Got the midwintar blues? Travel to a sunny Swedish retreat for Hårga, a summer festival that occurs once every 90 years. There you will meet a group of people who will treat you like family. Eat, drink, be merry, and — if you are lucky — make it home alive.
Midsommar is director Ari Aster’s follow-up to the gruesome Hereditary. Unlike that film, and many other horror movies, Midsommar is saturated with sunshine and color. The brightness conceals dark undertones.
Both Hereditary and Midsommar focus on how people cope with trauma. The film’s protagonist, Dani, is a college student who has lost her entire family. Stuck in Sweden with an aloof and distant boyfriend, she begins to see the cult’s people as her own family.
The movie has its fair share of brutality and gory images, but it is also peppered with moments of dark humor. Ultimately, Midsommar finds the grisly beauty in the grieving process. Click here to reserve a copy of Midsommar.
