Spoiler Alert!
I'm just going to come out and say it: when it comes to horror movies, I'm a little fruit. It's not just that they scare me at the moment, it's the lingering feeling afterward. Reminiscent of the funky aftertaste of a diet Coke (a bit more sinister, of course). Despite this, I find the horror genre to the most interesting in terms of plot.
Think about it, what makes things creepy? Absence of comprehension. If you tell the audience too much too quickly you lose tension and if you leave too much up to interpretation, you risk pissing them off. In recent years, both the horror and comedy genres have been buried. Riddled with either terrible plots, sub-par performances or heavy reliance on gimmicks. Horror like comedy relies on the element of surprise. Nothing is really funny when you are expecting it and neither is something scary. So, when you find a good horror or comedy movie, first be sure to tell all your friends and second feel blessed. I saw a pretty great horror movie last weekend and I may be a little late but I suppose that runs in the family.
Heredity was written and directed by Ari Aster and I haven't seen any of his previous works but this movie has motivated me to do so. It's funny to me that it came out in what Red Letter Media likes to call "F*ck you, it's January" as most movies infamously blow during the month of my birth, unfortunately. I did not see this film in theaters but I wish I did. It's not another in your face jump scare-fest. The movie understands the value of pacing and slower payoffs. Not to mention, I imagine most people are going to want to re-watch this as the foreshadowing can easily go over your head if you aren't paying close attention.
I love the sense of doubt the movie during the seance scene with Joan; I wasn't sure if the ghost was going to harm them or if Joan was just plain insane. Then, the shot of the pole when Charlie and Peter are on their way to the party. I could have never predicted how it would be involved in Charlie's death and it's shown just long enough that I remember it but quick enough that I didn't think about it on the way back. Even Gabriel's death as the audience expects Annie to burn based on the information we are shown prior. The whole cast did a terrific job and Charlie's actress was particularly perfect for her part. There were complaints surrounding Peter's crying but some people honestly have that "ugly" cry. If the movie is a sundae, the ending is the cherry on top. We see that not only was Joan part of the cult but so is one of Peter's teachers among many others. King Paimon is revived but it's as if he is a newborn himself looking a bit confused as to how he got there and why people are bowing to him.
You can look at this film as a well-executed horror movie or you can see it as a family's struggle with mental illness. Peter showing signs of Schizophrenia and Annie suffering from DID similar to her mother. I use to date a girl with a family history of serious mental illnesses. She often contemplated whether or not she should have children and I can understand the hesitation similar to how Annie wanted to abort Peter. Not due to her disdain of his existence but to protect him from the "misfortune" of carrying her bloodline.
Horror may not exactly be making a comeback anytime soon but it sure is nice to find a golden nugget amongst a sea of excrement.
TL:DR: if you're bored staring at the wall or scrolling through Instagram think about giving this movie a watch. It's worth your time.
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