Wow... I service 3 of these cars: our '13 GS, my grand niece's '17 Corolla and a neighbor's '11 Camry 4 banger. Never had a problem removing the housing. Of course, the GS has the metal housing; the others are composite.Yes I just hate the cartridge filters in general. I wish Toyota had simplified it like other manufacturers and made it have a nut on the top where you just put a socket on. I am the only one who has touched it. I think where they are constantly hot and cold hot and cold it seals them up pretty well making them really tight. I never over tighten them. Just go until the ratchet stops then I make sure it’s mating surface is touching and let it be. You just don’t ever want to take one off hot then it’s almost guaranteed it will crack.
But yeah, the filter housing style has been a bummer since day one. Have you ever changed the oil filter a 1967 or older Chevy engine? Millions of those engines were changed over. I worked at a local Mobil Station in high school and serviced a ton of these. Loved doing the Vettes...