The First Spark of 2018

Rating: 8/10 (18 June 2018)

I think that we can all agree that 2018 has been a lukewarm year for films, it seems like we've had almost any entire year of nothing but cash grabs and historical dramas while most of the true classics are yet to be discovered. Thankfully, this year is starting to shine with Hereditary.
Hereditary seems to be part of a bach in the growing amount of slow burners, and as of right now all of these burners have been great. Last year we received the masterpiece It Comes at Night, and the year before we received yet another masterpiece The Witch.
However in-comparison to those films, Hereditary is the first film out of the bunch which has scared me relentlessly. But not just that, the film had me shaking and breathing heavily throughout while the film teased me with the potential shocker.

This film is excellent at subverting your expectations just like The Witch and It Comes at Night. There are many instances where the film displays a large window or a mirror right next to a character to tease you into believing that a potential jumpscare may spring, however instead of giving into this cliche, the film utilises this expectation to prolong its brooding tension, further brought to life by its equally brooding soundtrack and pacing.
However, this film doesn't get a free pass for simply scaring me, this fear works due to its developed characters, most of whom are responsible for the evoked tension. The performance by Toni Collette is simply stunning, she authentically portrays her character while fleshing out some of the more perturbing personality features that manifest later in the film.
I didn't really have a problem with any other performance except for a few spots of Alex Wolff's performance, for the most part he solidified the authenticity although in a few noticeable occasions he inaccurately portrayed some of the intended emotions which lead to a little bit of unintentional amusement.
As well as my mixed thoughts on Alex Wolff's performance, I found that the pacing and the tension didn't entirely work to the film's advantage. Due to the fact that the tension for the film started building up from 10 minutes onwards, there were many occasions where I became de-sensitised and a little unengaged to the film due to the fact that the tension stood still for a while. This may seem trivial, although it was a feeling that detracted a tiny bit of my care from the film.
Despite having stated that, this film is right near the top of my list of films released in 2018, there are many shot decisions and stylistic choices that have likely inspired my craft.
One of my favourite shots from the film is the one in which Charlie sees her grandmother standing amidst a fire. The shot evokes a real eerie vibe due to the fact that it juxtaposes the reality of the film. In terms of my favourite stylistic decision I loved the films' quick contrast between the perspective of Nat Wolfe's character and the main actress, another is the films' depiction of the spirits, they manifest a sleep paralysis quality which further enables them to evoke tension due to the personal resonance.
As I'm certain, most have discussed the subtle details listed in this film, and due to my love, I feel motivated to watch the film again to see details which I didn't catch the first time round.
For a debut film, Aster should be extremely proud of his achievements, and I hope that this praise will motivate you to expand upon your capabilities and confidence.