Director: Robert Eggers (Hansel and Gretel-2007)

Cast: Thomasin- Anya Taylor-Joy,  William- Ralph Ineson, Katherine – Kate Dickie,          Caleb – Harvey Scrimshaw 

A devout Christian family move out if the safe confines of the village in a time of witch craft and black magic. Katherine and William are the parents of Thomasin, Caleb, Mercy, Jonas and newborn Samuel. As Thomasin plays peek a boo with Samuel, the baby is snatched. As the family fall apart under their own religious beliefs, they have to wonder if a curse has taken hold of their family and if they’ll ever see it through the next few weeks.

The film says it’s based on folklore and actual old age accounts of witchcraft and other writings. The language used is true to those accounts and the feel of God fearing societies long past gives it a sense of films like The Village and A Field In England. While not full on horror in its usual popcorn form, this oddity keeps you on your toes by being off kilter and with a creepy string score the sense of impending doom is ever present. The film is fresh if not groundbreaking and has new areas to show you instead of mindless gore and hidden cheap jumps.
If you fancy something new about olden times, check this out.

Christ Whitehouse.