B

Ari Aster continues to surprise me with his deep, enigmatic and always strangely ritualistic stories. Hereditary, like it’s name suggests, is a film concerned with family and the passing of spirit. And although on paper that doesn’t sound like an interesting premise for a horror film, the strong narrative and talented cast prove that line of thought to be all too untrue. Especially Alex Wolff who is the understated star of the show. Halloween-esque camera framing and Ari Aster’s disturbingly dark and twisted mind make for a less than enjoyable (be it intended) experience. And that is where Hereditary shines, it’s difficult to sit through, it makes you squirm, it’s not a pleasant watch by any means. This carries over into Midsommar, which is less scary but as equally disturbing. I do wish there was some guilty exposition in the end as it was just a tad bit too ambiguous for my liking, it’s got Villeneuve written all over it.