MovieChat Forums > Midsommar (2019) Discussion > Why is this film so popular?

Why is this film so popular?

posted a year ago by [deleted]
13 replies | jump to latest

Not speaking of it's quality, more the fact so many people seem to have watched it.

It has now got more votes on IMDB than Hereditary (2018). 319k vs 314k.
On Letterboxd the differential is more insane. 1.057 million vs 751k.

This is with it being a year younger and not quite as highly regarded as Hereditary (that film is worshipped by many). These two make a good comparison since they're both from the same director. Other comparisons;

Midsommar vs Us (2019)
IMDB - 319k vs 298k
LB - 1.057 million vs 726k

Midsommar vs The Lighthouse (2019)
IMDB - 319k vs 216k
LB - 1.057 million vs 604k

Midsommar vs The Witch (2015)
IMDB - 319k vs 262k
LB - 1.057 million vs 517k

Midsommar vs It Follows (2014)
IMDB - 319k vs 243k
LB - 1.057 million vs 328k

Midsommar vs The Babadook (2014)
IMDB - 319k vs 226k
LB - 1.057 million vs 276k

Midsommar vs Halloween (2018)
IMDB - 319k vs 156k
LB - 1.057 million vs 225k

Midsommar vs The Nun (2018)
IMDB - 319k vs 142k
LB - 1.057 million vs 136k

What is it that is driving these viewings? The poster and whole sunny summer horror aesthetic? It's a bit of an odd and quirky film to be amassing such vote turnouts.

I mean look at Halloween, it made $259 million WW vs Midsommars $47 million. Halloween is also a classic horror IP. More people have to have seen Halloween (2018) over Midsommar (2019) but the vote counts are hilariously lopsided (having over 2x as much on IMDB and over 4x on LB). I've noticed this before with voting sites that films like The Nun (which made $365 million WW and is part of one of the most comercially successful horror franchises ever) sometimes get few votes whilst quirky art films are inundated with votes.

The people that use these sites are hipster 'film bros' and not representative of the casual horror viewer?

[–] Tricklebrook (309) a year ago

I don't have any analysis, just a suggestion. Maybe because, though it's considered horror, it's not a typical horror movie.

I don't like horror at all, yet I really liked this movie. Maybe there are other people like me who bumped its ratings up.

[–] fzane (1001) a year ago

When ya make a movie as good as Midsommar, word of mouth is going to send the viewership into the stratosphere!

[–] FilmBuff (6696) a year ago

It's an excellent film, and one that people watch then recommend to others. Someone whose taste I trust told me it was one of the best horror films he'd seen in years, so I watched it, and agreed. Since then, I've told several others about it. One who watched it couldn't finish; he found it too disturbing. The others all reported back that they too think it's one of the best horror films ever made. I don't doubt that they've all spread the word.

This is usually how it works. When a film is ground-breaking, original, excellent, etc., but made under the radar and/or on a low budget, it can take time, but eventually word gets around as film-lovers discover it and tell their friends.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) a year ago

lol I had no interest in this film until a close friend of mine told me to try and watch it while it was still in theaters. I was like, oh? you liked it? She said, "uh...not exactly. But you should watch it though." Caught it in one of the last weeks, and thank god I had. I watch it again like every couple of months, and like you said, I've constantly referenced this to other movies. It comes up a lot, in one way or another.

[–] FilmBuff (6696) a year ago

One of the best descriptions I've heard anyone give is, "it's like the Wicker Man, if the Wicker Man were a good movie."

[–] Otter (24464) a year ago

Or "Like 'Wicker Man', if that were a *serious* movie"!

I love "TWM" for being insane camp up until the finale, but "Midsommar" was straight-up character-driven goid psychological horror.

[–] Krieg (44) a year ago

A24 movies are trending in general, not sure why. Maybe big youtubers discovered them and made videos about them.

[–] R_Kane (15828) a year ago

Does the word “shill” mean anything to you?

[–] Krieg (44) a year ago

Still it does not explain the sudden trend. A24 movies are not really new.

[–] DMT (3824) a year ago

most movies suck ass these days but this one was actually decent

[–] Whom (528) a year ago

Because Florence Pugh is an excellent actress.

[–] spurtle467 (1499) a year ago

It's an interesting question. I suppose you could spin it around and ask why some of these films haven't received more votes?

I don't know if there is any clear answer but Midsommar had good reviews and had been critically better received than some of those other movies, and that will have lead to good word of mouth. More of a cult movie I guess, no pun intended. The movie itself is something quite different from the usual slasher or scare fare, and that itself will have helped to add to its popularity and appeal. With a Halloween remake for example, I think people will automatically know what they're getting, same with The Nun. This is more of a surprise package with the acclaim and the uniqueness to back it up.

[–] BOandBarbecue (2264) a year ago

these type of film are popular with philistines. philistines like shit movie. being born with bad taste in motion picture is like disabilitys. you are blessed if you not born philistine.

are you philistine? take the philistine test and find out if you philistine. here is typical philistine film:

super hero / comic books movies
avengers
titanic
lord of the ring movies (i do not care about big battle scene it is 9 hour of two fags walking to mountain)
the dark night films
anything film with: dwayne johnson, seth rogen, leo di crapio, will farrell, ryan renolds, zack galafinaisks, adam sandlers, brat pitts, george clooner, james franko, samuel l jackson, ben afflek, casey afflek
anything with: kate winslit, jennifer anistons, bree 'pancakes' larson, jennifer jizzface lawrence, olivia wild, margo robby, kristin stuart
anything with bree larson
pirate of the carribean films
all disney star wars film
star wars prequels trilogy
harry potters