The acting is wonderful, the atmosphere too

Rating: 8/10 (8 October 2017)

Back in the days when I was a kid (I'm from 1979), I wasn't able to watch horror movies of the ghostly genre. Anything with a haunting atmosphere and sudden appearances of white, dead faces or the sound of creepy kids singing used to scare me to tiny scattered bits. I blame it on my late grandma who was once watching Don't Look Now, totally unaware I WAS IN THAT ROOM playing with a Barbie doll (not sure how old I was but must have been about 5 - thanks grandma, I couldn't sleep for months). I also see the influence of my late supernaturally oriented neighbor-best friend. She brought the best stories and the finest chills. She was my personal ghost story teller and she was the star in most of them. Maybe ghosts had become too real for me to tell myself ' it is just a movie'.
But now... I find myself craving eerie movies, especially when alone in my house. WHY? Is my friend helping me from beyond the grave? Am I getting over my childhood fears? Do I need to ride this wave and finally enjoy it? The answer is Yes. And I want to see how much I have grown as a human being. So I watched stuff like the Conjuring series and Insidious 1-3 evenings on end. I'm not scared by chopped limbs and gushing blood and films that are too much about violence just don't interest me. I really need to test myself with ghosts and haunting spirits. Any tips are welcome.
The Babadook was recommended by a friend and I read good reviews. Not really a ghost story I know that, but haunting enough I could see from the trailer. I placed it on the list for 'watching together' just like the Conjuring (didn't listen to myself though). The first time I turned it on I had had a very emotional day and my senses where pretty open. I couldn't get beyond the first 10 minutes. Somehow the vibe and scenes really got to me. I mean that kid! And what is the mom going through? So sad...
The second time we got to finish the whole movie and both of us were left impressed. For a person like me there are good scares yet they are placed in a different context compared to other movies. The Babadook grows on you from the inside out, maybe that's so good about it. (And I literally mean the monster, not just the movie in general).
The mom and son are so well portrayed by the actors and the relationships they have with others (the ones we get to see) are truly supportive to the story. The Babadook is serious - at least that's how I felt - and it gives a look into life with serious depression while dealing with the effects.
It's gloomy and grey, with notes of a sinister fairy tale. Worth the watch.