Filmmaker Ari Aster has made quite a name for himself as a fascinating genre director. Regardless if you love him or hate him he creates beautiful thought provoking films that make your time in the theater uneasy and uncomfortable – in the best way possible. As if to make you think, “should this film have been made?”
But before he gave us ‘Hereditary’ or ‘Midsommar’ he got his start at the AFI Conservatory where he honed his craft making short films from 2011 – 2016. In fact he has even continued to work with many of the people that helped him bring those short films to life, including cinematographer, Pawel Pogorzelski.
While I loved ‘Hereditary’ and considered it one of my favorite horror films from last year, ‘Midsommar’ made me leave the theater with some indecision. True to Aster’s early form, the first 15 minutes of ‘Midsommar’ would have made a great short film. It built some tension and dread before paying itself off with a real punch to the gut in the most morbid way possible. The first scene setup the rest of the film really well.
If you are a horror fan it is important to see ‘Midsommar’ in theaters. Why? Because we need more original thought provoking films in the genre and Ari Aster brings that to the table and then some. I would encourage you to see ‘Hereditary’ first if you haven’t taken the time to see it.
But today we are focusing on six of his short films that made him into the filmmaker he is today.
The Strange Thing About The Johnsons
Beau
Munchausen
Basically
The Turtle’s Head
C’est La Vie
So there you have it. Six short films that helped shaped Ari Aster’s filmmaking prowess. ‘Midsommar’ in theaters everywhere. Check out our review below and let us know what you thought of his second feature film. What was your favorite short film? Sound off in the comments and or on social media.
