As many of you know, I'm not typically one for contemporary horror. Many of the jump-scare tricks startle me but don't stick with me when the film is done (James Wan, master of the startle), and many of the gorefest slasher outings (which seem to be falling out of fashion thankfully) aren't scary as much as they are gross and cruel, IMO.

Here is a horror movie for everybody. Jennifer Kent has made a fucking wonderful film that scared the shit out of me. I'm writing this with goosebumps.

Why is it so good?
1. This woman can DIRECT. Every shot is beautifully composed for maximum suspense. Every edit is slightly off-putting in the best way. The off-screen sound is masterfully executed. She keeps the screen dark and shadowy, almost surreal, without ever making the film dim or boring to the eye. Simply put, she's instantly one of the best directors of the year.
2. The performances by the mother and child both deserve year-end recognition. Both easily could have fallen into cliche (the creepy child with a discipline problem, in particular). Essie Davis in a fair world gets an Oscar nomination. Both characters are marvelously written (also by Kent) and the actors take full advantage of the material at their disposal.
3. The concept is simple and fairly linear but wonderfully executed. A depressed woman finds a strange book on her son's bookshelf, and the creature in the book seems to start lurking in the house. The book itself is creepier than anything similar (the tape in The Rang and the films in Sinister fail to compare), with incredible pop-up pages and bizarre and memorable illustration. Even the font of the book is creepy. Of course, she finds that the strange goings-on are harder to get rid of than she thought, and the scares... good God, the scares. Even when they aren't traditional "look out!" scares, just scenes of her hanging out during the day are suspenseful enough to freak you out (the production design of this house is KILLER).
4. The extended metaphor, which I won't spoil. This isn't a simple "fantastical creature/serial killing spirit" film like so many others. It goes deeper than that. Which makes the film that much more memorable and admirable.

This is available on DirectTV on Demand, and it comes out in theaters this month. I will not see it in theaters, as I am a giant pussy. But I will buy a ticket. It deserves your business. If you want to see a great film, horror or otherwise, go see this. And if you're a horror fan, I imagine you are in for a treat.

Here is a trailer for the intrigued: http://youtu.be/szaLnKNWC-U I would go see it blind, as the trailer, like most horror trailers, reveals a few scares (which are always better in the context of the film). But if you need incentive, there you are.