Ari Aster's "Beau is Afraid"

    For this week's blog, I chose to write about the comedy horror just released called "Beau is Afraid", directed by critically acclaimed director Ari Aster, and starring renowned actor Joaquin Phoenix. A lot has been riding on this film, since it has been four years since Aster directed a film, that being Midsommar, and six years since his directorial debut, Hereditary. With a budget of $35 million, one would believe that it is quite a low budget compared to other blockbusters of our time, but as of now, this film has the highest budget of any A24 films so far. With a release date of April 21st, a lot of hardcore Aster fans (such as myself) have been drooling just waiting for its release.

    From what is known, the film has a simple premise: a man is visiting his mother. However, the "Aster" twist is that the main character (Phoenix) is a case of what happens when someone who is extremely mentally ill is left unchecked, and the film is portrayed through his mental viewpoint and overwhelming anxiety.

    Financially, the majority of Aster's films do alright in the box office, almost considered underwhelming, but end up heavily making up for it from streaming services and DVD/Blu-Ray purchases; and honestly, I totally understand why. Aster's films are absolutely not meant to watch once at some theater. There is always a level of depth that requires the viewer to watch multiple times over time, and that is why Aster has such a cult following and is so critically acclaimed, however is also the same reason why his movies can flop in theaters; some people just don't have the ability to think to such deep levels and make astounding connections, and would prefer a film where everything is laid out flat and shown to them, such as the entire Marvel franchise (in my and lots of others' opinions).

    Compared to Aster's prior two films, "Beau is Afraid" is much less of a horror film as much as it is a depiction of some peoples' truths; a fictitious (and possibly bombastic) documentary if you will. Going into theaters, if you know the name Ari Aster, you know it's absolutely going to be a mindf*ck of a movie; and that is why an obsessive amount of advertising wasn't necessary for this film. You would go to this film to see what Ari Aster has created, not some random blockbuster edgy film that is a cover up for a cash grab. The meticulousness of his work is what draws his specific type of audience in, which is what makes the desired audience for a level of guaranteed viewers. 

    So far, "Beau is Afraid" has only raked in just over $3.2 Million, nowhere near the film's budget. However, that was only opening weekend. Running for 2 hours and 59 minutes, it can definitely be a challenge for some people to sit through. This film is directed towards a very certain audience, and truthfully, possibly this film was more for Ari Aster figuring out his style, more than attempting to just make money.