Midsommar (2019)

Ari Aster has described Midsommar, more than once, as a breakup drama first and an "adult fairy tale" second. Anyone who has seen Hereditary already knows what he's talking about. Hereditary was clearly a movie about family tragedy first and witchcraft second. But Ari Aster knows what he's doing, he's referred to Midsommar before as a companion piece to Hereditary. And the similarities are subtly hidden behind a vastly different visual experience. Midsommar wasn't really intended to be a horror movie like Hereditary was. Midsommar is a very powerful film. Ari may not consider it a horror, but it invokes all the feelings that horror movies are supposed to. I've seen countless horror movies and am so desensitized that I now only very rarely feel fear, anguish or shock. Midsommar made me feel all that and more, much of it I didn't even want! Ari just pushed it all on me. There were so many frustrating moments, difficult characters, awkward conversations, loads of grief, and the movie nails it all. It wants to make you squirm for 2 1/2 hours and holy hell does it accomplish that. I was honestly not prepared for some of the things this movie splashed up on the screen.