Memoir of a Snail: Adam Elliot’s almost Dickensian animation follows the narrative of a girl’s life, as she goes from one heartbreak to the next, since the day she was born; it is a bittersweet film, but the emphasis is heavily on the bitter. It’s also a good reminder that animation for adults exists. The animation, in stop motion, is interesting, almost unique: its colour palette veers towards brown, and some character design is lovely bizarre, making it all weirdly attractive and fitting to the dark themes. The protagonist’s life is filled with hard knocks, but she remains a sympathetic presence; the voice work of Sarah Snook is effective. Kodi Smit-McPhee also plays her equally bizarre and melancholic brother effectively. Jacki Weaver, as an elderly friend of the protagonist, is both funny and emotional. The musical score, by composer Elena Kats-Chernin, is quite beautiful.