10 Horror Movie Reveals NOBODY Was Ready For

Ari Aster returns to the big screen this year with a comedy-Western, but the director's style lends itself so well to horror, opening up exciting new narrative and visual avenues. And Midsommar is a prime example of this, set for the most part in a sunlit valley with nary a jump scare to be found, but ranking among the most chilling movies this century. But before we get to that valley, Aster has a nasty surprise waiting.

The film opens by introducing us to protagonist Dani (Florence Pugh), her worthless boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) and his uni mates. We spend ten minutes or so in their company, with Dani fretting about her depressed sister, and Christian and co. planning a trip abroad. Then the lead into the opening titles begins.

With ominous, dragging violins, moody lighting and a slightly slow-mo edit, we are treated to a deeply cinematic crawl around a suburban house. It’s atmospheric, smoky, stylish and stylised, with action unfolding as emergency workers move through it, but nothing prepares us for the upstairs bedrooms: Dani's sister has hooked up the exhaust from the car to a series of hosepipes, which she has taped to her own face and under her parents' bedroom door.

It's truly shocking and, actually, deeply upsetting. Blood and gore and crazy kills are one thing, but a family murder-suicide, staged so realistically, is almost too much to take - so early in the film and apropos of nothing!