not possessing the level of polish of say Laika or Shadowmachine, Morgan's grungy but minimalist aesthetics are put to good use and you can feel the level of effort that went into his abominations. Aisling Franciosi gives a great performance as Ella Blake who conveys the characters descent into psychosis quite convincingly. There's a real sense of tragedy to the character as she spent her life in her mother's shadow and you get the sense from the opening sequence where Suzanne looks over her shoulder making the already arduous process of stop-motion all the more unpleasant with her curt delivery towards Ella.

I think where the movie struggled to hook me was with the nature of its plot which will be very familiar to horror fans as it does have shades of the likes of Videodrome or Censor albeit with a slight seasoning of Mad God in the aesthetic value. I also feel like the movie undercuts itself by taking Stella Gonet's Suzanne out of the story mostly because the dynamic between Gonet and Franciosi felt very rich nuanced and tension filled and while they try for something similar with Caoilinn Springall's character (who is good in the movie, no question) the exchanges never really recapture that strong undercurrent from the opening.

Stopmotion is a frustrating film for me because it's got such dedication and effort on display and seemingly has all the parts needed to make something I should love but the pieces never settled in a way that it went above respect to greater enjoyment. As a stop-motion and horror fan I think there's some good material here and I'm curious to see what Morgan can pull off with greater backing, even if this is only a marginal one time viewing from my own viewpoint.

The cinematography seemed fine. I don't know much about stop-motion filming in general, but it seemed well done at least. So I'll be fair, it wasn't what I was expecting, but it wasn't bad. In this case the trailer gave me high expectations. It's also decent as a psychological thriller. The theme is newer to me and probably a bunch of people, so I feel those that like eerie, atmospheric, confusion of the MC will enjoy this one. Not for me though. Basically the premise is interesting, but it's nothing profound. It is basically a slow-burn till end type of movie. If you like the specific subgenre then you'll enjoy it, but for myself, it was something to pass the time.

There is nothing worse than a artificially slow movie with faux fullblooded plot.

It really grinds my gears. I was nervous so much watching this, and for all the wrong reasons.

I don't know if it's the acting, production, but it's probably direction and editing. It's like they drag out everything just to get to proper minimum movie time length.

Plot is kinda interesting but way too anemic and predictable. Also, sliding into madness is always a good concept with some decent ideas here but just not made by these people.

I feel bad for the actors in this, because all that work is ruined by shoddy directionship.

Maybe it's just me and this movie is great, a movie of the year and I'm just not into it. But I'm not convinced that is the case. I think most people would jump out of their skin and through the window from blue ballsing anxiety this movie induces.

It has actors, it has a story, it's shot with real deal cameras but none of it matters because it's boring, slow and bloated with dead air. It just rubbed me the wrong way and watching was like slowly and roughly shaving my soul with dull cheese grater.

I have to say that I hate this movie to an momentuous irrational degree, that will surely pass very soon and I'll forget all about it.

STOPMOTION (2024) *** Aisling Fraciosi, Stella Gonet, Tom York, Caoilinn Springall, James Swanton. Creepy psychological horror film centering on a troubled stop motion animation artist (Fraciosi, who resembles Jessica Harper circa SUSPIRIA, balances vulnerability with determination) attempting to struggle with her finding her own voice in the wake of her mother's declining health with the help of an odd little girl (Springall) whose idea of a new story to tell opens her up to new possibilities, as well as dire consequences. Director Robert Morgan - who co-wrote with Robin King - manages to keep unnerving visuals and distorted sounds with pin-pricking moments of genuine dread largely due to the eerie puppets created for the project.

Stopmotion is one of the worst horror movies I have ever seen. Movie scenes are disgusting makes you feel weird also characters in the movie are not interesting, movie's title should not be stopmotion it should be stopmovie because I was waiting for it to end soon.

Apparently this movie is realized as artistic but very few audiences understood the art behind this movie for eg its makers.

Could not relate to any of the scenes, if you have already purchased the tickets and its non refundable its ok to let go of your money rather than also wasting your time.

I would not recommend this movie to someone.

Good lord, this was horrid. Abstract/surreal "horror" (or any type of genre constructed this way) does not appeal to me at all and this one is right on up there with one of the worst horrors I've seen, despite how well-made it may have been technically. Low-budget/cheap horror from the 80s was better than this nonsensical story. Sure, the technical aspects are pretty solid (cinematography, acting, whatever), but the story itself is so out there it just was not enjoyable on almost any level. The stop motion portions were well done, but the other elements just had me rolling my eyeballs at the pretentiousness and craziness of the whole thing. The music/sound design got on my nerves to the point that it made me angry, and the main character was so off her rocker and poorly written that I stopped caring about whatever was going to happen to her early on. Despite it's slim runtime of only about 90 minutes, it felt too long. Perhaps it Video review to come shortly.

The worst movie I have watched ever. The story is so bad Don't waste your money on it The film is slow in its events, its ideas are bad, and the story is disgusting... I expected it to be horribly terrifying, but it has no connection to horror.

Everyone in the cinema started talking about the amount of regret of going in to watch.

Too bad, don't lose your money by entering the movie at all. I was excited about it, especially because it reminded me of old horror stories we used to hear... but the way of acting and the story is disgusting, and its ending is also stupid.

This is my recommendation.

The only thing that attracted me to this initially was it being the feature length debut of the Director (Rob Morgan) of one of the best segments, IMO, from 2014's ABC's of Death Vol II (D is for Deloused). Where in less than 5 minutes he created an unsettling, skin crawling atmosphere with just enough ambiguity to let the imagination connect a few dots.

Unfortunately Stopmotion fails to recreate any of the same highlights and is one of the most tiresome watches Ive had this year to date.

Theres barely a plot to talk about past a paragraph summary, which others have surely outlined, so I wont waste more of you time.

There is nothing in the way of meaningful dialogue or character development, even though there is only 1 main character and barely a handful of supporting roles. The writing is thin at best meaning the viewer has to try and work out what the h ell is going on. And not in a smart way that better films let the viewer figure things out.

The actual stop motion segments lose their novelty just as quickly as there is no real threat or logic behind anything that is going on and so we have no real sense of peril or empathy for our character as we simply have no idea what it is that she is going through.

In the end I spent more time thinking about the ABC segment than I did about whatever it was that was on screen in front of me.

This is a battle to stick with and in the end not worth your time.

3/10.

I can imagine that creating a stop motion animation is a very slow and tedious process, but an ultimately rewarding one. I wish the same could be said of this film, which is certainly slow and tedious, but doesn't satisfy as a whole.

Aisling Franciosi plays Ella, daughter of famous animator Suzanne Blake (Stella Gonet); together, they are attempting to complete a stop-motion movie, but the project comes to a halt when Suzanne suffers a stroke. Compelled to complete her overbearing mother's film, Ella hides herself away in a vacant tower block and sets to work, but eventually decides to make her own movie. Struggling for inspiration, Ella takes advice from a young girl (Caoilinn Springall) who plays in the building, and together they create the bizarre story of a young girl terrorised by a figure called The Ash Man. However, as time goes by, Ella loses her grip on reality...

Roman Polanski did the whole 'psychotic breakdown' thing so much better nearly sixty years ago with Repulsion; Stopmotion's director, Robert Morgan, does nothing new with the idea, making his film a rather redundant exercise. The freaky animation lends a certain sense of style to proceedings, but Ella's gradual decline is predictable and, for the most part, told in a lethargic, uninteresting fashion. The final act picks up the pace a tad and throws in a smidge of gore, but this only serves to emphasise just how deathly dull the rest of the film is.