Paranoland is a profound film about fear and social paranoia. It's populated by characters who look not quite human, doing things that are all too human.

A loner named Victor moves to the countryside to escape the insanity of big-city life. There, he's confronted with unfriendly neighbors, who kidnap his dog (before doing much worse). Victor grows isolated, invests in a home security system, and is soon suspected in the disappearance of a boy from the neighborhood. Desperate and consumed by hatred, he plots an elaborate revenge.

The animated film has a distinct, stylized look. The daytime scenes show black silhouettes framed against a yellow horizon, while the nighttime scenes show black silhouettes framed against a blue horizon. The people look normal from the neck down, but their faces are distorted and monstrous. I love the narration that plays over the film, which has the same God's-eye perspective as Ricky Jay's narrator in Magnolia.

Like that 1999 San Fernando Valley epic, Paranoland's plot serves as a metaphor for the way the modern world works. Patrick Boivin has once again applied his artistry to big ideas. What he's saying here is, "Your paranoia is real, and you helped create it."