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Rating: 10/10 (9 July 2019)

As a fan of horror movies I have become very desensitized over the years. I've watched many different takes on what directors and actors try to deliver as being scary, and they usually fall short of my expectations. Zombies, aliens, paranormal, supernatural, witches, ghosts, poltergeists, blah, blah, blah. You can only rewrap an idea so many times before the motif starts to become a little stale. The older I get the less impressed I am. I have turned in to that old guy that has already seen (and rented) it all.
And then something truly incredible happens: Ari Aster (of Hereditary fame) writes and directs a movie called Midsommar. Refreshing? Absolutely. So refreshing that it begs to be watched again. This was truly a highbrow horror movie that was as innovated as it was visually beautiful. And dark. I mean pitch black, no light, bottom of the ocean floor kind of dark...ironic in itself considering the location is in Sweden, an area that has nearly 24 hours of sunlight in the month of June, which is when the movie takes place. And, dare I say, even humorous at times, which is a welcome relief between the waves of unsettling visuals, tension, and expertly crafted carnage.
Watching this movie was a reminder to me that ALL religions are strange ideas depending on your perspective. They are all created by the fallible minds of human beings and nothing else. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and Mormonism - all filled with questionable rituals and customs but are considered normal because they have been practiced for eons. Ari's universe is really no different than our own, he is just able to paint a new picture that makes you feel alienated and repulsed by your own cultural indoctrinations, wherever you are from.
Kudos to the wonderfully talented Ari Aster for bringing something completely different to the table. I look forward to seeing whatever else this writer/director will come up with next. If it is anything like Hereditary or Midsommar it will surely be a long career, lucky for us.