The invaluable gift of animation is the ability to create limitless worlds and breathe life into weirdly shaped characters. It is escapism at its finest and with great stories in tow, the medium has the ability to provoke and create a lasting cultural impact. Laika Studios feels like a revolutionary force because in a world full of CGI landscapes, few are choosing to do anything interesting. The painstaking dedication to stop motion not only means that they will stand out, but that they have to pack a punch on each outing to compensate for long intervals between films. With their latest film, The Boxtrolls, they continue to expand on the potential of animation with one of their most fluid and ambitious films yet. While not entirely as pleasing as their previous output, it reflects a continuing need for animation to be as exciting as it once was.
