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Hey all! Recently I went to catch Midsommar in theaters, and let me tell you: that was some wild stuff. I was sold on seeing this movie the moment I saw articles surfacing that Hereditary director Ari Aster had a follow-up planned. I'm still not over Hereditary and I don't know if I will be. It's bold, harsh, and tense, and I love it. Midsommar gives us similar elements, served on a very different plate.
But would a horror or suspense film be complete without one? Mostly, it's Aster's depiction of grief in this film that I am impressed by. The depictions in Hereditary are drawn from similar traumas (which may or may not have been intentional?), but they're drawn out by very different means. No demons haunt us in Midsommar; not literal ones, at least. Dani is doing her best to move past her grief and use this trip to Sweden as a way to enjoy herself and get away from everything that reminds her of what happened. But it slowly becomes harder than she expected.
The music is another thing I loved about this film. Like that in The Witch, this score consisted of ritualistic chants and string-fueled orchestras. I thought that was haunting in itself, instilling dread in the audience early on. And accompanied with the visuals, where we do see folks playing music in the fields and dancing merrily, just the thought that danger lies in plain sight makes it all the more effective. What it might suffer from to some is originality; we've seen films about cults and rituals in far-off villages. We've seen questionable practices amongst off-the-grid groups on-screen (The Wicker Man, Cannibal Holocaust, The Green Inferno, The Ritual, etc.). But Aster's attention to detail and incorporation of lore and excellent, memorable visuals set this film apart from the others. Can you say: Bear in a Cage? I really enjoyed Midsommar. I wouldn't say it's better than Hereditary, but it's strange, it's brutal at times, and it's definitely in-your-face, for reasons I won't disclose due to spoilers. All I'll say is: body diversity! Inclusion! But through its violence and thick tension, it has some strangely uplifting moments that leave you thinking after the credits roll. I'm looking forward to seeing more from Ari Aster. I think he's proving himself to be one of the finest directors of recent years. Did you see Midsommar? What did you think? Let me know in the comments! - Ryan Buy Haunt here. Preview my books here. Find me on social here.
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Hey All! After being away for travel reasons, I'm back! Hope you didn't miss me too much. And I'm sure that in the meantime, you all curled up with your copies of Haunt to hold yourselves over. I finally got my blu-ray copy of Never Hike Alone: A Friday the 13th Fan Film after donating to Womp Stomp Films' campaign to fund their fan packages for the film. I'd heard nothing but great things about their fan film, and while it is available to watch for free on YouTube, I waited until my physical copy came in, because, why would I make things simple for myself? Check out my review of Never Hike Alone below!
all the obvious signs of danger that throw themselves his way. But his background as an experienced hiker lends to his survival skills, as well as his responsiveness to scary situations. I thought that was perfect writing for a character with limited story. That's not to say that there are no cheesy moments; we often see him trip over things, and some of the interactions between him and the looming Jason Voorhees get pretty... campy (I'm so sorry, but that needed to be said).
Now, Never Hike Alone is a simple movie. It's short, sweet, and gets to the point. It isn't a full-length feature film, after all. But everything it packs within its short 54 min runtime is everything one could hope for in a fan film. And it's clear that those behind the scenes are dedicated Friday the 13th fans. I'm glad a film like this has gained the traction that it has, and it only makes me more excited to check out the fan projects that follow in its footsteps. It's certainly better than a number of films from the original franchise! Never Hike Alone is fun, intense, and refreshing. It's certainly worth a watch. Have you seen Never Hike Alone? What did you think? What are some other horror fan films that I should check out? Leave a comment below. Let's discuss! - Ryan Buy Haunt here. Preview my books here. Find me on social here. |
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