Title: Stopmotion
MPA Rating: R
Director: Robert Morgan
Starring: Aisling Franciosi, Stella Gonet, Tom York, Caoilinn Springall
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins

What It Is: Ella (Franciosi) is a stop-motion animator and protégé to her prolific and controlling mother (Gonet), who is suffering from a debilitating illness that prevents her from animating her own films. Her mother directs Ella on how and what to animate, but when one day she has a stroke and falls into a coma, Ella finds she is suddenly now free to create her own picture. The young woman, not used to expressing her own artistic will, now must face obstacles both professionally and spiritually in order to produce something that is purely of her own creation.

What We Think: If you know me, know our sight, and/or listen to our podcast, you know that I will not ever shut up about one of my all-time favorite animators, if not my absolute favorite: THE Robert-fucking-Morgan, a filmmaker of whom I’ve admired since I was in high school. If you happen to be unfamiliar with his work but you enjoy anything artistic, strange, and straight-up horrifying, then you’re in for the ride of your life in his filmography, and its a joy to trudge through his showcase of uncanny animations, whether chronologically (which I recommend) or not. I’ve loved being a longtime fan of Morgan’s as a horror, shorts, and animation fan, as even in the Youtube era of Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared, Salad Fingers, and other culturally impactful viral horrors, his work continues to stand out as something very, very different and with allowance for deeper, more expressive interpretation–that’s at least my experience every time I (re)watch any of his films. His works are discomforting yet alluring, with a unique design and method of animation, camerawork, an editing that allows his small subjects both an uncanniness and sentience that never fails to make me gawk with admiration. This filmmaker is not only impressive on a technical level, but he also creates amazing narratives that are never quite straightforward, in playing with story structure, whether its a sort of dark fairytale or folklore like this film or The Cat With Hands, or something more epic and dangerous like Tomorrow I Will Be Dirt and Bobby Yeah. Across the board, his films are rooted in psychological horror and emotional storytelling, which, with the haunting, visceral visuals that don’t skimp on bodily fluids and nightmarish creatures, makes all the more of an impact on a viewer’s psyche. I’ve seen all of his films several times (at least the ones available on his website, Youtube, and of course on ABCs of Death 2) and have found him so valuable and kindred as an artist. He wears his own inspirations and loves on his sleeve as well, associated with films such as Basketcase or Schramm, both of which if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have seen and also come to enjoy.

So of course, it was no surprise that I absolutely ate this film up. I comfort-watch a lot of his films, so getting an entire feature that is unadulterated Morgan is a dream come true. And it is truly, purely him and his voice. It’s fascinating now to have a film that features more than just his puppets, although that would have been just as well, but also involves a wonderful array of actors in order to portray a narrative that is obviously very close to him and his feelings and experiences as a stop-motion filmmaker, but of course, what is expressed is also meant to do so on behalf of anyone who’s ever felt the damning anxiety and pleasure of being an artist. I related to it, not so much on a morose level as gothic and Poe-ish as the story is, but as a cautionary tale, dark satire of what one sacrifices as an artist, but also in an honest celebration of the work that comes out of the struggle, in spite of the toll it takes on the creator. Not to mention, it’s sort of refreshing to see Morgan’s hyper-creative visual style married to what is a mostly live-action film, but still maintaining his creative use of camera movement and focus to simulate disorientation and psychosis, as well as sound design that makes you feel like you’re literally inside of the protagonist’s head, losing her grip on reality as the work takes over her identity. And, as always, the stop-motion scenes are top-notch (I’m running out of words of praise) as always.

Our Grade: A+, A gripping gothic fable of an artist’s journey that will consume, delight, and disturb, I would consider this to be required viewing for any horror fan and artists alike. Stopmotion is supported not only by Morgan’s experience as a psychological horror master and stop-motion guru, but also by an amazing filmmaking team and powerhouse casting in which lead Franciosi kills it as a troubled artist spiraling as she tries to find her voice. I always find Morgan’s work to be deeply personal, entertaining, gross-out eye candy that releases something darkly satisfying that’s difficult to find anywhere else, especially on this skill level, and this feature is no different. Be sure to catch this beautiful arthouse flick on Shudder, and select theaters.