Day 117

CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE

Make your own festive cards

I finished making the origami Santas, and stuck them to cards I'd decorated with Christmas washi tape.

Do a good deed for a stranger

I took the socks I'd filled to the collection point. The lady there seemed very pleased, so I hope they go to someone who really needs it.

Take part in 'Whamageddon'

Day 2 and I'm still safe!

FILM CRITIC

02 - AN ANIMATION

THE HOUSE

While browsing Netlflix (looking for a Christmas film to watch) I noticed The House and the list of amazing (voice) actors - Jarvis Cocker, Helena Bonham Carter, Mark Heap, Paul Kaye - so I thought this was worth watching.

It is a stop motion animation film, and the characters look like they've been made out of felt and fur. The film is made up of three stories, all set in different worlds but inside the same house. And it is weird!

The first story is about a family who are offered the opportunity to move from their humble home into a purpose built mansion. The parents jump at the chance, but Mable isn't too sure. She wants to stay in her family home with all the treasures she holds dear. When they move into the house, Mabel notices strange things happening and wants to leave, but the house seems like a maze with no way of escape.

Jarvis Cocker voices the character of a house developer who is also a rat. To save money, he renovates the house himself, but discovers that he has a beetle infestation. He tries to get rid of them, but nothing seems to work. On the day that he opens the house to potential buyers, two rats decide that it's already their house, and move in to the show room. They refuse to leave, so he tries to get rid of them, but his plan backfires and he ends up in hospital. 

And finally, in a post-apocalyptic world, Rosa, an anthropomorphic cat, lives in a house surrounded by water. As the landlord, she tries and fails to get monetary rent from her tenants. When Cosmos turns up, he is tasked with working on and improving the house, but ends up ripping up floorboards in order to make a boat.

All three stories are weird and dark and interesting and disturbing, but I enjoyed them. The simplicity of the animated characters adds to the disturbing nature of the stories. And although this is an animation, and has a 12 rating, I feel this is aimed mainly at adults as this was scary in parts and some of the imagery is still floating around in my head.

And as the credits scroll, Jarvis Cocker sings a haunting song about The House, saying that a house is nothing but a collection of bricks. The song is great, but I think I would disagree.

GOOD HABITS

Mail.

Teeth.

Laundry.