One of A24's best horror movies is at the top of Netflix's most popular charts

When it comes to the movies that tend to top the Netflix charts in the US, the pendulum usually swings towards sci-fi, fantasy and action thrillers. This is not surprising, as these genres have a lot to offer a French knock-off of “Taken,” which has become a smash hit on Netflixto fresh love Christopher Nolan's science fiction epic “Interstellar”.

Every once in a while, a horror title manages to capture the collective imagination or excite streaming audiences, like a Taiwanese thriller “Incantation”, which takes the curse infection metaphor to a whole new level. A quick look at Netflix's current top US movie rankings has Ari Astaire's 'Legacy' at No. 7 as the critically acclaimed A24 horror gets a second life on the streaming platform (via FlixPatrol). Success is well earned; Aster's film carves an uncompromising portrait of sadness and horror while avoiding the genre's pitfalls of cheap shock tactics or knee-jerk sentiment.

Our subconscious, collective pull towards the “innate” is not too hard to understand. It's an experience that can't be summed up in words, with the visuals pulling at our most visceral reactions to the story. An almost indecipherable, ominous-sounding phrase scrawled on wallpaper is as terrifying as the actual supernatural events the film focuses on, but the horror of losing a loved one trumps everything else. As the Grahams navigate events that oscillate between the real and the surreal, we are forced to scrutinize and emerge with no clear answers. After all, what is more terrifying than vague, unknown truths?

Let's take a look at what makes “Inherent” so special.

“Creepy” doesn't even begin to describe Astaire's “Inherited,” which opens with the death of the matriarch of the Graham family and the complex emotions it stirs up in her daughter Annie (Toni Collette). There's a touch of discomfort mixed with sadness: the taste of something unsavory beneath the surface that no one is talking about yet. As Annie transforms her grief into carefully crafted dioramas of her personal life, her children Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Millie Shapiro) deal with the loss in the best possible way. However deadly party consequences plunging the Grahams into an even darker vortex of grief.

Aster creates an unforgettable diorama, elevating “Inherent” above what we've come to expect from demonic possession in horror films. The supernatural elements of the plot are reinforced by themes of generational trauma and cycles of violence. As a dark family tradition is uncovered, we slowly understand why Annie always seems on the verge of collapse. Even for those who have already seen the film, “Inherent” rewards repeat viewings to find the clues that were hidden in the corners or is visible so you can go back and check again.

Hereditary is currently streaming on Netflix.