Film

The Boxtrolls

Name: The Boxtrolls
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Released: 2014
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Elle Fanning, Dee Bradley Baker, Toni Collette

Action

A stop-motion fantasy about an orphan boy raised by junk-collecting creatures in the sewers beneath a Victorian town. It's whimsical and grotesque in equal measure, with meticulous handmade animation that rewards close watching. For anyone who loves the visual invention of Laika studios and doesn't need their family entertainment sanitized.

TMDb rating

3.4

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love stop-motion crafted with handmade, slightly grubby charm, where the odd textures and clockwork gadgetry are half the pleasure and a gentle, bustling Victorian-flavoured fable feels like a warm bath.

Skip it if you want fast, constant gags or a bright, glossy look, since this one takes its time, leans on quirky lumpy design and plays its jokes more for ingenuity than for big laughs.

What it asks of you: Settle in for about ninety-seven minutes of unhurried, whimsical storytelling, with some creepy villainy and a fair amount of wordless fiddling with odd objects, rewarding patience more than quick attention.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Coraline2009

Another Laika masterpiece: gorgeous stop-motion animation, a genuinely creepy atmosphere, and a girl protagonist who has to outwit a genuine threat. The craftsmanship is stunning and the story has real stakes.

But It's dark enough to unsettle younger children and some adults find it genuinely disturbing rather than fun. The pacing is slow by modern standards.

ParaNorman2012

Laika again, but this time with heart underneath the gothic comedy. A bullied boy sees dead people and has to save his town from a curse. Beautiful animation, clever jokes for adults, genuine emotional weight.

But The tonal shifts between comedy and genuine poignancy don't always land smoothly. Some jokes feel dated now.

Kubo and the Two Strings2016

Laika's most visually ambitious film. A boy on a quest with two companions, stop-motion that moves like silk, and a story about memory and loss. Genuinely moving without being saccharine.

But It's more serious and less funny than Boxtrolls. Some find it overwrought, and the middle section drags a little.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Boxtrolls

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The NeverEnding Story1984

Both are about children discovering an entire civilization hidden beneath the mundane world, and both use practical craft to make that world tangible rather than slick.

A boy reading a magical book gets pulled into the story itself. Practical effects and puppetry that still look more real than modern CGI, with a genuine sense of a world lived-in and dangerous. It's about the power of imagination and it means it.

But The pacing is sluggish by today's standards. The child actor is stiff and the dialogue can be wooden. It's visibly a film from 1984 and some find that unbearable.

The Nightmare Before Christmas1993

Tim Burton's stop-motion fever dream about a skeletal pumpkin king who discovers Christmas. Visually inventive, darkly funny, full of songs that stick in your head. Pure Halloween-Christmas hybrid joy.

But It's more Burton than story—the plot is thin and the tone wavers between cute and morbid. Some people find it deliberately annoying.

Frankenweenie2012

A stop-motion short where a boy revives his dead dog using science. Sincere, funny, beautifully crafted, and genuinely touching. It's only 29 minutes but it's got more heart than films twice its length.

But It's very short and very weird. The joke is essentially 'what if Frankenstein but with a dog,' and once you get it, you get it.

The Tale of Despereaux2008

A small mouse in love with a princess sets off a chain of adventures. Gorgeous hand-drawn animation, a British narrator, and genuine charm. It's sincere without being syrupy.

But The story meanders and never quite builds momentum. Some characters fade away without resolution. It feels slightly unfinished.

Missing Link2019

Laika's funniest film. A bigfoot and an adventurer go on a buddy-comedy road trip around the world. Stop-motion animation that's fluid and expressive, with genuine laugh-out-loud moments.

But The plot is thin and episodic. It coasts on charm and visual gags, which is enough for some and not enough for others.

Anomalisa2015

A stop-motion film about loneliness and disconnection, made for adults. It's strange and intimate and deeply sad. If you want to see what animation can do emotionally, this is it.

But It's bleak and sexual and deliberately uncomfortable. The repetitive voice acting will either fascinate or alienate you. Not a comfort watch.

Isle of Dogs2018

Wes Anderson's stop-motion love letter to dogs, Tokyo, and strange formal compositions. It's idiosyncratic and beautiful, with excellent voice acting and genuine emotional payoff.

But The plot is slight and the Anderson aesthetic is so specific that if you don't like it, the whole film feels affected. Some find it too precious.

Labyrinth1986

Like Boxtrolls, it's a story about entering a bizarre underworld ruled by creatures with their own logic and culture, told through meticulous practical design rather than CGI.

A girl enters an M.C. Escher-like maze ruled by a goblin king (David Bowie) to rescue her baby brother. Practical puppetry and sets that are absolutely gorgeous. It's weird and theatrical and completely committed to its own strangeness.

But The plot is thin and mostly an excuse for visuals. The acting is intentionally theatrical which modern audiences find mannered. It's deeply strange in ways some find indulgent.