The House (TV special)

The House is a 2022 adult animated dark comedy anthology film created by Nexus Studios for Netflix. It is composed of three distinct segments, each directed by a different stop-motion animation director and featuring original music. The common thread linking the segments is a house that exists across different eras and realities, and the various characters who inhabit it.

Each segment tells a separate story, exploring themes of ambition, disappointment, escapism, and the pursuit of happiness, often with a surreal and unsettling tone. The segments are typically described as:

• Segment 1: Directed by Emma de Swaef and Marc James Roels. Focuses on a poor family in the 19th century who are promised a new life in a grand house by a mysterious architect.

• Segment 2: Directed by Niki Lindroth von Bahr. Features an anthropomorphic rat working as a property developer, struggling to sell a rundown house.

• Segment 3: Directed by Paloma Baeza. Depicts an anthropomorphic cat landlord trying to keep his communal house afloat during a catastrophic flood.

The House received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its unique animation style, dark humor, and thought-provoking themes. The film's anthology format allowed for a diverse range of storytelling and visual styles, contributing to its overall originality and impact.