A one-way road trip to atmospheric terror, Veronica Franz and Severin Fiala’s The Lodge is a timely exploration of isolation, guilt, and trauma. Anchored by a powerful and nerve-fraying performance by Riley Keough, the film serves up a wintry mix of slow-burn cult horror. While light on true scares, The Lodge more than makes up for it with its searing imagery and shocking acts of violence, even if its rushed third act deflates the film’s carefully constructed narrative. Minor spoilers…

Midsommar, a harrowing tale of grief steeped in uncomfortable folk horror, is a confident and gut-wrenching sophomore effort from director Ari Aster. With his second feature-length film, Aster proves that Hereditary was no fluke, and solidifies himself as a new master of squirm-inducing terror. Florence Pugh absolutely owns the role of Dani Ardor with a breathtaking performance, and cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski directs some of the most beautifully disturbing imagery seen in cinema this year. Minor spoilers ahead…

Apologies that this post is about a week late, as I was busy making sure the A Year in Film 2018 feature came in before the New Year, but here is the list of Strange Harbor’s best films of the year. 2018 was a phenomenal year for cinema, and a year that saw the rise of genre filmmaking into the mainstream canon - films such as Mandy, Thoroughbreds, and Hereditary occupied top ten lists along with more popular fare such as Green Book and A Star is Born in equal measure. The following list is an updated version of the article, The Best Films of 2018 So Far, from earlier this year.

We're only half way through 2018, and we've already seen our fair share of great films. From sweeping blockbusters to quiet indies, this year has produced a diverse pool of cinematic gems, and it isn't even awards season yet. Consider this the first installment of our semi-annual best of list. Our favorite films of 2018 so far are...

Much more than just a horror movie, Hereditary is an emotional experience designed to upset and traumatize. Brutal and beautiful, first-time feature director Ari Aster crafts a harrowing tale that is as engrossing as it is difficult to watch. Aided by haunting direction and cinematography, along with a bravura performances from Toni Collette and Alex Wolff, Hereditary is a pitch black exploration of family dynamics and the fallout of dark supernatural secrets. Mild spoilers ahead...