Midsommar (2019) — Riley Cross Reviews

You’re here for the "Night In," which is code for escaping the chaos of the world, locking the doors, and letting a movie do the heavy lifting. And frankly, I’m tired of you renting "The Hangover Part Three" again. I need to put you onto something different. I remember when this came out in '19; the marketing tried to sell it as a sunny European vacation with flowers and pastries. We all laughed. I laughed. But then I watched it through my hands and realized: they weren't selling us a holiday, they were selling us our funeral.

This is the ultimate endurance test. It’s a folk horror where daylight doesn't offer safety, where the traditions are ancient and bloody, and where the costumes look like a botched Halloween party. Declaring this a "Night In" means you have to commit to the costume party vibe from the comfort of your own couch. It demands 148 minutes of your undivided attention. There is no blacked-out screen to zone out to. It’s challenging, heavy, and surprisingly affecting.

There is a specific moment that, despite watching it ten times since it hit the theaters, still grabs me. It’s when Dani arrives at the retreat and meets the followers sitting inside a giant brightly-painted circle. They start chanting and asking her to write a message on a blank card as a test of her psychic powers. She writes "Dani" and passes it back. The leader hands it to Dani’s boyfriend Christian, and it reads "WHEN DO WE LAND?" It’s such a specific, non-horror detail delivered in the middle of a cult ritual, and it completely rewires your brain before the horror kicks in.

This is best for when you want to feel something profound, strange, and terrifying, but without the stress of socializing.

Bottom line: You might need a stiff drink after, but this trip to Sweden is unlike anything else.