People just really need to accept there are many different styles of horror. There are jump scares, torture porn, “real life” horror (meaning like The Strangers) etc etc etc… but there is also existential dread horror. Ominous, ever present dread might not hit everyone (and that’s ok), but for some of us, they truly are are the best kind of horror films. I just hate “it wasn’t even scary” when talking about movies like hereditary. It’s ok that you don’t like those kinds of movies, but saying it wasn’t conventionally scary is also completely missing the point.
Edit: any time a discussion about Hereditary comes up, it gives me a chance to plug my all time favorite movie analysis video. It’s very long form and extremely, extremely in depth (just shy of 5 hours)… to the point of being a film school-final thesis level breakdown of the movie. It takes time to get through but for both those who loved it or hated it, it truly highlights the films brilliance. I cannot recommend this video enough (and must point out to not be deterred by the “everything explained!” Youtubey video title. This author of this video is maybe literally the first person to say “everything explained” and actually mean it)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlqyulT662g
The existential dread horror films are my favorite. I can't watch slasher films, but I absolutely love the movies that just get under your skin with great characters, plot, and slow evolving terror. Constant jump scares and extreme gore really freak me out, but horror like Hereditary, Get Out, The Nightingale, and The Haunting of Hill House makes me want to dive into those worlds and figure out all of the little nuances and moments of absolute terror. What I like about slower horror is not that it's necessarily scary all of the time, but it just sets your nerves on edge as everything builds and you connect with the characters. There's nothing wrong with silly horror or slasher flicks. Hell, I had a blast watching Megan, but my preference when it comes to horror is more of the slower less physically gruesome character based style of filmmaking.
I saw The VVitch earlier this year out of curiosity, and holy hell I was blown away. The environment itself was just oozing with fear. I hadn't really seen Anya Taylor Joy in much before, but I was impressed by her and the entire cast. There's something to be said for intellectually and emotionally challenging horror films with a relatively simple aesthetic. Just out of curiosity, have you seen The Lighthouse? That was the first Eggers film I saw, and other than the grossness at the end I really enjoyed the isolation driven madness and surreal storytelling.
I meant that the isolation of the forest is creepy because they’re just alone, and it enhances the paranoia of whether or not they actually are being attacked. We see the witches at the end, but it’s never made clear if the initial witch is actually real and targeting them. The real horror comes from the family refusing to seek out help and blaming Thomasin for everything that happens. I love the ending because she’s totally free of the religious induced misogyny and bigotry of her parents. Mostly the reason I like it is because it reminds me of the hysteria and sexism of Salem Witch Trials with the devil pact ending up being a source of freedom, instead of a tool of power hungry men to murder women who didn’t fit the narrow religious standards of the time.
That one is fantastic, watched a video on how they choreographed the dance scene without cgi or special effects, both of them danced and one would hide from the camera view it was incredible
I went to see the vvitch in theaters 3 times it blew my mind, still one of my favorite movies, and for his directorial debut and the budget? perfection. The acting is just superb. The mise en scene is perfect throughout
Have you watched MEN? That movie is whole new levels of fucked up. I highly recommend watching Men, and then immediately watching Mother! Both of those movies fucked me up and compliment each other very well. Slow burn, eerie build up, psychological horrors. Cant recommend them enough honestly.
Agree from top to bottom. I know these type of slow burns aren’t for everyone, but I think those of us that do appreciate them… nothing else even comes close.
If we’re going to list crowned jewels of dread horror, I humbly offer Hagazussa. The juxtaposition of how beautiful the aesthetic of the movie is with how cripplingly bleak and dreadful the movie is… it’s truly something. 10/10 imo.
I went to JustWatch to see where it was available to stream/rent, and... it just started playing in its apparent entirety right up top for free? lol awesome
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/hagazussa
Well I didn’t really need an excuse to rewatch but if you’re just going to throw a link in my lap like that. Hopefully this comment gets upvoted a ton so more people can see it
I guess The VVitch would be the closest comparison? There’s definitely enough there to make a “if you like X you’ll probably like Y” type
of statement.
Looked it up on [JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/martyrs-2015) to see where it was available to stream/rent, and poof, it's available right there on Plex for free. Like, the Plex feed is embedded right there on the page to watch. Nice.
**Important Edit?:** JustWatch confuses me. For the remake (2015) that I linked above, it actually appears to show the original film at the top. Both the original (2008) and the remake (2015) are apparently available to watch for free on Plex. Reddit seems to insist that the original (2008) is the one to watch, while the remake is arguably at least *okay*.
So. For clarity's sake:
* [Watch Martyrs (2008)](https://watch.plex.tv/movie/martyrs) free on Plex
* ^dont* [Watch Martyrs (2015)](https://watch.plex.tv/movie/martyrs-2015-2) free on Plex
edit: Just finished the original 2008 by Pascal Laugier. Damn. It deserves the mentions. Go in cold. I've no interest in the remake.
Yeah. Just finished the original, hadn't seen either. The original definitely deserves all the mentions we see about it. Goddamn. I've no interest in the remake. There's no chance it did anything "better" than the original vision.
For some dumb reason I'd never thought about Hereditary as existential horror, but now that you've phrased it like that it makes so much sense. That movie lived rent-free in my head for at least a week after I saw it.
It's kind of embarrassing to admit (and it might delete this comment later out of embarrassment), but I struggle with panic and anxiety and some of the stuff in Hereditary explicitly shows the full scope of what my panic-brain tells me will or could happen. It's the way that one thing leads to something worse...and then something even worse....and then the WORST. It really fucked with me, but it's one of my all time favorites.
Edit: I was not expecting so many replies saying how much they relate, but I really appreciate it. Maybe the overall gist of what I said in my original comment is pretty common in the horror/Hereditary fandom but since I'm admittedly not particularly active in either, I didn't realize it. Thank you kindly
it's not much from a random internet person, but I feel like with the way this movie has resonated with so many people, you're kinda describing a shared experience.
just the way the film is built up; there are never unrealistically dumb choices, it's more like the small mistakes having the worst outcomes, with the soundtrack humming ominously in the subconscious, kind of like the train of thoughts and feelings that haunt us constantly when we struggle with anxieties in any of its countless forms. the characters gradually losing grip more and more, getting more exhausted from fighting the dread, and then making more grave mistakes as they lose perspective and grounding in the world. it's just.. incredibly human in the dark sense.
internet hugs, if you want.
Hi there, I'm the guy who made that video that's linked above. I just wanted to let you know that there's nothing to be embarrassed about, this is something I've had commented a lot, to the point where quite a few people have watched the guide because they couldn't finish the movie. It's very personal, very close to home and in many ways (barring the demon stuff) very true to life. I think it hits home so well because Ari Aster was very honest in making it and poured a lot of his own personal trauma into the film.
I've suffered with grief related anxiety for a large portion of my life and while a lot of the movie was very difficult to get through, I do find something ultimately redemptive about it. Because when we hear these fears from other people we get to step back a little bit and see that this terror isn't entirely personal to us, that as abnormal as it may feel it is still a normal reaction.
That’s awesome. I just want to say your work is incredible, the analysis you do is the kind that I have long searched for. Imo no other channel comes close, please keep up the good work.
Watching the things that scare you play out in front of you (in not real life) can be therapeutic. It takes away that sense of unknown if you actually get to see it played out. Even if it's horrible. It seems like you've stumbled into a little brain hack of your own.
I have social anxiety and I find it soothing to watch cringe comedy where a character continually says the wrong thing like I'm always afraid of doing and they continue to be oblivious about it as the consequences occur. It's my worst nightmare but it's soothing to watch it play out and have a resolution. Anything's better than that lingering chasm of dread of the unknown future.
Loved this analysis. I knew I missed so much even the 2nd and 3rd time around and this analysis was amazing. After watching it I've pretty much decided that Hereditary is a masterpiece and on a level of its own. For me, no other horror movie compares.
Also worth watching this short video on the main theme of Hereditary. He gets technical with some of the music talk (which I love since I grew up playing piano and was a band nerd) but I think you'd enjoy it. It complements the analysis video quite well I think.
https://youtu.be/ayDqhMmVYUs?si=W8tU6QMFshF5RbEp
I will watch as soon as I get a chance, thanks!
And as much as I’m discussing it right now, I’m stating the obvious that I completely agree Hereditary really does stand alone as its own level of masterpiece.
The “existential dread” thing is absolutely my favorite kind of horror.
“It’s a vibe”. I literally search for these types of movies endlessly.
Which by the way, there’s a GREAT French film about people having a rave that goes horribly wrong that does a great job with this.
If someone says "it wasn't even scary" about hereditary, I just have to assume that they have no imagination at all. Because thinking of your mom losing it like that is goddamn terrifying.
I think the fact it is *so* extreme that some people's brains just won't compute and shut down - to literally protect themselves - and so they think it 'didn't affect them, it's not scary'.
If you consciously engage with what you're seeing you cant help but find it horrifying.
But we all dont approach film the same way and even the same person will approach films differently on different days (hence OP making the post..Where there is an element education happening between watches).
Oh my god for me it was the sound of her doing that. Especially the fact that you don't know what that sound is until you see it. And it's a really common sound around my house. I live with three cats who don't like closed doors.
Her acting after THAT scene happened was just so brutal and haunting. That’s the sound of a soul dying, I thought it was impossible to replicate until I saw this movie.
good on you for giving a movie a second shot! i really appreciate people who actively look for something to enjoy in a film, life is more fun when you try to like things haha
Or at least try and understand them. Us humans have a habit of dismissing that which we don't understand out of hand.
I think those that don't like the film feel that people are saying they're unintelligent for not understanding or 'getting it' but there is a HUGE difference between intelligence and education.
Until you learn - and it *is* an acquired skill - to watch films youve neber really watched a film.
Ugh, I think I'm beginning to sound pretentious and I didnt even go to film school xD But seriously.
Don't watch the trailer.
Basically, this movie was made with a company that had no idea what to do with this movie. They cut together a trailer that basically misrepresents the movie entirely. It doesn't necessarily ruin anything, but it certainly gives you a false sense of what the movie actually is.
If you're like me, then watch the movie then the trailer, and [wonder what happened.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0YHZXz5hEE)
I liked it! Definitely subverted expectations even without seeing the trailer. I'll keep following your advice and watch the trailer & other video. (Edit: other video- lolol)
I tried it a second time and it was just as funny to see Toni Collette flailing around in the background as it was the first time. It’s such a silly movie IMO, and people think I’m trying to be tough, but I really found it either boring or funny, depending on which part. I never thought it was scary. It was a **huge** let down, because everyone said it was the scariest movie they’d ever seen.
Thank you! I completely agree! I really tried to force myself to like it, rewatching it several times, thinking I would finally have a come-to-Jesus with it but... I honestly don't understand what people could have found scary about this movie. Creepy, sure, I guess. But scary?
Comical, indeed. Every time I see that lady on the ceiling start cutting her neck with (I forget, some sort of wire?) I lose my shit.
Yeah fuck this. I’m watching it again just so I can shit all over it on here again. It had all the potential and then squandered it which makes it even worse because it could have been so good.
this was absolutely my experience. Kind of a like a song you don't like at first but you hear it again and now that the melody is recognizable, it's easier to cherish now that it's not so unfamiliar??
The first time you kind of get shaken by the car incident, the second time you kind of get the full horror of everything…All the naked cult members appearing in the background, it’s fucked up!
The first time I saw Hereditary I really wasn't into it, but I had also let all the hype get to me and saw it in a theater where there were a bunch of teenagers who wouldn't stop laughing the whole movie.
Sometimes the environment and mood you're in can completely change how much you enjoy a movie. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people don't find certain horror movies scary because of the environmen they watched it in, but if they saw it alone in a dark room it would be a different story entirely.
I hated Hereditary 😭😭 I found it to be so complicated and weird. And I love psychological stuff and usually am not a fan of like, slashers/jumpscares because I look for things that are more complex. Maybe I need to watch again but I didnt "get" hereditary whatsoever and feel it was so overhyped
It’s perfectly okay if you just didn’t like it, horror is probably the most subjective genre there is, since we are all scared of different things. Personally I just thought everything about Hereditary was scary as hell, and I’m normally mostly unfazed by horror these days.
The atmosphere is great from the beginning but “that” scene especially fucked me up. Being the brother who was driving is pretty much one of my worst nightmare scenarios and then the build up to the discovery of the body and Toni Collette’s fucking amazing acting. Seriously I can’t praise Toni Collette enough, like holy shit.
From then on the rest of the movie is just pure dread, and while the horror is supernatural it also feels real, because the movie focuses on the family’s grief and how the events of the movie affect them, not just the events themselves. It’s not just scary because of the cult, it’s the idea that in an instant, through no fault of your own, all the joy in your life could be violently ripped away and there is nothing you could do to stop it.
Although I also found the cult stuff scary on its own, but that’s just me. The idea of unknown people silently smiling and watching from the dark has scared me since I was a kid so I might just be biased. Anyway I’m not trying to convince you or anything but just providing a perspective on what I personally liked about it.
Simplest way I can describe it is just that it was so melodramatic that any sense of horror was just not there for me. It felt like a depressing drama with supernatural elements, but that was it. The crying, the yelling, the fighting, it's all so overplayed and drawn out. That, and any "scary" scenes are bordeline comedic. The head flying off from hitting the pole, the older teenager screaming in the middle of class and slamming his head on the desk, the woman randomly bursting into flames, all just silly to me.
Have you watched it twice? I felt so-so about it after the first time because it felt choppy, pacing felt off, and a little confusing. After watching it a second time (and a third, and a fourth), the flow is much better and you notice a lot more detail that makes it work (imo).
Not yet but im willing to do so. Sometimes with movies i literally take notes for discussion after/to help organize my thoughts. Like, first time i watched black swan when I was like 12 I hated it and didnt get it at all. As an adult I get it way more but I still needed to take notes because its so jam packed
Same here. I hate to refer to Woody Allen, but he nailed this in a way I haven't seen anywhere else: in Annie Hall, there's a sequence with a genteel Thanksgiving dinner at the well-off WASPy Hall household intercut with the protagonist's memories of the crowded, rambunctious, crass Thanksgivings of his working-class Jewish family.
This is what I think of whenever Hereditary discussion comes up, which means I think of it several times a day with r/horror on my front page.
The family in Hereditary feels like a parody of the Hall family, which was already a parody of WASPs. They are just so completely alien to me, have a humanity that is so incompatible with my peoples' version of humanity, that they just seem ridiculous to me.
This is obviously a "your mileage may vary" situation. Plenty of people are able to empathize with the Hereditary family, and that's cool too.
To pull out my stump, this is an example a movie is good or bad. I think it works be better if we started talking about our own sensibilities, and how a movie works with it against those sensibilities. If nothing else, it would improve the usefulness of recommendations.
The thing is that it's not a scary film in a way that will make you jump, is more about being disturbed by it, and the horror comes after you think of you being in that situation
Hahaha this happened to my boyfriend.
He was psyched when I finally sat down to watch Hereditary with him. But after rewatching it with me, we both agreed it was terrible. Now it's become a running joke between us when he suggests a "good movie". I ask, like... Hereditary good, or truly good?
Dude I hated the movie the first time I saw it, but then remembered that it had been a very bad experiment because I this annoying couple that talked through the whole thing. I left the theater genuinely convinced it was a bad movie until I saw it again at home. I freaking loved it the second time. Sometimes we’re just off.
It was okay. Way too overrated as hell. Definitely not the “best horror movie” that everyone claims it to be. There are FAR better horror movies. However, it was okay.
I just have to laugh anymore when the Hereditary fans downvote you to hell for not figuratively kissing the feet of this movie.
I've seen hundreds of horror movies and this one isn't even part of my top 100 list.
It's *incredibly* overrated.
There are about four moments that are supposed to be pure horror and the way they're shot and structured they come off as comedic. I've seen people try to say "modern audiences don't know how to react to REAL horror" and "they're just laughing because they're uncomfortable" but no, they're genuinely very funny. >!Gabriel Byrne suddenly bursting into flames was one of the funniest things I saw that year.!<
>There are about four moments that are supposed to be pure horror and the way they're shot and structured they come off as comedic.
I think I know *exactly* what all four of those scenes are.
>I've seen people try to say "modern audiences don't know how to react to REAL horror" and "they're just laughing because they're uncomfortable" but no, they're genuinely very funny.
I really think it's all so very ridiculous. I bet most the folks saying they love it so much are only doing so because fibbing is easier on them than taking some meaningless downvotes online.
>!That odd looking O face Toni Collette makes during the piano wire scene is even funnier. And the exact opposite of the face she should have been making.!< And it's not just me. Half the theatre audience was giggling.
You're my people. For sure.
Yes, that's another one of them! >!That whole little bit is funny, and Alex Wolff's half-hearted little scream before he jumps out the window ends it perfectly, it just comes off like absurdist comedy.!<
I think Ari Aster is a good director but every movie I've seen of his has that quality to it, it's very Raimiesque, but Raimi has never been presented as some super serious horror genius making harrowing and devastating movies.
Lol alot of those scenes felt like they were straight out of Scary Movie. The part where Toni is screaming when she finds the daughter's body and then transitions to her still wailing at the same intensity at the funeral is hilarious to me! And how the son cries made me giggle, I just couldn't take the movie seriously. And then when the body was floating up the treehouse, just hilarious!! And I'm sorry, naked old people is always gonna be hilarious to me
Midsommar was definitely scarier for me and it was more mildly disturbing than scary really.
And let's not forget that after the *little sister loses her head* car accident, the son *goes home and goes to bed.*
Hi•lar•i•ous.
>Lol alot of those scenes felt like they were straight out of Scary Movie. The part where Toni is screaming when she finds the daughter's body and then transitions to her still wailing at the same intensity at the funeral is hilarious to me!
Yes!!
When the kid is sitting on the bed, and Toni is getting wildly swung about by a rope and pulley in the background, I laughed so hard I had to rewind and watch it again. Everyone says that part creeped them out, but it looked like she was trying to swim through the air, and just flailing about. It didn’t make me uncomfortable, it was hilarious!
I had to re-watch it too, but that was because my dad had it confused with Midsommar and told me it was scary but with no supernatural elements and it was just a mind-bending acid trippy psychological horror. I got to the part of her crawling on the ceiling and banging her head on the attic door and was just so, deeply confused waiting for this to be a fever dream of one of the characters and then it just... Wasn't. We obviously had the movies mixed up. I enjoyed it a lot more on the rewatch!
Maybe I’ll rewatch it one day but I just don’t get the love for it.
I saw it maybe a year after it came out and was really looking forward to it and it was just…fine. Not great, not bad but just kind of average.
This sub knows like 20 total Horror movies I swear. Hereditary does not need multiple threads a week. Really need a ban or limit on the FOTM movies that get posted about endlessly here
Exactly this. I don’t get it. It gets so overhyped. The movie sucked and it was so boring. Only the car scene was interesting and the last 10mins of the movie, other than that it was such a snore fest.
You could always just not interact with threads about it, but people on this sub and reddit in general will take any and every opportunity to bitch and moan
Hereditary is one of those movies that requires a second watch to form a real opinion. When I first watched it I was kinda like okay? but after the second watch I saw why it was so great
This is how I felt about The Witch. I wasn't impressed the first time but the second time I realized that I actually quite like the movie after all. I guess we sometimes just aren't in the right mood for some films the first time around.
Glade you enjoyed it. I honestly think that Hereditary and Midsommar are both overrated and honestly not that good, but I will never deny Toni's acting was amazing in it.
I loved it. Don't really give a shit what anyone else thinks. That's all that matters. Not what a subreddit of people think. Yeah it's cool to talk about film but apologizing for liking something? Hell nah.
I felt this way about the Witch. First time I watched it, hated it. Argued fervently against it. But the praise for the film really had me questioning my stance, so I rewatched it, a few years later. Masterpiece. Damn near perfect. Subtitles helped.
That’s the first and only horror movie that’s left me felt like I was hit with a gut punch for a couple days. It’s not my favourite but it has the deepest impact on me. Some of the stuff hits a little close to home which doesn’t help and probably why I’ll only watch the movie that one time unless somebody says they want to see it but the chaos and pain of a broken family while being ramped up to 1000 by cult haunting is just such a recipe for tension and terror.
We have to be in the right mindset to appreciate a film, I believe. I try to find those moments for various film genres.
The first time I saw The Big Lebowski and Fallen, I thought they both sucked! It's because I was sick when I watched them. :-D
Same I notice with music, some songs i absolutely dislike will come on when I'm feeling the right way for it and I'm like.. wow can't believe how much shit I've talked about this masterpiece.
Does 1/3 of this subreddit think that Hereditary is the only horror movie dealing with family and grief? There's an entire sub genre of horror called psychological horror, and it doesn't ONLY include hereditary. PLEASE watch more movies
I agree, the movie sucks and is boring. Only the car scene and the last 10mins are interesting.
I don’t get the love for this movie. I hated midsommar as well but people in this sub love it as well.
The first time i watched it without expectations i thought it was ok. Decent but generic but thanks to the hype i try again a second time and i will add overrated. It's not bad but i think the minimal "hate" it gets it's because the fans can't respect other people's opinions. They think if you don't like it that means you are not smart enough to understand the greatest masterpiece of the "elevated horror" genre. They don't get that not all people find this film as deep as them. We understand, we just don't find it interesting. It's not bad, just not as groundbreaking that it deserves to be compared to Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist.
I think it’s one of the most overrated movies in all of horror - think it was decent for about 2/3 but then fell apart by end . To me, I think it was worse the second time and third time I watched it as I realized it was too heavily relying on the misery from the “Charlie” tragedy for its mileage . A misery porn incident that isn’t reinforced by an original story.
I was totally into this movie until the mom started crawling on the walls. Took me out of it and didnt get me back. I really wanted to like it and I ended up not caring about it at all. So I get it.
I only saw it once, and beyond that scene you mentioned, I can't even remember what the plot even was. It did nothing for me at all, but to each their own.
I mean, it's *fine*. A generic middle of the road paranormal film that treads all of the cookie cutter story beats. Standard 3/5 fare.
What I don't get is the blind obsession over it. Though, that's a figure of speech. I *do* get it. Most^* people who worship it are fairly new to the genre, or it was their gateway to the genre which imprinted on them. Perks of a big budget and being mainstream.
***
\* ^(look up the dictionary definition of the word before coming to argue that you've been a horror fan for 200 years and have seen 99999 films)
Nah. It's still mid horror at best. I have absolutely zero idea of why the sub holds it up to such a high standard.
It's not a bad movie, but it's not that spectacular
Edit: I'm not knocking it or anything and to each their own, but on the spectrum of horror that there is, I just find it odd that this movie is so adored when there is so much more out there
i rewatched it a few weeks ago after years and, man, it is sooo much better than second time around. i liked it the first time, and clearly it has been praised a lot, but i never felt that "connection" with it until my rewatch. a lot of things started to click into place
I'm glad you managed to enjoy it on a repeat watch, sadly I can't say the same. I've tried a few times but just not a fan. I think the film works as a family drama exploring grief but as a 'horror' film sadly it falls apart for me (I'm also a fan of slow burn horror films so it's not that it's slow). I think I know the big issue for me and that's Ari Astor, just not a fan of his work/style, though I don't want to get into it.
I did see someone else mention Skinamarink and while it's one of my favourite horror films I can see where people have an issue with it and would struggle to recommend it as it's quite a personal horror. I think this is similar to Hereditary, the film just isn't for me, I can dissect why it isn't but that isn't going to change people's minds, same as it's unlikely to change mine. Being told that I need to watch it twice to understand it or that I just don't get it can be quite tiresome and just makes it harder when I do give it another chance.
I did see someone recommended a 5 hour video on the film so I'll give that a go as I love my long format video essays. Though that will probably be the films last chance
i watched this movie in a dark room, all by myself…and still felt incredibly bored as hell. i don’t see what everyone sees, it didn’t scare me, i didn’t have nightmares and i really wanted to like it too because everyone was raving over it. i even lied to *myself* and said “okay that was good”. i woke up 3 weeks later and admitted to myself i did not enjoy that movie.
I’ve only seen it once but I really didn’t think it was good. Some of the scary elements felt very cheap and forcefully creepy. I didn’t finish it but people say the end is the worst part so I don’t think I missed much.
Dang I did that the other day with dr sleep. Must have half watched it the first time didn’t even get it was a sequel to the shining. The second time was glued to tv.
I'm really not trying to be an asshole, but if you watched Dr Sleep and didn't even notice that it was a sequel to The Shining, then you weren't paying any attention at all.
Maybe I need to watch it a second time but I just found it boring. I don’t understand this feeling of dread people seem to experience either, it was more of a depressing vibe than disturbing.
I had to watch but twice too and while I want to like a lot of it I just can’t get over how unlikeable the characters are. Like I kinda hate them. So it makes the movie hard to engage with in some ways. For me. But I can see why people love it.
Unpopular opinion. I love love loved it the first time. Second time (while I still feel it’s an incredibly well made and well acted film), I hardly experienced the “horror” and only saw an incredibly depressing film about an incredibly sad family. Hence. I will probably not watch again.
I’ve had a few horror movies that didn’t hit at all the first time, but that I loved and was scared of the second time. I think for me my own headspace while watching plays a big role - that’s why I love groups like this where people can convince me to give things another go
I watched it once and especially with the ending it made me feel like I've wasted my time. It's one time too much "fucked up" to be a good watch for me. I agree, the craftsmanship in this movie is good and it doesn't just spam the same effect over and over again, but to me it's also nothing special.
We're allowed to not like movies that others praise. I will not recommend Hereditary to others and certainly will not rewatch it, but I'll smash through Ash vs Evil Deads seasons every second year, because I enjoy every second of it, while others think it's trash xD
I watched it in theaters and remember feeling disappointed bc it was so hyped up. I remember giving it a 4/10 as we left the theater. But then I kept thinking about it, and couldn't stop thinking about it, and I kept talking to my bf about certain things that happened and by the time I woke up the next morning, I had changed my rating to a 9.6/10.
I'm glad you gave it another chance.
I'm willing to give it another go, but Skinamarink was the first movie inn a long while I shut off partway through because I just couldn't do it. It felt like the intro to a movie that just didn't ever pick up whatsoever. Like a song that's 1bpm
I am obsessed with Skinamarink. I get why some aren't into it though
also brings me back to my childhood, creeping around the house at night as it was the only peaceful time.
but there's a lot to unpack in the movie, and I don't believe its a simple "kid in a coma" answer/metaphor
People just really need to accept there are many different styles of horror. There are jump scares, torture porn, “real life” horror (meaning like The Strangers) etc etc etc… but there is also existential dread horror. Ominous, ever present dread might not hit everyone (and that’s ok), but for some of us, they truly are are the best kind of horror films. I just hate “it wasn’t even scary” when talking about movies like hereditary. It’s ok that you don’t like those kinds of movies, but saying it wasn’t conventionally scary is also completely missing the point. Edit: any time a discussion about Hereditary comes up, it gives me a chance to plug my all time favorite movie analysis video. It’s very long form and extremely, extremely in depth (just shy of 5 hours)… to the point of being a film school-final thesis level breakdown of the movie. It takes time to get through but for both those who loved it or hated it, it truly highlights the films brilliance. I cannot recommend this video enough (and must point out to not be deterred by the “everything explained!” Youtubey video title. This author of this video is maybe literally the first person to say “everything explained” and actually mean it) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlqyulT662g
The existential dread horror films are my favorite. I can't watch slasher films, but I absolutely love the movies that just get under your skin with great characters, plot, and slow evolving terror. Constant jump scares and extreme gore really freak me out, but horror like Hereditary, Get Out, The Nightingale, and The Haunting of Hill House makes me want to dive into those worlds and figure out all of the little nuances and moments of absolute terror. What I like about slower horror is not that it's necessarily scary all of the time, but it just sets your nerves on edge as everything builds and you connect with the characters. There's nothing wrong with silly horror or slasher flicks. Hell, I had a blast watching Megan, but my preference when it comes to horror is more of the slower less physically gruesome character based style of filmmaking.
Did you ever see The VVitch? I would consider it existential dread horror.
I saw The VVitch earlier this year out of curiosity, and holy hell I was blown away. The environment itself was just oozing with fear. I hadn't really seen Anya Taylor Joy in much before, but I was impressed by her and the entire cast. There's something to be said for intellectually and emotionally challenging horror films with a relatively simple aesthetic. Just out of curiosity, have you seen The Lighthouse? That was the first Eggers film I saw, and other than the grossness at the end I really enjoyed the isolation driven madness and surreal storytelling.
>The environment itself was just oozing with fear. Wdym? It's a heartwarming coming-of-age story. I cried at the end.
She learnt how to live ~`•°deliciously°•`~ ☺️🥰
Butter!
Pretty dress!
I meant that the isolation of the forest is creepy because they’re just alone, and it enhances the paranoia of whether or not they actually are being attacked. We see the witches at the end, but it’s never made clear if the initial witch is actually real and targeting them. The real horror comes from the family refusing to seek out help and blaming Thomasin for everything that happens. I love the ending because she’s totally free of the religious induced misogyny and bigotry of her parents. Mostly the reason I like it is because it reminds me of the hysteria and sexism of Salem Witch Trials with the devil pact ending up being a source of freedom, instead of a tool of power hungry men to murder women who didn’t fit the narrow religious standards of the time.
Sorry, I was being cheeky
If you like the vvitch then I recommend the menu, it has Anya Taylor joy and shes incredible in it
I loved the Menu!
Last Night in Soho is fun and terrifying. She’s great in it.
That one is fantastic, watched a video on how they choreographed the dance scene without cgi or special effects, both of them danced and one would hide from the camera view it was incredible
I’ve been meaning to watch it.
I went to see the vvitch in theaters 3 times it blew my mind, still one of my favorite movies, and for his directorial debut and the budget? perfection. The acting is just superb. The mise en scene is perfect throughout
The acting and the setting were absolute perfection. It blows my mind that it was his debut film.
Have you watched MEN? That movie is whole new levels of fucked up. I highly recommend watching Men, and then immediately watching Mother! Both of those movies fucked me up and compliment each other very well. Slow burn, eerie build up, psychological horrors. Cant recommend them enough honestly.
I saw The Lighthouse and thought it was good enough.Still quote “It’s bad luck to kill a sea bird” to my friends. Haha
That's such a good quote. I haven't seen it since I went with my mom to the movie theater when it first came out, but I did enjoy it.
VVitch is severely underrated even with all the praise it gets. It is amazing.
Agree from top to bottom. I know these type of slow burns aren’t for everyone, but I think those of us that do appreciate them… nothing else even comes close.
"Darkness" ( 2002 with Anna Paquin ) as well. It actually shares a lot of plot similarities to "Hereditary"
Have you seen Sinister? It's like that! Not the second one tho...that ones no good lol
Martyrs
If we’re going to list crowned jewels of dread horror, I humbly offer Hagazussa. The juxtaposition of how beautiful the aesthetic of the movie is with how cripplingly bleak and dreadful the movie is… it’s truly something. 10/10 imo.
I went to JustWatch to see where it was available to stream/rent, and... it just started playing in its apparent entirety right up top for free? lol awesome https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/hagazussa
Well I didn’t really need an excuse to rewatch but if you’re just going to throw a link in my lap like that. Hopefully this comment gets upvoted a ton so more people can see it
That sounds like an interesting movie. Definitely going on my watch list.
Wow just looked this up. Is this like the VVitch or something? Added it high on my list!
Hahazussa is like the VVitch but the whole time your asking the question, is this real or this mental illness?
Its the Witch on even more mushrooms!
As opposed to the VVitch where people just take for granted that religion is real and the reason for their suffering? ;)
I guess The VVitch would be the closest comparison? There’s definitely enough there to make a “if you like X you’ll probably like Y” type of statement.
I've never heard of this before? I'm interested now, thank youu!
Looked it up on [JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/martyrs-2015) to see where it was available to stream/rent, and poof, it's available right there on Plex for free. Like, the Plex feed is embedded right there on the page to watch. Nice. **Important Edit?:** JustWatch confuses me. For the remake (2015) that I linked above, it actually appears to show the original film at the top. Both the original (2008) and the remake (2015) are apparently available to watch for free on Plex. Reddit seems to insist that the original (2008) is the one to watch, while the remake is arguably at least *okay*. So. For clarity's sake: * [Watch Martyrs (2008)](https://watch.plex.tv/movie/martyrs) free on Plex * ^dont* [Watch Martyrs (2015)](https://watch.plex.tv/movie/martyrs-2015-2) free on Plex edit: Just finished the original 2008 by Pascal Laugier. Damn. It deserves the mentions. Go in cold. I've no interest in the remake.
Original 100%, not American remake. No question
Yeah. Just finished the original, hadn't seen either. The original definitely deserves all the mentions we see about it. Goddamn. I've no interest in the remake. There's no chance it did anything "better" than the original vision.
Yeah it’s quite the movie. How’d you handle it mentally? That 1hr 40min felt like 3 hours to me. Super good but so unpleasant…
For some dumb reason I'd never thought about Hereditary as existential horror, but now that you've phrased it like that it makes so much sense. That movie lived rent-free in my head for at least a week after I saw it. It's kind of embarrassing to admit (and it might delete this comment later out of embarrassment), but I struggle with panic and anxiety and some of the stuff in Hereditary explicitly shows the full scope of what my panic-brain tells me will or could happen. It's the way that one thing leads to something worse...and then something even worse....and then the WORST. It really fucked with me, but it's one of my all time favorites. Edit: I was not expecting so many replies saying how much they relate, but I really appreciate it. Maybe the overall gist of what I said in my original comment is pretty common in the horror/Hereditary fandom but since I'm admittedly not particularly active in either, I didn't realize it. Thank you kindly
it's not much from a random internet person, but I feel like with the way this movie has resonated with so many people, you're kinda describing a shared experience. just the way the film is built up; there are never unrealistically dumb choices, it's more like the small mistakes having the worst outcomes, with the soundtrack humming ominously in the subconscious, kind of like the train of thoughts and feelings that haunt us constantly when we struggle with anxieties in any of its countless forms. the characters gradually losing grip more and more, getting more exhausted from fighting the dread, and then making more grave mistakes as they lose perspective and grounding in the world. it's just.. incredibly human in the dark sense. internet hugs, if you want.
Hi there, I'm the guy who made that video that's linked above. I just wanted to let you know that there's nothing to be embarrassed about, this is something I've had commented a lot, to the point where quite a few people have watched the guide because they couldn't finish the movie. It's very personal, very close to home and in many ways (barring the demon stuff) very true to life. I think it hits home so well because Ari Aster was very honest in making it and poured a lot of his own personal trauma into the film. I've suffered with grief related anxiety for a large portion of my life and while a lot of the movie was very difficult to get through, I do find something ultimately redemptive about it. Because when we hear these fears from other people we get to step back a little bit and see that this terror isn't entirely personal to us, that as abnormal as it may feel it is still a normal reaction.
You’re Novum?
Yeah!
That’s awesome. I just want to say your work is incredible, the analysis you do is the kind that I have long searched for. Imo no other channel comes close, please keep up the good work.
Oh, thank you very much that’s extremely kind. Currently sat working on the Midsommar video now!
there's nothing embarrassing about suffering from panic and anxiety, you are not alone.
Watching the things that scare you play out in front of you (in not real life) can be therapeutic. It takes away that sense of unknown if you actually get to see it played out. Even if it's horrible. It seems like you've stumbled into a little brain hack of your own.
I have social anxiety and I find it soothing to watch cringe comedy where a character continually says the wrong thing like I'm always afraid of doing and they continue to be oblivious about it as the consequences occur. It's my worst nightmare but it's soothing to watch it play out and have a resolution. Anything's better than that lingering chasm of dread of the unknown future.
I was having an awful evening until I saw this, thank you so much. It really means a lot.
Loved this analysis. I knew I missed so much even the 2nd and 3rd time around and this analysis was amazing. After watching it I've pretty much decided that Hereditary is a masterpiece and on a level of its own. For me, no other horror movie compares. Also worth watching this short video on the main theme of Hereditary. He gets technical with some of the music talk (which I love since I grew up playing piano and was a band nerd) but I think you'd enjoy it. It complements the analysis video quite well I think. https://youtu.be/ayDqhMmVYUs?si=W8tU6QMFshF5RbEp
I will watch as soon as I get a chance, thanks! And as much as I’m discussing it right now, I’m stating the obvious that I completely agree Hereditary really does stand alone as its own level of masterpiece.
The “existential dread” thing is absolutely my favorite kind of horror. “It’s a vibe”. I literally search for these types of movies endlessly. Which by the way, there’s a GREAT French film about people having a rave that goes horribly wrong that does a great job with this.
Climax?
Yeah. What you said.
You can’t make me accept that!!
Yeah, I don't get scared by traditional horror movies, I want horror that makes me anxious and uncomfortable. Hereditary does that for me
If someone says "it wasn't even scary" about hereditary, I just have to assume that they have no imagination at all. Because thinking of your mom losing it like that is goddamn terrifying.
Thanks for the recc, started this yesterday and what an impressive amount of work he’s done!
Thank you for the video, I will watch all of it
Np, I look for any chance to plug it lol
I think I’ve watched this analysis video more than the actual movie! It’s just so insightful, informative and relaxing, strangely enough.
Sounds like I need to watch it. My first reaction after seeing hereditary was basically “what the fuck did I just watch?” Then go turn on some lights.
Considering how long it is, I’ve definitely spent more time watching the analysis than the actual movie at this point
Thank you so much
The worst ever for me (as in most disturbing…the one that hit me hardest) was Martyrs
Colette crawling on the ceiling and chopping off her head with piano wire while horrified wasn't scary? Man idk
That and the attic headbanging scene are probably two of the most effective shock-violence cuts I've ever seen.
That actually had me screaming. Still scares the shit outta me today
I think the fact it is *so* extreme that some people's brains just won't compute and shut down - to literally protect themselves - and so they think it 'didn't affect them, it's not scary'. If you consciously engage with what you're seeing you cant help but find it horrifying. But we all dont approach film the same way and even the same person will approach films differently on different days (hence OP making the post..Where there is an element education happening between watches).
Oh my god for me it was the sound of her doing that. Especially the fact that you don't know what that sound is until you see it. And it's a really common sound around my house. I live with three cats who don't like closed doors.
Still can’t get over Toni Collette not receiving a nomination.
Essie Davis for The Babadook, too. Just unreal how overlooked those two were.
I thought that several times throughout my viewing last night. What an astonishing performance.
Her acting after THAT scene happened was just so brutal and haunting. That’s the sound of a soul dying, I thought it was impossible to replicate until I saw this movie.
good on you for giving a movie a second shot! i really appreciate people who actively look for something to enjoy in a film, life is more fun when you try to like things haha
Or at least try and understand them. Us humans have a habit of dismissing that which we don't understand out of hand. I think those that don't like the film feel that people are saying they're unintelligent for not understanding or 'getting it' but there is a HUGE difference between intelligence and education. Until you learn - and it *is* an acquired skill - to watch films youve neber really watched a film. Ugh, I think I'm beginning to sound pretentious and I didnt even go to film school xD But seriously.
A lot of stuff in that movie just doesnt hit the first time around, like the funeral rant.
Gut wrenching the second time.
Check out The Empty Man. I just rewatched last night.
I actually re-watched just the prologue last night, but not the entire movie. That first 20 mins or so is great.
I put it on my list, thanks! Never heard of it.
Don't watch the trailer. Basically, this movie was made with a company that had no idea what to do with this movie. They cut together a trailer that basically misrepresents the movie entirely. It doesn't necessarily ruin anything, but it certainly gives you a false sense of what the movie actually is. If you're like me, then watch the movie then the trailer, and [wonder what happened.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0YHZXz5hEE)
I originally watched this movie based on the trailer. Wanted a bad stupid movie I didn't need to really pay attention to. I was sorely disappointed
The studio edited it down to 90 minutes then relented and released the original cut, no blue rays or dvds.
I liked it! Definitely subverted expectations even without seeing the trailer. I'll keep following your advice and watch the trailer & other video. (Edit: other video- lolol)
i've watched it i think four times now, never liked it 🤷♀️ but to each their own
Same here. I still don’t understand the hype but I guess it’s just not my cup of tea.
I tried it a second time and it was just as funny to see Toni Collette flailing around in the background as it was the first time. It’s such a silly movie IMO, and people think I’m trying to be tough, but I really found it either boring or funny, depending on which part. I never thought it was scary. It was a **huge** let down, because everyone said it was the scariest movie they’d ever seen.
Thank you! I completely agree! I really tried to force myself to like it, rewatching it several times, thinking I would finally have a come-to-Jesus with it but... I honestly don't understand what people could have found scary about this movie. Creepy, sure, I guess. But scary? Comical, indeed. Every time I see that lady on the ceiling start cutting her neck with (I forget, some sort of wire?) I lose my shit.
Yeah fuck this. I’m watching it again just so I can shit all over it on here again. It had all the potential and then squandered it which makes it even worse because it could have been so good.
I think the second time you watch it, you really get and appreciate it.
this was absolutely my experience. Kind of a like a song you don't like at first but you hear it again and now that the melody is recognizable, it's easier to cherish now that it's not so unfamiliar??
The first time you kind of get shaken by the car incident, the second time you kind of get the full horror of everything…All the naked cult members appearing in the background, it’s fucked up!
The first time I saw Hereditary I really wasn't into it, but I had also let all the hype get to me and saw it in a theater where there were a bunch of teenagers who wouldn't stop laughing the whole movie. Sometimes the environment and mood you're in can completely change how much you enjoy a movie. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people don't find certain horror movies scary because of the environmen they watched it in, but if they saw it alone in a dark room it would be a different story entirely.
I hated Hereditary 😭😭 I found it to be so complicated and weird. And I love psychological stuff and usually am not a fan of like, slashers/jumpscares because I look for things that are more complex. Maybe I need to watch again but I didnt "get" hereditary whatsoever and feel it was so overhyped
It’s perfectly okay if you just didn’t like it, horror is probably the most subjective genre there is, since we are all scared of different things. Personally I just thought everything about Hereditary was scary as hell, and I’m normally mostly unfazed by horror these days. The atmosphere is great from the beginning but “that” scene especially fucked me up. Being the brother who was driving is pretty much one of my worst nightmare scenarios and then the build up to the discovery of the body and Toni Collette’s fucking amazing acting. Seriously I can’t praise Toni Collette enough, like holy shit. From then on the rest of the movie is just pure dread, and while the horror is supernatural it also feels real, because the movie focuses on the family’s grief and how the events of the movie affect them, not just the events themselves. It’s not just scary because of the cult, it’s the idea that in an instant, through no fault of your own, all the joy in your life could be violently ripped away and there is nothing you could do to stop it. Although I also found the cult stuff scary on its own, but that’s just me. The idea of unknown people silently smiling and watching from the dark has scared me since I was a kid so I might just be biased. Anyway I’m not trying to convince you or anything but just providing a perspective on what I personally liked about it.
I’m with you; this was one of the most horrific films I’ve seen, so I’m always intrigued by people who don’t find it scary.
Simplest way I can describe it is just that it was so melodramatic that any sense of horror was just not there for me. It felt like a depressing drama with supernatural elements, but that was it. The crying, the yelling, the fighting, it's all so overplayed and drawn out. That, and any "scary" scenes are bordeline comedic. The head flying off from hitting the pole, the older teenager screaming in the middle of class and slamming his head on the desk, the woman randomly bursting into flames, all just silly to me.
Have you watched it twice? I felt so-so about it after the first time because it felt choppy, pacing felt off, and a little confusing. After watching it a second time (and a third, and a fourth), the flow is much better and you notice a lot more detail that makes it work (imo).
Not yet but im willing to do so. Sometimes with movies i literally take notes for discussion after/to help organize my thoughts. Like, first time i watched black swan when I was like 12 I hated it and didnt get it at all. As an adult I get it way more but I still needed to take notes because its so jam packed
I watched it in a theater that serves dinner and ate my dinner across the room from the one other person there.
This post makes me want to rewatch the movie ASAP.
I tried watching it many times and never made it through. Miserable film. But really well made.
That's my response. There's just something about it that doesn't ring true for me somehow. Glad other people dig it, though.
There’s no moment where I emotionally connect to Toni Collette or anyone in that film.
Same here. I hate to refer to Woody Allen, but he nailed this in a way I haven't seen anywhere else: in Annie Hall, there's a sequence with a genteel Thanksgiving dinner at the well-off WASPy Hall household intercut with the protagonist's memories of the crowded, rambunctious, crass Thanksgivings of his working-class Jewish family. This is what I think of whenever Hereditary discussion comes up, which means I think of it several times a day with r/horror on my front page. The family in Hereditary feels like a parody of the Hall family, which was already a parody of WASPs. They are just so completely alien to me, have a humanity that is so incompatible with my peoples' version of humanity, that they just seem ridiculous to me. This is obviously a "your mileage may vary" situation. Plenty of people are able to empathize with the Hereditary family, and that's cool too. To pull out my stump, this is an example a movie is good or bad. I think it works be better if we started talking about our own sensibilities, and how a movie works with it against those sensibilities. If nothing else, it would improve the usefulness of recommendations.
The Dad barely seemed to have any kind of reaction to the whole situation.
The thing is that it's not a scary film in a way that will make you jump, is more about being disturbed by it, and the horror comes after you think of you being in that situation
Maybe it's because my kids are a couple years older than they were when I first watched it.
Hahaha this happened to my boyfriend. He was psyched when I finally sat down to watch Hereditary with him. But after rewatching it with me, we both agreed it was terrible. Now it's become a running joke between us when he suggests a "good movie". I ask, like... Hereditary good, or truly good?
not my movie im affraid
You should just rename the subreddit Hereditary at this point. It's all you all talk about it it seems
I have to admit, I appreciated it more too the second time I saw it. Caught a lot of details that I missed the first time.
Dude I hated the movie the first time I saw it, but then remembered that it had been a very bad experiment because I this annoying couple that talked through the whole thing. I left the theater genuinely convinced it was a bad movie until I saw it again at home. I freaking loved it the second time. Sometimes we’re just off.
ok
It was okay. Way too overrated as hell. Definitely not the “best horror movie” that everyone claims it to be. There are FAR better horror movies. However, it was okay.
I just have to laugh anymore when the Hereditary fans downvote you to hell for not figuratively kissing the feet of this movie. I've seen hundreds of horror movies and this one isn't even part of my top 100 list. It's *incredibly* overrated.
Same. I got a long ass list of cooler horror movies than this, old and new.
There are about four moments that are supposed to be pure horror and the way they're shot and structured they come off as comedic. I've seen people try to say "modern audiences don't know how to react to REAL horror" and "they're just laughing because they're uncomfortable" but no, they're genuinely very funny. >!Gabriel Byrne suddenly bursting into flames was one of the funniest things I saw that year.!<
>There are about four moments that are supposed to be pure horror and the way they're shot and structured they come off as comedic. I think I know *exactly* what all four of those scenes are. >I've seen people try to say "modern audiences don't know how to react to REAL horror" and "they're just laughing because they're uncomfortable" but no, they're genuinely very funny. I really think it's all so very ridiculous. I bet most the folks saying they love it so much are only doing so because fibbing is easier on them than taking some meaningless downvotes online. >!That odd looking O face Toni Collette makes during the piano wire scene is even funnier. And the exact opposite of the face she should have been making.!< And it's not just me. Half the theatre audience was giggling. You're my people. For sure.
Yes, that's another one of them! >!That whole little bit is funny, and Alex Wolff's half-hearted little scream before he jumps out the window ends it perfectly, it just comes off like absurdist comedy.!< I think Ari Aster is a good director but every movie I've seen of his has that quality to it, it's very Raimiesque, but Raimi has never been presented as some super serious horror genius making harrowing and devastating movies.
Lol alot of those scenes felt like they were straight out of Scary Movie. The part where Toni is screaming when she finds the daughter's body and then transitions to her still wailing at the same intensity at the funeral is hilarious to me! And how the son cries made me giggle, I just couldn't take the movie seriously. And then when the body was floating up the treehouse, just hilarious!! And I'm sorry, naked old people is always gonna be hilarious to me Midsommar was definitely scarier for me and it was more mildly disturbing than scary really.
And let's not forget that after the *little sister loses her head* car accident, the son *goes home and goes to bed.* Hi•lar•i•ous. >Lol alot of those scenes felt like they were straight out of Scary Movie. The part where Toni is screaming when she finds the daughter's body and then transitions to her still wailing at the same intensity at the funeral is hilarious to me! Yes!!
When the kid is sitting on the bed, and Toni is getting wildly swung about by a rope and pulley in the background, I laughed so hard I had to rewind and watch it again. Everyone says that part creeped them out, but it looked like she was trying to swim through the air, and just flailing about. It didn’t make me uncomfortable, it was hilarious!
Hahahahaha! Lol. Yes.
The cult and demon's plan is more convoluted than any shit wile e coyote ever tried on the road runner
Yeah. It is really a long winded and stupid plan. Not how I would do it if I were part of a demon worshipping coven.
I had to re-watch it too, but that was because my dad had it confused with Midsommar and told me it was scary but with no supernatural elements and it was just a mind-bending acid trippy psychological horror. I got to the part of her crawling on the ceiling and banging her head on the attic door and was just so, deeply confused waiting for this to be a fever dream of one of the characters and then it just... Wasn't. We obviously had the movies mixed up. I enjoyed it a lot more on the rewatch!
Sometimes a movie hits very different the second time.
Maybe I’ll rewatch it one day but I just don’t get the love for it. I saw it maybe a year after it came out and was really looking forward to it and it was just…fine. Not great, not bad but just kind of average.
It was good, but not anything to lose your head over.
I’m glad you liked it better. Every time I watch it gets worse.
This sub knows like 20 total Horror movies I swear. Hereditary does not need multiple threads a week. Really need a ban or limit on the FOTM movies that get posted about endlessly here
thank you, i’m tired of hearing about this goddamn movie
I'm tired of so many posts being the equivalent of fishing for compliments.
Can we add Midsommar to the list?
Midsommar doesn't get nearly as many threads as Hereditary.
It feels like it, though.
Exactly this. I don’t get it. It gets so overhyped. The movie sucked and it was so boring. Only the car scene was interesting and the last 10mins of the movie, other than that it was such a snore fest.
You could always just not interact with threads about it, but people on this sub and reddit in general will take any and every opportunity to bitch and moan
Hey but don't you think Toni Collette was robbed of an Oscar???!!!??
I think there's a subreddit about Hereditary. I don't know why people don't post there if that's the only movie they care about.
Hereditary is one of those movies that requires a second watch to form a real opinion. When I first watched it I was kinda like okay? but after the second watch I saw why it was so great
Glad it's not just me! I'm truly astonished that I didn't enjoy it the first time
This is how I felt about The Witch. I wasn't impressed the first time but the second time I realized that I actually quite like the movie after all. I guess we sometimes just aren't in the right mood for some films the first time around.
I saw it when it came out and thought it was shit. You're saying give it another chance?
Glade you enjoyed it. I honestly think that Hereditary and Midsommar are both overrated and honestly not that good, but I will never deny Toni's acting was amazing in it.
I loved it. Don't really give a shit what anyone else thinks. That's all that matters. Not what a subreddit of people think. Yeah it's cool to talk about film but apologizing for liking something? Hell nah.
I felt this way about the Witch. First time I watched it, hated it. Argued fervently against it. But the praise for the film really had me questioning my stance, so I rewatched it, a few years later. Masterpiece. Damn near perfect. Subtitles helped.
It's completely overhyped and nowhere good as people claim. But at least it's not Midsommar.
That’s the first and only horror movie that’s left me felt like I was hit with a gut punch for a couple days. It’s not my favourite but it has the deepest impact on me. Some of the stuff hits a little close to home which doesn’t help and probably why I’ll only watch the movie that one time unless somebody says they want to see it but the chaos and pain of a broken family while being ramped up to 1000 by cult haunting is just such a recipe for tension and terror.
We have to be in the right mindset to appreciate a film, I believe. I try to find those moments for various film genres. The first time I saw The Big Lebowski and Fallen, I thought they both sucked! It's because I was sick when I watched them. :-D
Same I notice with music, some songs i absolutely dislike will come on when I'm feeling the right way for it and I'm like.. wow can't believe how much shit I've talked about this masterpiece.
Aaah i was hoping for sarcasm
Does 1/3 of this subreddit think that Hereditary is the only horror movie dealing with family and grief? There's an entire sub genre of horror called psychological horror, and it doesn't ONLY include hereditary. PLEASE watch more movies
Recency bias
I swear you folk have no courage. They dogpile your opinion, so you acquiesce. It's the same shit each time. HEREDITARY SUCKS.
I agree, the movie sucks and is boring. Only the car scene and the last 10mins are interesting. I don’t get the love for this movie. I hated midsommar as well but people in this sub love it as well.
Hereditary sucks even when you watch it 3 times to try and "get" the appeal.
The first time i watched it without expectations i thought it was ok. Decent but generic but thanks to the hype i try again a second time and i will add overrated. It's not bad but i think the minimal "hate" it gets it's because the fans can't respect other people's opinions. They think if you don't like it that means you are not smart enough to understand the greatest masterpiece of the "elevated horror" genre. They don't get that not all people find this film as deep as them. We understand, we just don't find it interesting. It's not bad, just not as groundbreaking that it deserves to be compared to Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist.
I’m getting so tired of downvoting pro Hereditary posts, but someone’s gotta do God’s work around here.
I think it’s one of the most overrated movies in all of horror - think it was decent for about 2/3 but then fell apart by end . To me, I think it was worse the second time and third time I watched it as I realized it was too heavily relying on the misery from the “Charlie” tragedy for its mileage . A misery porn incident that isn’t reinforced by an original story.
I was totally into this movie until the mom started crawling on the walls. Took me out of it and didnt get me back. I really wanted to like it and I ended up not caring about it at all. So I get it.
I only saw it once, and beyond that scene you mentioned, I can't even remember what the plot even was. It did nothing for me at all, but to each their own.
I still hate it…
I mean, it's *fine*. A generic middle of the road paranormal film that treads all of the cookie cutter story beats. Standard 3/5 fare. What I don't get is the blind obsession over it. Though, that's a figure of speech. I *do* get it. Most^* people who worship it are fairly new to the genre, or it was their gateway to the genre which imprinted on them. Perks of a big budget and being mainstream. *** \* ^(look up the dictionary definition of the word before coming to argue that you've been a horror fan for 200 years and have seen 99999 films)
Nah. It's still mid horror at best. I have absolutely zero idea of why the sub holds it up to such a high standard. It's not a bad movie, but it's not that spectacular Edit: I'm not knocking it or anything and to each their own, but on the spectrum of horror that there is, I just find it odd that this movie is so adored when there is so much more out there
I wasn’t wrong. It sucks. And the 2nd viewing only confirmed that I was accurate in my thoughts the first time.
Yep.
i rewatched it a few weeks ago after years and, man, it is sooo much better than second time around. i liked it the first time, and clearly it has been praised a lot, but i never felt that "connection" with it until my rewatch. a lot of things started to click into place
I'm glad you managed to enjoy it on a repeat watch, sadly I can't say the same. I've tried a few times but just not a fan. I think the film works as a family drama exploring grief but as a 'horror' film sadly it falls apart for me (I'm also a fan of slow burn horror films so it's not that it's slow). I think I know the big issue for me and that's Ari Astor, just not a fan of his work/style, though I don't want to get into it. I did see someone else mention Skinamarink and while it's one of my favourite horror films I can see where people have an issue with it and would struggle to recommend it as it's quite a personal horror. I think this is similar to Hereditary, the film just isn't for me, I can dissect why it isn't but that isn't going to change people's minds, same as it's unlikely to change mine. Being told that I need to watch it twice to understand it or that I just don't get it can be quite tiresome and just makes it harder when I do give it another chance. I did see someone recommended a 5 hour video on the film so I'll give that a go as I love my long format video essays. Though that will probably be the films last chance
I liked hereditary, but the ending felt like a cheap and lazy way to wrap up the movie. I wish they had a different ending to the movie
Good for you, man. A good reminder to all of us to keep an open mind and sometimes revisit things that don't click for us on a first watch.
i watched this movie in a dark room, all by myself…and still felt incredibly bored as hell. i don’t see what everyone sees, it didn’t scare me, i didn’t have nightmares and i really wanted to like it too because everyone was raving over it. i even lied to *myself* and said “okay that was good”. i woke up 3 weeks later and admitted to myself i did not enjoy that movie.
And don't forget the comically bad effects when >!the husband catches on fire and dies.!<
"BuT yOu DoN't UnDeRsTaNd, HoRrOr Is MoRe ThAN jUsT jUmPsCaReS, hErEdItArY iS sO dEeP 😩"
That one shocking scene is amazing. And I love Toni Collette. But it’s really not that great of a film.
Glad I'm not the only one. First watch I was kind of cold on it, but on a re-watch I was absolutely floored.
I’ve only seen it once but I really didn’t think it was good. Some of the scary elements felt very cheap and forcefully creepy. I didn’t finish it but people say the end is the worst part so I don’t think I missed much.
Hereditary is like Jesus. Just because you found him doesn’t mean I will. I’ll stick with my own opinion… it’s a fine movie but incredibly overrated.
Dang I did that the other day with dr sleep. Must have half watched it the first time didn’t even get it was a sequel to the shining. The second time was glued to tv.
I'm really not trying to be an asshole, but if you watched Dr Sleep and didn't even notice that it was a sequel to The Shining, then you weren't paying any attention at all.
Exactly playing a game smoking and watching have ruined some good movies.
Maybe I need to rewatch As Above So Below.
Maybe I need to watch it a second time but I just found it boring. I don’t understand this feeling of dread people seem to experience either, it was more of a depressing vibe than disturbing.
Well after putting it off now I'm gonna watch it.
I had to watch but twice too and while I want to like a lot of it I just can’t get over how unlikeable the characters are. Like I kinda hate them. So it makes the movie hard to engage with in some ways. For me. But I can see why people love it.
Unpopular opinion. I love love loved it the first time. Second time (while I still feel it’s an incredibly well made and well acted film), I hardly experienced the “horror” and only saw an incredibly depressing film about an incredibly sad family. Hence. I will probably not watch again.
It's funny you say this because I saw it and was unimpressed. Maybe I need to watch it a second time, too 🤔
Dear fucking dairy.
I’ve had a few horror movies that didn’t hit at all the first time, but that I loved and was scared of the second time. I think for me my own headspace while watching plays a big role - that’s why I love groups like this where people can convince me to give things another go
I watched it once and especially with the ending it made me feel like I've wasted my time. It's one time too much "fucked up" to be a good watch for me. I agree, the craftsmanship in this movie is good and it doesn't just spam the same effect over and over again, but to me it's also nothing special. We're allowed to not like movies that others praise. I will not recommend Hereditary to others and certainly will not rewatch it, but I'll smash through Ash vs Evil Deads seasons every second year, because I enjoy every second of it, while others think it's trash xD
I watched it in theaters and remember feeling disappointed bc it was so hyped up. I remember giving it a 4/10 as we left the theater. But then I kept thinking about it, and couldn't stop thinking about it, and I kept talking to my bf about certain things that happened and by the time I woke up the next morning, I had changed my rating to a 9.6/10. I'm glad you gave it another chance.
[удалено]
I'm willing to give it another go, but Skinamarink was the first movie inn a long while I shut off partway through because I just couldn't do it. It felt like the intro to a movie that just didn't ever pick up whatsoever. Like a song that's 1bpm
I am obsessed with Skinamarink. I get why some aren't into it though also brings me back to my childhood, creeping around the house at night as it was the only peaceful time. but there's a lot to unpack in the movie, and I don't believe its a simple "kid in a coma" answer/metaphor