6 Aesthetic Midsommar Moments

Midsommar isn't as scary as it is disturbing. If you're on the fence about watching it I will say it is the less horror intense of Ari Aster's movies. Looking at your Hereditary. However, my boyfriend, my roommate and everyone I talk too about this has had some kind of nightmare after watching this film. Maybe because it's all set in bright daytime. It may be easier for our brains to convert the images into our dreamscape than some dark horrors that have a mystery in the darkness. NO mystery here, you see everything and it's very confronting. Anyway into the aesthetics! These images give away some details of the movie.

As a side note: Find my Australian Horror movie recommendations by following this link.

Trigger warning: There is an extremely gory suicide scene in the first half of the film. I would advise not watching if this is a trigger for you. Read this article and get the best of the visuals instead!

6. Hallunicating ladies dance around a pole, off their faces

This whole scene is fantastic. While Dani our protagonist is dancing she flashes between immense joy and grief. She swirls and sways literally but also metaphorically through tides of moods. The palette of soft colours, the raw companionship and the beautiful garments, all make this scene special. Terrible things are happening elsewhere but Dani is in her moment.

5. The murals my highschool art teacher would paint on the walls when she was in one of her moods.

The art may be menancing but it is equally beautiful. It helps tell a large part of the foreshadowing for the story and it adds to the atmosphere.

4. A weekend cultural holiday went wrong.

While things are really taking a turn here, I couldn't help but almost cheer at the framing of this shot. The outfits conveying a holy reverence juxtaposed with the flames and the garish symbols. The palette here is mainly reds and yellows. It's this cohesion and symmetry that makes for a powerful image.

3. When you get dressed up for your party and 10 people cancel last minute.

The most iconic imagery from the film has got to be this shot. This outfit was so heavy the actor Florence Pugh had to have a chair sown into and under this dress so she could sit between takes. The combination of Dani's immense beauty in this spilling pile of flowers with the dismayed looked on her face makes this a starkly memorable image.

2. $500/per night Airbnb you saw on Tumblr.

In fact, I found this image on Tumblr, exactly where it belongs. Genuinely this temple could be is a super expensive Airbnb. I don't know how many people would be keen on staying there though after this scene. The yellow temple stands out on the rolling tree-covered mountains. The temple has shapes within shapes, with smaller triangles, a rectangle and the trapezoid shapes of the open doors. A masterpiece.

1. I call this one 'grief slug'

Dani slugs across the screen, struggling to lift the immense weight of both her grief and the flowered robe. This struggle is symbolic and Dani unlocks a deeper truth when she settles with the weight of her situation. The image alone is intensely evocative and this is why it's my top choice.

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Another article to check out to brush up on some art knowledge is: 3 Artists to Reference To Look Like You Know What You're Talking About.