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"Sinister" is a story made of darkness: mysterious loud bangs in the attic, distant moans from the dead, vulnerable children, an egomaniac crime writer and his long-suffering wife, who is plenty fed up even before she discovers he has moved his family into the same house where horrifying murders took place.

The movie opens with four people standing with nooses around their necks and hoods over their heads. From above the frame, a power saw cuts off a tree limb. As it falls, its weight hangs the victims. Soon after Ellison Oswalt and wife Tracy ( Ethan Hawke and Juliet Rylance ) move into a spacious suburban house, we can see through the kitchen window that the hanging tree, with a distinctive split branch, is in the backyard.

What kind of a psycho would move his family into this house? Even the unfriendly sheriff tells him it's in "very poor taste." But the house was priced to sell. Almost immediately Ellison discovers it was no bargain. In the attic, he finds a box labeled "Home Movies," containing reels of Super-8 film and a projector to exhibit them.

"Sinister" is an undeniably scary movie, with performances adding enough human interest to give depth to the basic building blocks of horror. Ethan Hawke plays an introverted, driven man who wrote a best-selling, true-crime book some years ago and is convinced a book about those ghastly hangings will be another success — especially since one member of the doomed family is still missing.

His wife shares the misgivings of her children about being uprooted from their former home and being moved to an isolated house in the woods. Her distress grows as Ellison locks himself in his office, and grows distant and distracted. Their children, Trevor and Ashley (Michael Hall D'Addario and Clare Foley), begin to have night terrors and episodes of sleepwalking. Although Tracy remains ignorant of the house's true history, the kids discover it soon enough through playground tauntings. Ashley, who has been given one wall of her room to paint on, begins to summon disturbing images.

The film, directed by Scott Derrickson (" The Exorcism of Emily Rose "), focuses on Ellison, who spends much time scrutinizing the 8mm movies, which disturbingly show the murders of other families. He transfers them to his laptop, and his stop-action analysis uncovers almost hidden details. Some shots cause him to recoil in terror. He begins to hit the bottle. His wife grows hostile.

Almost all of the action occurs at night. Wouldn't you know for part of the time the power is off in their neighborhood? (The outage doesn't seem to affect the porch lights.) Even when the power seems to be working, Ellison for no reason prefers to creep around the house and climb into the attic carrying a small flashlight, which serves only to make him a target to anything that might be waiting in the dark. I was strongly reminded of Ellen Burstyn creeping into her attic in " The Exorcist ," holding only a candle. All through "Sinister," you keep thinking, "Switch on the lights, fool!"

Three supporting characters are effective. Fred Dalton Thompson is the sheriff, whose initial hostility later seems only reasonable. James Ransone is his deputy, a crime buff who is star-struck by the famous writer and signs on as a volunteer researcher. (He dreams of being cited in the eventual book: "You know, like thanks to Deputy So-and-So, without whose invaluable help…").

And then there is Vincent D'Onofrio , as a university professor of the occult and mythological, who opens up a line of possibility that eventually saves the ending from being a red herring. Yes, the ending is horrifying, but I don't believe in that stuff. I'm pretty sure I don't.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Sinister (2012)

Rated R for disturbing violent images and some terror

110 minutes

Ethan Hawke as Ellison

Juliet Rylance as Tracy

Vincent D'Onoforio as Jonas

James Ransone as Deputy

• C. Robert Cargill

Directed by

• Scott Derrickson

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• User reviews

A controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer... Read all A controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s. A controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.

• Scott Derrickson
• C. Robert Cargill
• Ethan Hawke
• Juliet Rylance
• James Ransone
• 891 User reviews
• 352 Critic reviews
• 53 Metascore
• 3 wins & 14 nominations

• Ellison Oswalt

• (as Fred Dalton Thompson)

• Pool Party Boy

• Sleepy Time Boy

• (as Nick King)

• Barking Dog
• (uncredited)

• Professor Jonas
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia The family that was hanged on a tree were all played by stuntmen, however when the scene was first done the stunt coordinator botched the preparations for the scene resulting in the actors being legitimately hanged and choked. Fortunately they survived, and the coordinator was fired soon after.
• Goofs (at around 4 mins) Near the beginning of the film, we see Ashley painting a girl in red on the wall. We see that Ashley has painted the girl fully in red, however, in the next shot we see that the girl has a white space where the red paint was before.

[last lines]

Ashley : Don't worry, Daddy. I'll make you famous again.

• Connections Edited into 5 Second Movies: Sinister (2012)
• Soundtracks Silence Teaches You How to Sing Written by Kristoffer Rygg , Joern Henrik Sværen, Tore Ylvisaker Performed by Ulver Courtesy of Jester Records, Oslo, Norway

User reviews 891

• costigan95-712-931904
• Jun 14, 2013
• Why was Vincent D'Onofrio uncredited?
• How did the projector and films end up back at Ellison's old house after he burned them all?
• What is "Sinister" about?
• October 12, 2012 (United States)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• Official Facebook
• Official site
• Found Footage
• 169 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point, New York, USA (The murdered family's home the Oswalts move into - "Family Hanging Out '11")
• Summit Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $3,000,000 (estimated)
• $48,086,903
• $18,007,634
• Oct 14, 2012
• $82,515,113

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 50 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Surround 7.1

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Movie Review

At the Scene of the Crime

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By Manohla Dargis

• Oct. 11, 2012

Something wicked comes creaking along the floorboards in “Sinister” before racing prematurely out the door. Ethan Hawke plays a true-crime author who, when this creepy horror flick opens, is moving his family into a house where another family was slaughtered. He’s investigating the murders for his next book and tells his wife it’s the only house they can afford. The tree from which members of the other family were hanged — a scene that the director Scott Derrickson, who shows it several times, is clearly proud of — looms in a picture window like an omen.

A twitchy Mr. Hawke builds a persuasive portrait of desperation with little help from the script and despite playing a character who makes so many mistakes he might as well be on a suicide mission. Mr. Derrickson, keeping the lights dimmed, effectively puts his pieces into play, even if their familiarity — a man struggling with his art, his foolishly supportive wife, children in peril, possible evil — brings to mind superior entertainments like “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Shining.” Mr. Derrickson’s cleverest detail is the box of Super-8 home movies that turn out to be diabolical mementos and which suggest that film, even when it’s small gauge, is one awesomely powerful medium.

“Sinister” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Creaky floors, dark shadows and mass murder.

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Sinister – review

F or its sheer claustrophobic nastiness, this run-of-the-mill horror film deserves some points. It could, possibly, become a multi-sequel franchise like Saw and Paranormal Activity. Should that happen, it would intensify the depression and oppression that hung powerfully over me as I left the cinema.

The title suggests something oblique, even subtle, a creepy atmosphere. But nothing could be further from the case. Explicit shocks, with crashing musical stabs, are the order of the day. Ethan Hawke , wearing the cable-knit cardie and glasses on a neckchain that were presumably given to him on graduating from the writer's academy, plays Ellison, a once bestselling author of true-crime books. He's moved to a small town to investigate an unsolved missing-person case. But in the attic of a rented house, he finds reels of home-movies that show horrifying scenes, and Ellison and his family are now in a very disturbing situation.

The snuff-porn aesthetic might suggest a realist drama, but a supernatural dimension is brought into play, making the plot directionless. There isn't an ounce of ingenuity in the way the movie is concluded, but some generic expertise in the way it is put together.

• Horror films
• Ethan Hawke

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Sinister Review

05 Oct 2012

110 minutes

Crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke) moves into a house to research a book about a mass hanging, without telling his wife (Juliet Rylance) or children that they’re living in a crime scene. Home movies found in the attic suggest a serial killer — or supernatural force — is responsible for the atrocities. Sinister see-saws between crime mystery and spooky stuff, as the slightly unhinged hero gets deeper into a puzzle that poses a threat to him and his family. Well-acted, reasonably paced and intriguing, this mid-list shocker from writer-director Scott Derrickson is nothing new, but delivers enough subtle creeps to get by.

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Movie Review: Sinister (2012)

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• 5 responses
• --> December 1, 2012

Let’s not mince words here: Sinister scared the fucking shit out of me, and that is not an accolade I hand out lightly. It’s rare to stumble upon a truly scary movie in this day and age; the horror genre has grown stale of late, with filmmakers constantly wasting our time with predictable jump scares and poor attempts at tension. 2012’s Sinister is a diamond in the rough, an authentically terrifying low-budget horror gem that puts to shame 99% of horror movies released in the last decade. Directed in the classical style by Scott Derrickson — who made a huge impression in 2005 with his breakthrough chiller “ The Exorcism of Emily Rose ” — the film is of a rare breed that burrows under the skin and haunts you for days.

A true crime author, Ellison (Hawke) made a huge splash a decade ago with his hit book “Kentucky Blood,” but followed his debut with a string of humiliating misses. Looking to write another hit, Ellison moves his family to rural Pennsylvania. Unbeknownst to Ellison’s family, including wife Tracy (Rylance) and daughter Ashley (Foley), he has actually moved them into the very house where four people were killed in the horrific unsolved murder case that Ellison plans to write about. Hoping to connect to the crime and conduct extensive research about the brutal murder, Ellison sets up a private office in which to do his work. However, Ellison stumbles upon far more than he bargained for when he discovers a box of 8mm home movies in the attic. The box, as it turns out, contains disturbing snuff films showing families being murdered by a demonic ghoul. Delving further and further into the case, Ellison reaches the point where the line between reality and nightmare is blurred.

Unlike most horror flicks, Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill show interest in developing the characters as genuine human beings. The scenes of Tracy and Ellison arguing over what’s best for the family feel organic rather than tacked on, and help to generate a sense of danger. Likewise, the film works as a careful character study of Ellison, who’s struggling to reclaim his former glory at any cost. Striving to make a lasting legacy, Ellison grows distant from his family as he becomes overwhelmed by his obsessive work practices. Some may question why Ellison does not automatically pick up and leave as soon as he thinks something is up, but this is all part of Ellison’s flawed character; he doesn’t want to believe anything is wrong. He’s so consumed with the thought of finishing his book, and so convinced that supernatural stuff is non-existent, that he refuses to think straight. Added to this, Sinister may look like a standard horror fare on the surface, but it’s surprisingly inventive, with a late plot twist and a climax which had this reviewer’s jaw gaping open.

Scott Derrickson is a real talent in the field of horror. “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” is one of the creepiest horror movies of its decade, yet Derrickson has upped the ante with Sinister , showing that his tragic remake of “ The Day the Earth Stood Still ” was just an unfortunate fluke. Admittedly, Sinister is occasionally predictable and Derrickson serves up a smattering of jump scares, but the film is extremely effective nevertheless because the images which trigger the jump scares are goddamn petrifying. The way that Derrickson builds and maintains tension is legendary, and a late scene grows so intense that you could be forgiven for screaming in terror alongside Ellison. Every set-piece is well-staged and effective; the snuff films are too immediate for comfort, and tension is intoxicating whenever Ellison wanders his house’s dark hallways. Furthermore, Derrickson’s crew clearly understood the importance of an effective soundscape in horror. Christopher Young’s score is harrowing and skin-crawling, and the soundtrack is otherwise filled with creepy sounds, whisperings and chants. It’s rare to see a horror film in this style that’s so technically proficient.

Imprisoned prizes.

Ethan Hawke was faced with a tough task in portraying Ellison; he was required to communicate the writer’s bruised ego and sell his self-destructive ambition, all the while remaining watchable and maintaining audience sympathy. Remarkably, he pulled it off. Hawke seems genuine terrified whenever the occasion calls for it, and he makes Ellison seem like a real person. Moreover, a lot of the more gruesome imagery from the 8mm home movies is never actually glimpsed; Derrickson instead replaced a few unsettling moments with Hawke’s horrified reactions. It amplifies the power of said scenes, and it also prevents Sinister from devolving into dumb torture porn. Meanwhile, in her first major motion picture, Juliet Rylance holds her own playing Ellison’s wife, Tracy. In a welcome twist on the usual cliché, Tracy does not see anything that makes her suspect the house is haunted. Also in the cast is Vincent D’Onofrio, glimpsed via iChat as a University professor who assists Ellison in his research. An amiable James Ransone plays a helpful deputy, while Fred Dalton Thompson is excellent as a sheriff who detests the thought of Ellison moving into his town.

Sinister is a true breath of fresh air. This is an exceptional horror film, reinforcing that Derrickson is one of this generation’s finest horror filmmakers. Perhaps what sets it apart from its contemporaries is how focused it is. James Wan’s remarkable “ Insidious ” was spine-chilling, yet the terror was broken up by a sense of funhouse camp. And while Ti West’s “ The Innkeepers ” is scary, it gives us two fun central characters and a healthy sense of humor. Sinister has none of that. It’s a downright petrifying film which scares the fucking hell out of you and never lets you feel safe. If you watch it in a dark room by yourself late at night, you won’t sleep for days.

Tagged: author , family , murder , supernatural

I'm a true blue fair dinkum Aussie larrakin from Down Under (or Australia, if you're not a fan of slang). Yep, I wrestle crocs and I throw shrimps on the barbie. Movies are my passion. I also post my reviews on Flixster, Listal and MovieFilmReview. I've been writing reviews as a hobby since 2003, and since then my technique has increased big time. I'm also studying Media at University, which helps me develop my writing skills. I am continually commended for my writing from both tutors and peers. On top of reviewing movies, I voluntarily contribute to the local newspaper in the area of music journalism. And I'm a through-and-through gym junkie. Yep, my life thus revolves around peers, studies, movies and exercise. I'm more than happy.

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'Movie Review: Sinister (2012)' have 5 comments

December 1, 2012 @ 12:13 pm RainCloud

Definitely one of the creepier films of the year.

Log in to Reply

December 1, 2012 @ 3:10 pm Jarrod Whaley

It’s a scary movie but it’s not that scary!

December 2, 2012 @ 4:51 pm StrawberryBunny

Jump scares abound and the protagonist is an idiot.

January 28, 2013 @ 2:03 pm Alessio Valsecchi

At least Scott Derrickson should be proud of this movie: he tried hard to create something different, as he always has done in the past, and succeeded. Sinister is not flawless but builds something creepy inside the mindful spectator that is hard to shake off and forget. Cult movie.

March 6, 2013 @ 9:19 pm Maro.

I’d be into watching a sequel if they were to make one. It’s an interesting concept and there aren’t many of those around these days.

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Directed by Scott Derrickson

Once you see him, nothing can save you.

Found footage helps a true-crime novelist realize how and why a family was murdered in his new home, though his discoveries put his entire family in the path of a supernatural entity.

Ethan Hawke Juliet Rylance Vincent D'Onofrio James Ransone Fred Thompson Clare Foley Michael Hall D'Addario Victoria Leigh Blake Mizrahi Cameron Ocasio Danielle Kotch Ethan Haberfield Nicholas King Tavis Smiley Rachel Konstantin Emily Brobst

Director Director

Scott Derrickson

Producers Producers

Jason Blum Brian Kavanaugh-Jones

Writer Writer

C. Robert Cargill

Casting Casting

Sheila Jaffe Ruth Salen Susan Paley Abramson

Editor Editor

Frédéric Thoraval

Cinematography Cinematography

Christopher Norr

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Nicholas R. Bell Gerard DiNardi

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Scott Derrickson Charles Layton

Lighting Lighting

Nina Kuhn Jeremy Launais

Camera Operators Camera Operators

Scott Maguire Jack Donnelly George Bianchini

Production Design Production Design

David Brisbin

Art Direction Art Direction

John El Manahi Carmen Cárdenas

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Chris Leuzzi Mike Spence Roddy Cruz Doug Devine Justin Price

Special Effects Special Effects

Phillip Beck Ryan Senecal

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Tim Jacobsen Jason Piccioni David Altenau

Title Design Title Design

Aaron Becker

Stunts Stunts

Jasi Cotton Lanier Stanton Barrett Emily Brobst Heidi Burger Scott Burik Chris Colombo Tanner Gill Szilvia Gogh Chris J. King Michael R. King Rob King Devin Sanchez Manny Siverio Mark Stefanich Shawnna Thibodeau Trampas Thompson Aaron Vexler Katie Letien

Composer Composer

Christopher Young

Songs Songs

Daniel Wehr

Sound Sound

Alex Ullrich John Sanacore Marc Aramian Dane A. Davis David A. Whittaker Jack Hutson Matthew Iadarola Paul Hackner Daniel Wehr

Costume Design Costume Design

Abby O'Sullivan

Makeup Makeup

Arielle Toelke Lauzanne Nel Karma Karel Jason Milani Stacy St. Onge Björn Rehbein Rich Krusell

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Satoko Ichinose Terry Robbins Sonia Castleberry Sarah Hindsgaul Liliana Meyrick

Automatik Entertainment Blumhouse Productions Alliance Films IM Global Summit Entertainment

Canada UK USA

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

English Portuguese French Breton

Releases by Date

11 mar 2012, 29 mar 2012, 04 oct 2012, 05 oct 2012, 10 oct 2012, 11 oct 2012, 12 oct 2012, 18 oct 2012, 25 oct 2012, 26 oct 2012, 31 oct 2012, 01 nov 2012, 02 nov 2012, 07 nov 2012, 08 nov 2012, 09 nov 2012, 15 nov 2012, 22 nov 2012, 23 nov 2012, 30 nov 2012, 06 dec 2012, 07 dec 2012, 19 dec 2012, 20 dec 2012, 04 jan 2013, 10 jan 2013, 14 mar 2013, 09 may 2013, 11 may 2013, releases by country.

• Theatrical 13
• Theatrical MA15+

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

• Theatrical 14
• Theatrical 14A
• Theatrical 18
• Theatrical 12
• Theatrical 15
• Theatrical K-16
• Theatrical 16
• Theatrical IIB
• Theatrical הותר לבני 18 ומעלה נימוק: אלימות רבה
• Theatrical VM14
• Theatrical PG12
• Theatrical N-16
• Theatrical B15

Netherlands

New zealand, philippines.

• Theatrical R-13
• Theatrical M/18

Russian Federation

• Theatrical 18+
• Theatrical NC-16

South Korea

• Theatrical R-18
• Theatrical 13+
• Premiere R South by Southwest Film Festival
• Theatrical R

United Arab Emirates

• Theatrical 15+

110 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Erik 🎼 ★★★ 11

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

“there’s only one thing worse than a rapist..” “a child ” “no-“

Review by liam f ★★★½ 16

nothing warms my heart more than seeing families hang out together

Review by gal pacino ★★★ 11

“my husband keeps making our family move into crime scene houses haunted by violent murders and now he’s unleashed a paegan deity all because he wants to write the next great american true-crime book” is a marital problem i would actually love to have. i think my friends would be sympathetic and it would be fun to complain about on our girls nights out! 😝

Review by a ☭ ★★★½ 8

ethan hawke's mind in this movie: true c RIMEEEEE AHHHH TRUE CRIME I DONT NEED MY WIFE OR MY TWO PIECE OF SHIT CHILDREN I HAVE THIS COOL TRUE CRIME HOUSE WOOOOOHOOOOO SUPER 8 FILM TRUE CRIME TRUE CRIME TRUE CRIME HAHAHAHAHAH I AM THE BEST WRITER EVER STEPHEN KING BETTER FUCK OFF Haha! Wooooooooooo!! Wait never mind we have to move bye-bye deputy so-and-so

Review by CinemaVoid 🏴‍☠️ ★★½ 3

A scientific study suggests that Sinister is the scariest movie ever but the scariest thing about it was Ethan Hawke’s dirty cardigan. Wash that shit man.

Review by Mark Marshall ★★★★ 2

If you are a crime writer who moves into a murder house in order to investigate how it became a murder house, you cannot get mad when you yourself are murder house’d.

Review by matt lynch ★★★ 1

Features an almost 1:1 genuinely creepy/deeply silly ratio.

Review by aliyah ★★½ 2

‘snakes don’t have feet.’

there’s no way that THIS has been scientifically proven to be the scariest film ever

Review by fatima ★★½ 4

I wasn't paying attention so this was just a bunch of loud noises and I occasionally looked up to see ethan hawke in a cardigan

Review by amaya ★★★ 4

the thing that i found the most unrealistic in a movie that features literal ghosts was the main character zooming on super8 footage and getting crystal clear pictures like it's IMAX or something trust me i tried and that shit should be BLURRY

Review by SilentDawn ★★★½ 9

Ethan Hawke reacts to creepy super 8 footage and strange noises. All it takes for an effective horror film. Killer soundtrack, and genuinely disturbing.

Review by DirkH ★★½ 18

Part of Dastardly Difficult December: film nr.81

If only......

If only they had managed to continue the messed up creepiness of the opening shot.

If only they hadn't decided to trade in the first act's subtle scares for the LET'S ACCOMPANY EVERYTHING WITH LOUD SOUNDS scares.

If only Ethan Hawke had gotten better material to work with (as is, he makes this thing slightly watchable).

If only it had actually been sinister.

If only the creepy kids had actually been creepy instead of looking like they had a mild rash.

If only they had left the 'How to stuff your film with Tropes' at home.

If only....

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10 reasons to watch madame web now that it's streaming despite its disappointing reviews.

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Madame Web Ending Explained (In Detail)

The evil spider-man in madame web explained - who is ezekiel sims, madame web just made uncle ben's death even darker than every spider-man movie.

• Madame Web is a stand-alone movie, no prior knowledge needed to understand the unique Spider-Heroes and their story.
• The movie indirectly showcases how cool a Sinister Six movie could be, with a focus on the terrifying side of Spider-Man.
• Madame Web's lack of traditional superheroes offers a fresh take with small-scale action and a focus on future heroes.

It's no secret that Madame Web failed to meet critical or financial expectations when it hit theaters in early 2024, but there are several reasons why Sony's divisive Marvel movie is worth checking out now that it's streaming. Sony's Spider-Man Univers e, containing two Venom movies, Morbius , and Madame Web (with Venom: The Last Dance and Kraven the Hunter coming out later this year), has received a mixed reception as the franchise attempts to build a Spider-Man universe without Spider-Man. However, Madame Web attempts to bridge that gap by introducing four different Spider-Heroes with presumed plans to integrate them into the wider franchise.

However, while Madame Web succeeds in providing backstory for its titular hero and three one-day Spider-Women, it was ultimately bogged down by apparent last-minute rewrites and an underbaked villain. While these flaws and others are undeniable, though, it doesn't mean that Madame Web isn't worth a watch. Now, with the movie available on Netflix, the bar to viewership has never been lower. Here are 10 reasons why Sony's Madame Web is worth some of your time.

Madame Web Review: Sony's New Spider-Man Universe Movie Is A Horrible, Cheap Imitation

With an awful script and not a single ounce of charm among the star-studded cast, Madame Web feels like little more than a Spider-Man movie knockoff.

10 Madame Web Is A Stand-Alone Movie

No prior knowledge needed.

One largely justifiable complaint about modern big-budget superhero movies is that it can be hard to just in for audiences not already caught up with the respective franchises. With the Sony Spider-Man Universe being six years old and Spider-Man's big-screen history going back much further, it's a valid concern for potential viewers that Madame Web may require significant prior viewing. However, that's not the case at all.

Though Madame Web includes characters from the wider Spider-Man mythos, the story told here is not a continuation of any previous movie or TV show . Everything audiences need to know to understand Cassandra Webb and her story is right here in a tight, sub-two-hour runtime. That isn't to say some of Madame Web 's plot threats couldn't have used a bit more development - particularly the villainous Ezekiel Sims - but no backstory or context is missing going into Madame Web cold.

9 Madame Web Indirectly Shows How Cool A Sinister Six Movie Could Be

Spider-man can be scary.

Sony has long been trying to make a Sinister Six movie happen, and Madame Web accidentally proves how interesting the concept could be. Though details are largely nonexistent for Sony's Sinister Six plans, the movie would presumably focus on six Spider-Man villains uniting to take out the web-head. If it follows suit from Sony's current run of movies, it seems likely they may even be stationed as narrative protagonists - regardless of moral standing. Spider-Man as a narrative antagonist is an interesting concept that hasn't been done, but Madame Web puts a twist on the concept.

While Ezekiel Sims is underdeveloped, he has powers and a suit incredibly similar to Spider-Man (minus the web-shooters). In the film's most effective scene, Sim - in full Spider-Man-style garb - methodically takes out a batch of police officers in pursuit of Cassier and her companions. The scene shows just how terrifying Spider-Man can be when his acrobatic fighting techniques are viewed from the outside, and seeing the concept expanded in a Sinister Six project could be exciting.

8 Madame Web's Lack Of Traditional Superheros

The movie is more concerned with future heroes than present ones.

For those feeling burnt out on traditional superheroes, Madam Web 's unique take on the concept could be a welcome breath of fresh air. While Madame Web 's marketing incorrectly focused on Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, and Isabela Merced in sharp-looking spider suits, the reality is that they spend the entire movie without powers. Even Cassie, the closest person to a traditional superhero in the movie, doesn't really become one until the project's final scene.

While that's understandably disappointing for those expecting what the trailers promised, it's not bad in and of itself. The movie's structure as an extended origin story does seem dated, but true, old-school origin projects hearken back to a different age of superhero movies. Madame Web is more Final Destination than Spider-Man , and that alone may be an intriguing concept to some.

The Madame Web movie ending is key for Sony's Spider-Man Universe, setting up the titular Marvel hero and three versions of Spider-Woman.

7 Madame Web Could Be Important To The Future Of The SSU

Sony's current plans are unclear.

As of now, it's unclear what the endgame is for Sony's Spider-Man Universe. The franchise seems centered on Venom, given the titular hero's movies have been successful and he remains a generally popular character. However, the third Venom movie's subtitle, The Last Dance, seems to imply an end to his tenure in the franchise.

Madame Web lead Dakota Johnson has been clear that she isn't particularly interested in doing another superhero movie anytime soon. However, the movie also set up three different Spider-Women for future appearances. It's unclear if Sweeney, Merced, and O'Conner would reprise their roles in the "present" given the time gap between Madame Web and the rest of the SSU, but their characters could re-appear as full-fledged superheroes in any upcoming project.

6 Madame Web Doesn't Devolve Into World-Ending Stakes

The conflict remains personal.

It's a common and largely justified criticism of modern superhero movies that they too often fall back to massive, world-ending stakes and massive battles. While these types of conflicts can be exciting, they're also over-done and not required for every story. In this regard, Madame Web is refreshing. The villainous Ezekiel Sims doesn't express a desire to conquer the world or threaten the multiverse. Instead, he's out to kill three girls who will otherwise eventually kill him.

That isn't to say there aren't massive issues with how Sims is written - or, really, the lack of writing. He lacks a tangible backstory or future goals, but the smaller stakes conflict in the movie is a welcome change of pace. Though there's some spotty CGI, the action is also overall well done and easy to follow.

The first Madame Web trailer introduces Ezekiel Sims, a surprising villain looking to be an Evil Spider-Man with very different origins in the comics.

5 Madame Web Is Iconic (For Better Or Worse)

The movie has people talking.

Much like Morbius before it, some of Madame Web 's worst lines and scenes instantly became viral internet memes. For those with no interest in seeing the movie for its own merits, it may be worth checking it out just to stay abreast of the best Madame Web jokes and memes. While that's foolish to recommend while the movie is in theaters, some may find it enticing if they already have a Netflix subscription.

From image macros about the movie's poor line re-recording to jokes about some of Cassie Webb's more bizarre comments and in-universe predictions, Madame Web memes will likely spike again as the movie becomes widely available. The goal of a movie is never to become ironically infamous, but there's undeniable fun to be had joining in on some of the internet's biggest jokes.

4 Madame Web Is The First Movie To Flesh Out Uncle Ben

A character usually popular for his death.

Despite eight previous live-action Spider-Man movies and a handful of animated projects, Madame Web explores an under-seen corner of Peter Parker's story. Uncle Ben is, perhaps, the most important person in Peter's life. After gaining his abilities, Ben's words of wisdom about power and responsibility, followed by his untimely death, are what inspire Peter to become the hero that he does.

Yet, Ben, as a person before his final weeks, is largely left out of Peter's journey . Madame Web fixes that, introducing Adam Scott's Ben Parker as a NYC paramedic in the time just before Peter's birth and right as he meets someone presumed to be the future Aunt May. Ben's status as Peter's uncle isn't particularly important to the movie overall, but it's interesting to get some more insight into the man known predominantly for dying.

Madame Web revealed a close connection between Ben Parker and Cassandra Webb, making Ben's eventual death much darker in hindsight.

3 Madame Web Is The Live-Action Debut Of Several Spider-Heroes

Several spider-women debut.

While some were disappointed that none of the heroes besides Cassie Webs actually got their powers in Madame Web (an expectation unfairly set up by the trailers), the movie is the live-action debut of several notable spider heroes . Sydney Sweeney plays Julia Cornwall, which is clearly a take on Marvel Comics' Julia Carpenter, AKA Spider-Woman. Isabela Merced, meanwhile, plays Anya Corazón, known as either Spider-Girl or Araña in the comics. The trio is rounded out by Celeste O'Connor's Mattie Franklin, also better known as Spider-Woman.

Despite Spider-Man's many live-action movies, none of them have really delved into the extended Spider-Family. This has changed a bit with a wider focus in the animated Spider-Verse series, but Madame Web remains the only project to cast such a wide net in its use of spider-people in live-action. Perhaps this will change in the future of the MCU or if these characters return in the SSU.

2 Madame Web's Action Is Easy To Follow

The fights are relatively small scale.

Massive superhero battles can be thrilling, but they can also lean a bit too much into CGI. When this happens, fights can lose their weight, both visually and emotionally. While it would have been great to get a bit more backstory on Ezekiel Sims, he isn't concerned with world domination. This keeps the movie's action set pieces small and easy to follow.

Ezekiel, being similar in powers to Spider-Man, poses a significant physical threat to Cassie and the future Spider-Women. However, given Cassie's powers are limited, she relies on evasiveness and the occasional motor vehicle to keep her safe. The movie's climactic confrontation involves a few more superpowers, but it still avoids unintelligible CGI blasts.

1 Cassie's Power Are Cool Once She Hones Them

The future is now.

Classic superhero origin story movies aren't as common as they used to be, so it's entertaining to see one in line with what was more common throughout the 2000s. The downside is that it does take Cassie quite a while to gain and understand her superpowers. However, once she does, they're used for some satisfyingly creative sequences.

Though Cassie's powers extend further, at their most basic level, they allow her to see the future. Somewhat similar to Final Destination , these visions often include deaths. Seeing Cassie deftly dodge threats and change potential futures is exciting in Madame Web 's third act and should be even more impressive if the character manages to return.

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Chris pratt “devastated” at news of stunt double tony mcfarr’s death, breaking news.

Samuel Goldwyn Films Acquires ‘The Count Of Monte Cristo’ Ahead Of Cannes Premiere

By Matt Grobar

Matt Grobar

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EXCLUSIVE : Ahead of its premiere out of competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired U.S. rights to The Count of Monte Cristo , a new French film based on the classic adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas, which it will release later this year.

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Produced by Dimitri Rassam, who also produced The Three Musketeers , the film tells the story of a young man, Edmond Dantes (Pierre Niney), who becomes the target of a sinister plot and is arrested on his wedding day for a crime he did not commit. After 14 years in the island prison of Château d’If, he manages a daring escape. Now rich beyond his dreams, he assumes the identity of the Count of Monte-Cristo and exacts his revenge on the three men who betrayed him.

Anaïs Demoustier, Laurent Lafitte, Anamaria Vartolomei and Bastien Bouillon also star. Pathé will give the movie a wide release in French theaters on June 28.

The deal was negotiated by Miles Fineburg on behalf of Samuel Goldwyn Films and by Marie Laure Montironi from Pathé, which handles international sales on the film.

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5 Netflix movies we can’t wait to see this summer, ranked

In a year when many movies have been delayed because of strikes, Netflix still has a pretty solid slate coming over the summer. The three months from June to August will include something for everyone in your family, whether you like steamy thrillers or fascinating documentaries.

5. Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (August 2)

4. outstanding: a comedy revolution (june 18), 3. a family affair (june 28), 2. beverly hills cop: axel f (july 3), 1. hit man (june 7).

We’ve pulled together the five best movies coming to Netflix this summer for your perusal, and ranked them from the ones we’re least excited about to the one we simply can’t wait to see. All of these movies are going to be interesting, though, and at least a few of them are almost guaranteed to be worth your time no matter what you like.

One of the most surprising phenomena in children’s entertainment in recent years has been the remarkable quality of the various live-action, animation hybrid SpongeBob SquarePants movies. While there’s no guarantee that Saving Bikini Bottom  will be good, it’s definitely not going to be the kind of generic schlock that is so often fed to children.

• The best thrillers on Netflix right now
• 5 Netflix shows we can’t wait to see this summer, ranked
• 3 action movies on Netflix you need to watch in May 2024

SpongeBob has always been a funnier, sharper show than many of its detractors give it credit for, and that sense of humor has served the franchise well in its latest leap to the big screen.

There are plenty of great documentaries about the history of standup comedy, but  Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution  is bringing a unique perspective to the story. The film chronicles the history of LGBTQ+ comedy and the way it has intersected with the overall history of LGBTQ+ people in America.

The film offers a perspective not just on comedy but specifically on how queer comedians advanced both the art of comedy and the rights of the queer community, and were consistently funny the entire time.

Asking Zac Efron ( The Iron Claw ) to play a movie star caught in the middle of some romantic turbulence is like asking a bee to make some honey. In A Family Affair , Efron stars alongside Joey King and Nicole Kidman, and it doesn’t take long for things to get complicated. King plays an assistant to Efron’s movie star, a relationship that becomes complicated after he falls in love with her mother.

Kidman is one of our great working actresses, and she hasn’t starred in this kind of straightforward romantic comedy in some time, which makes A Family Affair  all the more enticing.

As we’ve all discovered in recent years, legacy sequels can be hit or miss. Even so, the excitement couldn’t be much higher for  Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F , which sees Eddie Murphy returning as Axel Foley, the wise-cracking detective that he made so popular in the 1980s. When Axel’s daughter is kidnapped, he teams up with a new partner and some old friends to get to the bottom of a sinister conspiracy.

Eddie Murphy has proven that he still has plenty of comedic juice left in the tank in recent years, so here’s hoping that Axel F  can take full advantage of its star.

Richard Linklater’s done a little bit of everything over the course of his career, but he’s never made an action comedy quite like  Hit Man . Starring Top Gun: Maverick ‘s Glen Powell as a man who pretends to be a hitman for his city police department, Hit Man  sees him pushing the boundaries of his professional obligations when he finds himself falling for a woman who is trying to escape her abusive husband.

2024 is set to be the summer of Glen Powell, and  Hit Man  is the opening salvo of the charm offensive. ( Twisters is coming to theaters later in the season to pick up the slack.) If Hit Man is as good as the trailer, it will be well worth checking out.

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This month's best animated movies on Netflix are all about DreamWorks Animation. In the absence of an animated Netflix original or anything from Universal/Illumination, three classic DreamWorks' flicks are heating up the movie charts for Netflix: Shrek, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.

Those films may be old, but they've got the staying power to stand alongside Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, both of which remain prime attractions on Netflix after cleaning up at the box office last year. There may not be comparable animated hits coming down the pipeline this year, but the best animated movies on Netflix will remain in good shape as long as Netflix keeps adding films from the past and present.

2024 has, thus far, been kind of a strange year for movies. While there have been some marquee titles in theaters like The Fall Guy, and some breakout hits on streaming like Scoop, thanks in large part to the strikes that lasted for months on end, there are fewer movies than we might normally expect.

This temporary drop off in the supply of new titles is a perfect excuse to do a little exploring. While it may not be the most popular streaming service, Peacock has a library of great titles that are well worth exploring. This May, we'd recommend checking out one of the older movies on the service, The Best Years of Our Lives, which tells the story of three World War II veterans who return home at the end of the war. Here's why you should check it out. It's remarkably prescient about the nature of trauma The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) Official Trailer - Myrna Loy, Fredric March Movie HD

May is a big month for sci-fi on Netflix thanks to the arrival of Atlas, Brad Peyton's first directed film since 2018's Rampage. The sci-fi action thriller stars Jennifer Lopez as Atlas Shepherd, an intelligent data analyst forced to make an uneasy alliance with AI to save humanity. Besides Lopez, Atlas' ensemble includes Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, and Mark Strong.

Atlas comes to Netflix on May 24. Until then, many sci-fi films are in the streamer's library, from thrillers and anime to action and dystopian. Below are five sci-fi movies available to stream this month, including the sequel to an original space opera, a brilliant satire, and an innovative action thriller. Rebel Moon -- Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)

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'Evil Does Not Exist' — or does it? — in this mysterious Japanese eco-drama

Justin Chang

Ryô Nishikawa plays Hana in Evil Does Not Exist. via Janus Films hide caption

Ryô Nishikawa plays Hana in Evil Does Not Exist.

What do you do after you've directed a talky, three-hour Japanese drama that became a critics' darling and major arthouse hit and received four Oscar nominations, winning one for best international feature?

If you're Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, the gifted 45-year-old filmmaker behind Drive My Car , you step back and go for a long walk in the woods, in search of fresh air and new ideas.

The result is a mesmerizing new movie, Evil Does Not Exist , that leaves behind the mostly urban settings of Hamaguchi's earlier films like Happy Hour and Asako I & II . It takes place in a rural village within driving distance of Tokyo, that's home to a close-knit community of about 6,000 people.

'Drive My Car' may be the most absorbing ride you take all year

The first two characters we meet are a young girl named Hana and her single dad, Takumi, a woodcutter who knows the surrounding forest better than most. The movie sets a gently pastoral rhythm, following father and daughter as they walk through the woods, identifying trees and other plants and stumbling on the occasional dead deer.

Takumi, wonderfully played by Hitoshi Omika, knows that their presence here is disruptive, but he and his fellow residents do strive to be good, responsible stewards of the land. And so they're incensed when they learn that a company is planning to build a glamping resort in the area, with potentially disastrous environmental consequences.

And so Evil Does Not Exist begins as a kind of ecological parable, pitting townsfolk against corporate developers. The centerpiece is a brilliantly written and acted sequence in which the company reps meet with the locals, promising that the campsite will bring tourists and boost their economy.

But the locals aren't fools, and one by one, they raise issues, from the risk of wildfires from BBQ pits to the septic tank that will pollute the town's water supply. The sequence has some of the texture of a Frederick Wiseman documentary , and it's similarly skilled at turning a slideshow presentation in a community center into the stuff of engrossing drama.

There's a turning point in the story when one of the company reps — Takahashi, played by the actor Ryûji Kosaka — seems to fall under the spell of this wooded region and even fantasizes about moving here. For a while it looks like the movie might be the story of a city mouse turning country mouse.

But nothing about Evil Does Not Exist turns out to be predictable. As he's done before, Hamaguchi gives us characters who are too complicated and richly drawn to be reduced to any one type. Yet that doesn't explain how hauntingly different this movie feels from his other work.

It's more sparsely written and more unsettling in tone. The musical score, composed by Eiko Ishibashi, is both lush and ominous, and it often cuts off abruptly, to disorienting effect. The outdoor scenery is shot with a crystalline beauty, but the longer you watch, the more sinister the imagery becomes. At times Hamaguchi positions the camera at ground level looking up, as if to show us the perspective of the earth itself. In these moments, the human characters suddenly look strangely alien, like the interlopers they are.

I've seen Evil Does Not Exist a few times now, and each time it's held me rapt, only to leave me feeling profoundly unnerved. Much of that has to do with the ending, which is confounding in ways that have already generated a lot of debate. I'm still wrestling with the ending myself and what it says about the human compulsion to dominate one's environment. I'm also still getting a handle on the title. It's as if Hamaguchi is trying to get us to look at the natural world, human beings included, beyond the comforting framework of good vs. evil.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the character of Takumi, whom Omika plays with an inscrutability that both frightens you and draws you in. He may be a loving father and caretaker of the land, but Takahashi misreads him at his own peril. It's the two lead actors' performances that keep you watching through the shattering final moments. Whether or not evil exists, I'm glad a movie this mysterious and powerful does.

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‘ghost trail’ review: a tense, terrifically acted thriller about syrian exiles in france.

Premiering in Cannes' Critics' Week sidebar, Jonathan Millet's film stars Adam Bessa as a Syrian refugee tasked with tracking down his former torturer.

By Jon Frosch

Senior Editor, Reviews

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A stirring, expertly judged thriller powered by a pair of blazing performances, Ghost Trail ( Les Fantômes ) kicks off Cannes ’ Critics’ Week sidebar in first-rate form.

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Working from a screenplay (“inspired by true events”) co-written with Florence Rochat, Millet displays a shrewd grasp of paranoid-thriller mechanics: fluid camerawork, crisp cutting, propulsive music, anxiety-spiking sound design. He also has a refreshing preference for intimacy and clarity over distancing stylistic or narrative fussiness. Given how often these movies’ plot convolutions make us feel like Winona Ryder in the SAG Awards meme , Ghost Trail ’s straightforwardness is a boon — evidence that the writer-director is interested in the protagonist’s experience as something more than a vessel for instant genre gratifications. One of the satisfactions of the film is indeed how it lets us focus on the story’s stakes rather than indecipherable double-crosses or unconnectable dots.  

Best of all are the two fascinatingly matched feats of acting at the movie’s center: the stealthy emotional wallop delivered by French-Tunisian lead Adam Bessa ( Extraction ) and a spine-chilling supporting turn from Tawfeek Barhom (the Palestinian star of Cairo Conspiracy ). Ghost Trail should give their profiles, and Millet’s, a robust international boost.

The film sketches in the details of Hamid’s life, helping us to piece together his past and present. He lives in a sparsely appointed studio, its drab wallpaper covered with scribbled notes, where he watches news reports describing attacks by the Syrian government on its own people. Via video calls to his mother — currently in a refugee camp in Beirut — and sessions with civil servants helping him establish residency in France, we learn he was a literature professor in Aleppo and was imprisoned for political dissidence. While he was in jail, his wife and young daughter were killed in a bombing.

Hamid is now part of an underground network of Syrians trailing fugitive henchmen of the Assad regime around Europe and turning them over to local authorities to be arrested and tried. His newest target, as confirmed by his handler (Julia Franz Richter), is Sami Hanna, aka Harfaz: the very man who administered Hamid’s brutal weekly beating, as well as that of other civilian detainees, in Sednaya Prison.

Yara helps Hamid trace Harfaz (Barhom) to the local university, where he’s a graduate student in chemistry. The catch, of course, is that Hamid can’t identify his target with 100-percent certainty, because he’s never actually laid eyes on him; he was blindfolded during the beatings. Moreover, when the unit runs a background check using the name Hamid spots on Harfaz’s ID card — Hassan Al Rammah — the report points to an individual on file as an enemy of the Assad regime.

Still, Hamid feels deep in his gut that the slim, bespectacled scholar hunched over his books in the library is the monster who left him with a map of scars splayed across his back, not to mention psychological wounds that may never heal. Other members of the cell accuse him of “wishful thinking,” but Hamid is sure that the voice and even the smell of the man he’s been following belong to his torturer.

Millet knows how to crank up the tension, assisted by Yuksek’s churning electro-infused score and the deft layering of ambient campus noise — whispers in the hallway, chairs creaking, the shuffling of papers — with Hamid’s own throbbing heartbeat. The filmmaker and DP Olivier Boonjing shoot Bessa up close as Hamid spies on his suspect and listens to recordings of victim testimonies; we see the glistening of sweat on his skin and the tightening of his jaw, hear his breathing grow ragged.

With dreamy, almond-shaped eyes and high-cut cheekbones, Bessa has a soulful movie-star magnetism that he modulates flawlessly here. The actor shows us both the cracks of acute panic and the deeper hollows of despair, as well as an abiding gentleness, beneath Hamid’s practiced stoicism. It’s a deceptively economical, richly affecting performance.

For the first half of the film, we see Harfaz through Hamid’s furtive POV, from behind or a distance, at odd angles or around corners. When the two at last come face-to-face, sitting across from each other over a canteen meal, it’s a hushed showstopper of a scene — a mental tug-of-war in which each question posed and banality exchanged is freighted with terrifying unspoken meaning.

Alternating teasing warmth and coded menace, Harfaz doesn’t exude straight-up evil, conjuring a far more unsettling mix of bitter disillusionment, guilt, loneliness and contained rage. Barhom is masterful, turning the simple act of chewing food into something somehow both sinister and vulnerable, jaws, teeth and salivary glands working in queasy concert.

That’s thanks, in part, to Millet’s willingness to slow things down, to capture fleeting instances of sensuality, beauty or connection: cardamom seeds being placed in a teapot; Yara’s fingers resting gingerly on Hamid’s bare stomach as she dresses his wound; a spoonful of honey sampled at a Christmas market.

In one surprising scene, Harfaz offers Hamid ghraybe (Middle Eastern butter cookies) as they take a study break on a secluded campus lawn. At first, the situation feels fraught with danger — is this an ambush? But after Harfaz picks one of the pastries and takes a bite, Hamid does the same. “Good?” Harfaz checks with Hamid to see if he likes it. A long shot shows them savoring this taste of home side by side, surrounded by tall grasses and flowers, their wordlessness punctuated only by the sounds of birds and a light breeze.

It’s an uncomfortably lovely moment, as the horror of what these two men are to each other is eclipsed by something shared and ineffable: nostalgia for a lost motherland. That kind of human and moral intricacy distinguishes Ghost Trail , which finally leaves a sting of sorrow that’s hard to see coming, and harder to shake.  

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‘The Girl With the Needle’ Review: Magnus von Horn and Vic Carmen Sonne Cast a Shattering Spell in Haunting Historical Drama

Cannes 2024: With a killer score and stunning visuals, this film descends into darkness

From the opening moments of the delicately haunting film “The Girl With the Needle” (titled “PIGEN MED NÅLEN” in Danish), nightmarishly beautiful black-and-white visuals are made even more macabrely mesmerizing by a stellar score. Telling a tragic story of a woman trying to survive the casual cruelty of a society living in the shadow of World War 1, it is a subtly devastating experience that teeters on the edge of full-blown horror before diving all the way in. As you find yourself immersed in the film’s quiet terrors, it emerges as an evocative and unsparing work, facing down a gathering darkness that has the power to swallow you whole. Once it does, it begins to descend even further.

Premiering Wednesday evening in competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival , the latest film from director Magnus von Horn is his first to take us back in time. His past features have always been about more modern experiences, but this taps into something more terrifyingly timeless. In a screenplay he co-wrote with Line Langebek Knudsen, we get taken into the tumultuous life of Karoline as she finds herself trying to keep her head above water. 

Perfectly played with a visceral poise by Vic Carmen Sonne, she just can’t seem to catch a break. In the very first scene, she is getting evicted by her landlord who, despite hemming and hawing about how kind he is, is still throwing her out on the street. On top of that, her husband has gone missing while serving in the war. When she forms a relationship with her supposedly loving boss and becomes pregnant with his child, he too abandons her under familial pressure. 

This is then all changed when she meets the mysterious Dagmar, who runs a secretive adoption agency out of her candy store meant to ostensibly help women with no options. Played by a terrific Trine Dyrholm, she is a no-nonsense operator who still manages to win Karoline over. Though their relationship is initially transactional, it soon becomes something more thorny. Neither is perfect, but they seem to have found some shared understanding about the way the world functions. There is little salvation in life, but they may hope to maybe find it in the other.  

Very quickly, the duo’s lives become sewn together. Karolina steps into the role of both wet nurse and companion to Dagmar, nursing the babies that are left with them one day while going to the movies on another. It soon becomes clear that neither really has anyone else to turn to for help. Karoline does have a past that comes knocking, but Dagmar remains more impenetrable. She has a young girl she takes care of, but all else is hazy. When it gets brought into focus for Karoline, everything she has put her faith in may soon get washed away and drown her with it. 

Details on this revelation are best left vague to preserve the viewing experience, but there is a history the film is drawing from which may get picked up by those with knowledge of certain names. However, rather than being some sort of dreary historical drama, “The Girl With the Needle’ is a formally fascinating film with bold visuals and score worth praising.

Cinematographer Michal Dymek, who previously worked on the spectacular upcoming film “ A Real Pain ,” makes every frame into one that feels rich and alive even as death looms. The way even the most basic of settings, be they a confined apartment or a sinister stage performance in a tent, get captured here is nothing short of stunning. You can feel every facet of the world being built, ensuring everything proves suffocating even as it is beautiful to behold. When it dances away into the more ephemeral via a series of recurring shots of shifting faces, Dymek doesn’t miss a beat and, with great editing by Agnieszka Glinska, makes it all astounding. 

This is then made even more memorable by a propulsive and petrifying score by composer Frederikke Hoffmeier that splits apart everything on screen whenever it rises up. It is a score that demands you notice it and earns every moment, making the visuals feel like they’re being conjured up from the depths of somewhere even deeper in the psyche. Much like how Mica Levi has become known for crafting compositions that instill every frame with something distinctly and ethereally frightening, this is a score that feels like something entirely its own. Hoffmeier ensures everything is that much more haunting as every note carries spine-chilling resonance. 

When all of this then comes back to Dyrholm and Sonne, both are operating on just the right wavelength to ground these technical achievements in the emotions of their characters. Though it almost feels as though there could have been more time spent at the end letting things linger, the final moments we spend with them speaks volumes. Each embodies their characters fully and completely even as the film can hold them at a bit of a distance from us at key junctures. 

Much of this is necessary, as the key revelation can only land if we too are being kept in the dark, and the duo doesn’t let it stop them from getting us right into the very heart of each of them. When all is finally laid bare, the immense agony is grounded in two lost people in a life that itself feels like it is falling out of balance. They may find each other, but, as was inevitable in a world that had come to be defined by such suffering, the loss that follows is even greater. 

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