8) Goodnight Mommy
Goodnight Mommy will dazzle some, and bore others. This I’m aware of. It’s slow-burn to the nth degree, and requires a patient viewer willing to invest in backstory. If you meet this requirement, you’ll be engulfed by a fiery third act that blends psychological fear into a familial nightmare – even if the intended reveal isn’t much of a shocker.
Children will always be innocent in our eyes, mainly because we can’t handle something so pure acting on evil thoughts. This is what heightens the stakes of Goodnight Mommy, along with a mother’s attempt to raise two boys with expected mischievous streaks. No character acts on cruel intentions, only internal fears and conjured methods of understanding that formulate paranoia. All of this, mixed with a few visual treats, make for a mind-freak watch that is pure parental nightmare fuel – as long as you’re patient.
Goodnight Mommy deserves to be watched.