When the first trailer for Heretic was released, it immediately went into my new A24 movies I can’t wait to watch in 2024 list. It's easy to see why, and the trailers for the new movie were very intriguing indeed. Namely, everyone was talking about how it was nice to see Hugh Grant moving from his romantic comedy roots into something far more sinister.
The set-up for Heretic is simple yet effective: Two young Mormon missionaries show up to the house of Mr Reed, who has apparently requested a visit to learn more about their faith. Unfortunately for them, they've walked into a horrifying trap that could cost them their sanity or even their lives. But despite the great concept and the fact it did turn out to be a very good movie, there's another recent 2024 release that holds a special place in my heart. A movie that deserves its spot on our best Max movies list, that's for sure.
Why I Saw the TV Glow remains my favorite movie of the year
This is by no means me pitting movies against the other needlessly, but more of a celebration of why I Saw The TV Glow has had such an impact on me. It's not a particularly unique take but I can count on one hand the amount of A24 movies I disliked, and it's refreshing to see their output continuing to be as strong as it is.
For me, I Saw The TV Glow is perhaps A24's greatest achievement to date. I love everything about it from the colour palette, the way it plays on fun cheesy 90s TV, the exploration of fandom and identity, everything about it is wonderful and I found myself completely transfixed. I'm not alone either, as my colleague Rowan Davies also thanked the movie for encouraging him to revisit his favorite Hulu show. Its impact simply cannot be ignored, it's as terrifying as it is beautiful, it manages to mix both of these feelings into something really special.
I was curious whether or not anything would manage to knock this movie off my top spot, especially during the Halloween season. Even The Substance, which recently got a streaming release date, wasn't enough to do it. I consider that to be the best body horror of the year though, it's definitely earned that title! It's been a strong year for horrors and yet Jane Schoenbrun's brilliant movie has stayed firmly at my number one spot. Honestly, I'm impressed.
Is Heretic still worth watching?
Yes! Don't get me wrong, I loved it. It scared me more than I expected it to, to the point where I did find myself jumping out of my skin at one moment in particular, so it's a strong contender for the best horror movies of the year in my opinion. It's just not the best.
A lot of it is riding on Hugh Grant's performance and I can confirm he does serious bad guy very well. Sure, we've seen him in more comedic villain roles like Paddington 2 and the Dungeons and Dragons movie, but I loved his venture into horror and I hope he does more like it. His character is this weird combination of obnoxious, charming and utterly frightening, to the point where you feel very uncomfortable watching him. Discomfort is definitely what Heretic is going for and it does it very well, forcing you to ask questions along the way.
The best part about this is I'm actually recommending you watch both movies (I Saw The TV Glow is currently on Max), and I for one am thrilled we're being treated to so many good, thought provoking horrors. Long may it continue.
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