A Lynchian Descent in the Alps
If you've ever wondered what The Shining would look like if it were directed by David Lynch and set in a modern Swiss chalet, Animals (2017) is your answer. Director Greg Zglinski takes a familiar setup—a couple heading to a remote location to work on their marriage and their careers—and systematically dismantles every narrative expectation you have.
The film starts with a car accident involving a sheep, an event that serves as the 'through the looking glass' moment for Nick and Anna. From there, the movie bifurcates. We follow their life in Switzerland, but we also check back in on their apartment in Vienna, where a neighbor named Mischa is looking after things. Or is she? The boundaries between these locations, and between reality and hallucination, begin to blur almost immediately.
For parents, the 'watch-out' here isn't about gore or traditional horror tropes. It’s about the heavy atmosphere of domestic dread. The film explores the way a secret—like Nick’s suspected affair—can act as a poison that eventually makes the world around you unrecognizable.
It’s a German-language film, so you’ll be dealing with subtitles, but the visual storytelling is so strong that you won’t mind. Just don't go in expecting a clean resolution. Animals is more interested in the feeling of being lost in your own head than in giving you a tidy ending. Save this for a night when the kids are firmly in bed and you’re in the mood for something that will keep you talking long after the credits roll.
