The Strange Thing About the Johnsons

This is a very good first impression from recently acclaimed new director, Ari Aster. I would call him a horror director, however, based off the core nature of his films and some things Aster has said himself including things like he didn't intentionally set out to make a horror film from the start with "Hereditary". Ari Aster crafts heavy, haunting, and personal dramas that have a way of creating their very own unique atmosphere. An atmosphere usually filled with gut wrenching terror. "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons" is just that. This is Aster's most genre film as it feels almost 100% a drama. It is reminiscent of another anthology drama/horror called "Family Portraits" they are both very disturbing in their nature. "The Strange Thing" is the story about a suburban family that where the father and son share a dark secret. The story is very engaging as it is subject matter most of us have not seen portrayed in film before. This movie also kind of reminds me of Trey Edward Shults first film "Krisha". Overall a nice little short film to watch for fans of "Hereditary" and "Midsommar"

For a debut short, they don't get much better than this. Original idea, well written, well acted, directed well and looked gorgeous shot on silky 16mm. Aswell as that the clothes and locations really summed up suburban america so well which really aided the storyline and made us really consider the idea of what goes on behind seemingly perfect closed doors...

I watched this after watching Midsommar and Hereditary and I now see the links in his work that has allowed him to go on from this to make even bigger and better films! Looking forward to the next feature from Aster!

I was amazed at this movie! It was not at all what I expected it to be. The production values, cinematography, acting, writing, directing, and editing were absolutely phenomenal. Most of the other reviewers here have given it a low rating due to how uneasy the subject material made them. One even goes so far as to say "the content of this project is not only disgusting, but implausible and completely ridiculous." However the very next line in the review is "I know these things actually happen," So how can something be both implausible and ridiculous, yet actually happen? This movie is great. It is thought provoking and I think does a good good of presenting an often uncontemplated take on the dark motifs the movie explores. It is designed to make the audience uncomfortable so that, hopefully, they will talk about what they have just watched. My hat goes off to the filmmaker and all those involved for creating a truly unique and visionary piece of cinema.

Let's be real here... Short films don't really have a place in the world in terms of global mass media. They are usually only seen by film-aholics or by people involved in the film arena (directors, producers, cinematographers, film critics, film students & professors, etc.) Ask any 'normal person' who doesn't know who David Lynch is, or doesn't have a strong opinion on the films of Hitchcock, if they can name just ONE short film... And I'd bet a million bucks they can't. name. one. My point is...

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons defies this rule.

The Strange Thing About the Johnsons is the only short film I've ever seen that I can show someone who isn't a 'film person' and they are completely engaged from the very first scene, to the very end, every - single - time. It's the ONLY short film that - MULTIPLE TIMES - I have told people about in a living room, and they become so enticed, we whip it out on someone's computer screen, and in the midst of a large hang out session, 9 people are so completely transfixed for nearly 30 minutes, and ALWAYS walk away with a strong visceral reaction.

Ari Aster is a Great director who understand precisely what makes the world wide audience sit on the edge of their seats. The original soundtrack by Brendan Eder is unforgettable in its use of beauty over the sadistic nature of the characters. Billy Mayo delivers a indelible disturbing performance with unnerving authenticity.

In 20 years, The Strange Thing About the Johnsons will STILL be one of the only short films you can sit a big group of people -- (the kind of people who've never been to a film festival in their life, aka 98% of all world movie watchers) -- a big group of people down in a living room and play, and NO ONE will pull out their phones from boredom. It is, without a doubt, if there ever was such a thing...

A short film masterpiece.

I'm not the kind of person to get easily disturbed by watching movies or shorts with the "disturbing" label on it, and this is one of those rare films that actualy managed to freak me out. I won't spoil anything but you've never seen any disfunctional family themed films like this one, it's very original. It's also quite horrifying to actualy think that something like what you witness in this short could happen in real life, if you like well made original short films which leave you gasping in terror have a look at "The Strange Thing About the Johnsons.