New York premiere

Mommy issues are only the beginning of the darkness plaguing Ella Blake (Aisling Franciosi), a stop-motion animator whose desire to make something truly special has her on the edge of sanity. When the right idea finally strikes, though, it sets off a chain of psychologically disturbed and homicidal events that she can’t stop.

Blending haunting stop-motion animation with excellent character work, acclaimed short film veteran Robert Morgan graduates to features in grand fashion with this bleak and powerful horror debut. —Matt Barone