Almost there! Only one more day of horror left. But, don’t be so quick to run from our pick for Night 12 of 13 Nights of Halloween horror, Hereditary (2018). Or… actually, maybe do run. This one is truly scary.
Annie, miniatures artist and mother of two (Peter and Charlie), loses her mother, Ellen, at the beginning of this film. Ellen is someone she doesn’t have much of a relationship with, but her daughter Charlie really grew close to. So, of course, it only makes sense that the family pulls together to help Charlie through her grief. Even if that means Peter has to bring his… weird little sister along to a party. Where maybe it would be important for the people to know she has a severe nut allergy. Or maybe we can all just ignore what happens next.
Ari Astor is a true master of the mid-movie impact scare. It’s not a jump, per se, even if it is shocking, because he really leans into the horror of it. There are things so haunting in those few minutes, I see and hear them even now, and I haven’t properly watched this film this Halloween season. It just sticks with you.
Toni Collette won several awards for her portrayal of Annie in this movie, and they are well deserved. She captures grief, horror, and the uncanny and upsetting in a visceral way. I have a bias against a lot of mainstream horror for leaning too heavily into metaphor, but I think Hereditary is exactly what is says it is. A family drama with a haunting secret at its heart.
Hereditary is available for members of the American University community to borrow on DVD from Bender Library.
Come back tomorrow to see our final pick for the 13 Nights of Halloween Horror.