30 Animated Movies That Are Not for Children

During lockdown, Emma de Swaef, Marc James Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, and Paloma Baeza came together to direct The House, a stop-motion animation anthology film that looks like Wes Anderson and is packed with anthropomorphised animals, but has a sinister horror underpinning that would send Fantastic Mr. Fox to the hospital.

Each of the movie’s three segments possesses its own unique style, moving from the story of an Edwardian family haunted by their fancy modern home, to a rat property developer (literally) who is besieged by an infestation of bugs, and into the post-apocalyptic tale of a family of cats moving out of their homes in response to an ever-rising, Noah-like flood.

Despite being made from felt, fur, wool, and dollhouse parts, and featuring surreal characters, creations, and scenarios, each narrative feels authentic and lived-in, making the horror all the more real. The House has its roots in gothic horror, absurdism (especially Kafka), and body horror, and is not afraid to wear its influences on its sleeve. But it will take a well-watched set of eyes to spot and connect with them all.