Quick Reviews: Hereditary (2018)

After massive critical praise and divisive audience reactions, how is this Movie?  Will it be the next mother! or something that's actually good?  Let's see...

After the death of her Mother, our Heroine is trying to make the most of life.

The problem- her family history of mental illness, the divide between her and her son and her Husband's concern over her own mental health.  Also that Daughter is creepy AF.

Just to point out a creepy little coincidence- this Actress is playing her first Film role here.  She came off of doing a Charlie Brown Play on Broadway.

Good grief- that's a strange transition.

Personal tragedy strikes as our Heroine continues to try and make it.  Seeing weird things in her Miniatures probably isn't helping.

A woman who also dealt with grief approaches her with a crazy idea- a séance.

And no, the fact that her head in both shots lined up was not intentional.

After the séance, things only get crazier and more extreme.  Who lives?  Who dies?  Can you explain the ending?

To find out, watch the Film.

That...was something.  Film Debuts- whether they be actual Debuts or just in, say, North America- can be quite interesting.  Many people were blown away by The Babadook.  Same goes for The Witch or It Comes At Night.  You either impress or crash & burn for the most part- especially with a big Studio behind you.  In this case, Aster burns brightly.  Hereditary is not quite the Film it was sold as.  In his defense, the Director was not in charge of Marketing.  The Promos marketed the scares and freaky moments, especially those with the Daughter.  She wasn't in it as much as I expected- minor SPOILER, I guess- but she definitely 'maximized her minutes.'  When the Film gets down to the 3rd Act, it gets good.  Like Mandy, you just have to wait for the build-up to pay-off.  I can see why some people are divided about what the Plot actually boils down to- no SPOILER.  This is the case with most of the Movies like this- especially those I mentioned at the start of this Paragraph.  The difference between this and mother! is that it is engrossing.  That Movie was just silliness and noise masquerading as quality.  It's why it was on my Worst of the Year and this will likely be on my Best of the Year.  For me, Toni Colette is the real Winner here, showing that she can elevate the material and make you feel for her in a Horror Film as you would in some weepy Drama.  I recommend this Film, but, like Mandy, it may shock you...

Unquestionably a well-made Film with lots of surprises.  You're going to either love it or hate- either way it sticks with you.