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Hereditary


Hereditary (2018)
(83%)

Director: Ari Aster
Writer: Ari Aster
Stars: Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne
Production Company: PalmStar Media

Hereditary isn't your run-of-the-mill horror movie. It doesn't rely on jump scares at all, and actually the first half (maybe even closer to two-thirds) of the film plays out more as a drama film than a horror film. The horror aspect slowly builds, and builds, and builds, and then it's released in a way similar to how a thriller would release all of the suspense that has been built up over time. This film invokes a feeling of eeriness. I never found myself to be scared or ready to jump out of my seat, instead I found myself feeling creeped out at times. And, honestly, I much prefer it that way. The story is enthralling in a way that I didn't expect. As you might expect, it is very family centric. It's a slow burn, but I felt an urgency to find out all of the answers and as a result it seemed like the first 100 minutes of this film flew by. And the last 25 minutes or so, my goodness...they were exactly what I was hoping for.

Overall: Hereditary is a great arthouse horror film. Don't go into it expecting to be scared to death, but be prepared to feel a little creeped out.