A Spooky Stop Motion with Enchanting Creatures and Macabre Stories

What:

If you like stop-motion movies like Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas, you are sure to love Los Sustos Ocultos de Frankelda, an absolute gem of a horror mini-series from Mexico.

Each episode story features children encountering supernatural entities known as the “Spooks,” creatures who require human fear to survive.

Our show is hosted by the titular Frankelda, a floating blue ghost and author of our stories. Both she and her monstrous talking book Herneval (which contains Frankelda’s stories) live trapped in a decrepit house with a mysterious looming overlord.

Each of Frankelda’s tales centers on a desperate child experiencing trouble such as body insecurity, strict parents, and even bullying by their peers. Much like the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales, all five stories feature an unsettling, unhappy ending with an important moral lesson. And they all come with a catchy song by the spooky monster.

Why:

This show is such a cool, unique project. It’s beautifully made with impressive designs. Plus, the stories are very original.

Throughout the series, we are always wondering just how Frankelda and Herneval ended up trapped in this monstrous house. We finally get our answer in the fifth episode, the origin story of Frankelda and Herneval, making a satisfying end to this short mini-series.

Overall, this is an excellent show for an intermediate learner. You can easily watch it in one sitting. I highly recommend you make this your next watch.

How:

Los Sustos Ocultos de Frankelda has one season with 5 episodes (15 minutes each) available via Max from the United States.

Soy Frankelda (2025) is a movie adaptation on Netflix by the show creators, which shows more of Frankelda’s personal story. Reviewers laud its visual achievements but complain the plot of the film is rather clunky, so watch with this expectation in mind.