The Scariest Non-Traditional Horror Movie of the Year

Rating: 10/10 (9 June 2018)

This movie is not a traditional horror movie. In fact, I would even go so far as to say it is not even a horror movie at all, just a heavy drama movie with terrifying elements to it. This movie did absolutely everything right, from the extremely realistic dialogue, to the astoundingly realistic visuals, to the cinematography, and more. Everything about this movie just worked, there was absolutely no scene or shot that felt unneeded or unnecessary. The movie looked gorgeous, and then, fitting for the mood of the movie, it seemed to darken the colors and the tone of the shots and cinematography overall. The acting in this movie was complete perfection, down to even the most minor of characters. Toni Collette gives by far the best performance I have seen by an actress this year and I can easily say that she deserves to be acknowledged in the upcoming Oscars. Even Alex Wolff, whom I did not think would do a great job within the movie, did an outstanding job. The thing that drives this movie forward is the pure tension that is felt not only within the characters and between them, but with the audience as well. This movie is horror at its finest, pure tension, no reliance on jumpscares. There was a particular scene that just blew me away with how well it was shot, it involved a character being in their bed and then looking around their room thinking to have heard something, and all the while, there is a mysterious figure lurking in the darkness. And rather than use this figure to provide a chance for a cheap jumpscare, the director just lets the audience soak in the image of that entity in the room with the character, and no jumpscare happens. This is the definition of a pure horror movie that relies on tension and nothing else. This is definitely one of the best movies I have seen all year, and the second best horror movie I have ever seen, right behind 2015's The Witch. This movie blew me away, and if you are a fan of horror movies, drama movies, or both, go see this movie. It is utterly and completely amazing.