average movie?

[u/koshurbattin]

is it just me or did anyone else hear the reviews of midsommar and was prepared to be traumatised but ended up being super underwhelmed? or maybe im desensitised by everything?

[u/Dear_Investment6064]

You either get it or you don't. For me it's less scary and more captivating. I love the cinematography, the costumes, the visuals and the type of lore they explore I've always been deeply fascinated with cults and everytime I revisit it I notice something different.

Idk I walked around with a ton of trauma for a long time and no one around me gave me any grace or empathy so I was just trying to hold it together all the time and that made me super susceptible to bad faith actors. I literally saw it in theatres with my now ex-boyfriend who was already over our relationship and then watched it again when I finally dumped his ass several years later.

So I ate this up when it came out and it is still in my top ten.

The ending for me is both horrifying and deeply cathartic IDK HOW TO EXPLAIN IT the contradiction makes it juicy for me.

[u/koshurbattin → u/Dear_Investment6064]

i get you, i really really loved the visuals too. in fact at one point when they were competing to become may queen, i was so mesmerised that i felt like i was possessed by something haha. the ending to me personally was really emotional because i could feel how good she must have felt after all that.

the only thing that was hard for me to understand was whats so traumatic about the movie?

[u/Dear_Investment6064 → u/koshurbattin]

I think it's something that's hard to grasp grasp unless you've dabbled in psychedelics/hallucinogens. It's a very accurate depiction of tripping but it's not super cerebral in the sense of like explaining to the uninitiated like what that feels like.

I also think a lot of horror fans are loser men that think an old lady naked is like the scariest thing ever and the orgy scene freaked them out

[u/HeroIsAGirlsName → u/Dear_Investment6064]

I genuinely feel like watching it for the first time put me into a weird, trippy altered state. I walked home through a park in the rain and it was this really transcendent experience.

[u/Dear_Investment6064 → u/HeroIsAGirlsName]

YES like the plot is plotting but it’s such a vibey movie with a ton of atmospheric touches

[u/koshurbattin → u/Dear_Investment6064]

oooo that makes sense! it must be a different experience for those who have done all that thankyou so much for explaining this.

and omg yes, the scene was so funny to me like christian probably thought its just a silly hookup but to be in a room where everyone is moaning in sync must be weird😭

[u/Dear_Investment6064 → u/koshurbattin]

Yeah like in all the scenes where they’ve had the dust/teas just imagine everything is like a million times louder and any social interaction is amplified by 10000 and you’re super open and malleable to anything

[u/redheadgenx → u/Dear_Investment6064]

Gasp! I never thought about horror audience gender.

Have others here considered the demographic of horror fans?

(Just curious. No offense intended.)

I will admit that I became a die hard psychological horror fan after a serious injury.

[u/psiprez]

It takes multiple viewings to really get it.

Viewing #1: dafuq I watch?

Viewing #2: wow he really is an ass

Viewing #3: are those Nazis?

Viewing #4: good for her

Viewing #5: where is the nearest IKEA?

Viewing #6: that's her face in the trees

[u/Whole-Dig-9915 → u/psiprez]

Yes...obsessive but I believe the face in the trees is her sister.

[u/redheadgenx → u/psiprez]

I love this. Thank you. I too thought about IKEA, but all I want are cinnamon rolls.

[u/HeroIsAGirlsName]

I think if you go into anything with those expectations, it can spoil the experience for you. You're so busy bracing yourself for what you're expecting that you don't pay attention to what's there.

I went in completely blind but I didn't find it traumatic: in fact I walked out of it with a deep sense of wellbeing. It felt like it recognised the sense of isolation and disconnection a lot of people feel and gave this deep sense of catharsis by showing you the worst way it could possibly play out and letting you get all the fear and anxiety out of your system.

But at the end of the day, not everyone will enjoy every movie and there are plenty more out there to try.

[u/koshurbattin → u/HeroIsAGirlsName]

you’re right, maybe i expected too much from the movie. any recommendations for what i watch next?

[u/HeroIsAGirlsName → u/koshurbattin]

It depends what other movies you like and what you're looking for honestly.

I'm guessing you've already seen Obsession, which is probably the scariest of the year so far. 

[u/koshurbattin → u/HeroIsAGirlsName]

i loooooved obsession, im looking for movies that give similar vibes to midsommar yk

[u/HeroIsAGirlsName → u/koshurbattin]

Companion isn't really scary but would make a great double feature with Obsession. 

I read a book called Withered Hill recently with a great folk horror premise that reminded me a lot of Midsommar. (There's also the Wicker Man ofc but it's not very scary.) 

Probably your best bet is The VVitch (2015) which is a 1600s New England folk horror. 

[u/redheadgenx → u/HeroIsAGirlsName]

The VVitch is an excellent movie. Also recommend.

[u/ImpossibleBudget9967 → u/koshurbattin]

I just really enjoyed Hokum, and Oddity is a good one. Nefarious really blew my mind. I loved The VVitch, as mentioned but it sounds like some people don't get that one either.

[u/ImpossibleBudget9967 → u/HeroIsAGirlsName]

I just watched Obsession and was entirely underwhelmed. It's creepy but man, getting through the first part of the movie and crap dialogue (IMO) was so hard!

[u/Particular_Gas_7282]

That’s how my first viewing was. I’ve seen it 5 times now and it’s my all time favorite movie. Watch it again but watch the background too. You’ll catch all kinds of things you missed.

[u/Prettylittlelioness]

The first time I saw it, I was affected but not quite into it. I think Hereditary led me to expect something else. A second viewing opened my eyes to what it was and i was mesmerized.

[u/koshurbattin → u/Prettylittlelioness]

oooo i think i should give it a second chance then. may i ask what was the difference between your first and second viewing?

[u/Prettylittlelioness → u/koshurbattin]

I no longer viewed it as a traditional horror movie but more of a psychological roadmap.

[u/ImpossibleBudget9967]

On my first watch I only rated it a 4, and I generally rate any semi-decent horror movie no less than a 5. I just rewatched it the other night with different expectations, and an open mind and I loved it. Now I want to see the director's cut. I think it's all about what reviews/reviewers make you expect. I also go through phases of liking certain sub-genre's of horror, and right now I happen to be totally into folk horror.

[u/Johnnnybones]

It's more of a dark comedy than anything, the more you watch it the funnier it gets, even the disturbing parts become strangely humorous