History Creator / AriAster

* {{Gorn}}: Unless you have brown bag or two on hand, you'd best not go into an Aster film expecting the squeaky clean brand of violence.

* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Taken to significant extremes, [[spoiler:[[Film/{{Hereditary}} Charlie's death]]]] and [[spoiler:[[Film/{{Midsommar}} the Ättestupa]]]] being prime demonstrations.

Aster's next film is another [=A24=] collaboration titled ''Disappointment Blvd.'', starring Creator/JoaquinPhoenix and Creator/MerylStreep. As of this writing, it has only been described as "an intimate, decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time." Aster had [[https://www.slashfilm.com/ari-aster-nightmare-comedy/ previously described]] his next film as a four-hour "nightmare comedy"[[note]]which -- given the ambiguity of the description alongside his [[CrossesTheLineTwice pre-established]] [[BlackComedy humor likings]] -- could mean just about anything[[/note]]; how much of that film exists in this one remains to be seen.

'''Ari Aster''': Nope

* ''Disappointment Blvd.'' (feature; TBA)

[[caption-width-right:250:Films that are [[BlatantLies fun for the whole family!]] [[NightmareFuel Honest!]]]]

Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American director and screenwriter known for his work in the genres of {{psychological horror}} and family drama, with recurring elements of {{black comedy}} and {{satire}}.

-->--[[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D_Ne65wXoAMGhnz.jpg:large Reddit AMA]]

As of this writing, Aster's next film is another [=A24=] collaboration titled ''Disappointment Blvd.'', starring Creator/JoaquinPhoenix and Creator/MerylStreep. It is described as "an intimate, decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time." Aster had [[https://www.slashfilm.com/ari-aster-nightmare-comedy/ previously described]] his next film as a four-hour "nightmare comedy"[[note]]which -- given the ambiguity of the description alongside his [[CrossesTheLineTwice pre-established]] [[BlackComedy humor likings]] -- could mean just about anything[[/note]]; how much of that film exists in this one remains to be seen.

Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American director and screenwriter known for his work in the genres of {{psychological horror}} and family drama, with recurring elements of {{black comedy}} and {{satire}} filled to the brim with {{Gorn}} and FanDisservice.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: Aster's works are as cynical as cynical can get, with plenty of trauma, backstabbing, horror and despair to go around.

Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American director and screenwriter known for his work in the genres of {{psychological horror}} and family drama, with recurring elements of {{black comedy}} and {{satire}}.

[[caption-width-right:250:[[NightmareFuel Films]] that are [[BlatantLies fun for the whole family!]] Honest!]]

'''Ari Aster''': Nope.

After becoming obsessed with horror films as a child, he pursued his passion by studying film at what is now the Santa Fe University of Art and Design[[note]]at the time of his enrollment, it was the College of Santa Fe[[/note]] before getting a Master of Fine Arts in directing at AFI Conservatory, where he met many of his future collaborators.

* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Taken to significant extremes, [[spoiler:[[Film/{{Hereditary}} Charlie's death]]]] and [[spoiler:[[Film/{{Midsommar}} the Ättestupa]]]] being prime demonstrations.

Shortly before ''Midsommar''[='=]s release, [[https://deadline.com/2019/06/hereditary-director-ari-aster-launch-square-peg-producer-lars-knudsen-midsommar-1202635495/ Aster announced]] that he and Lars Knudsen, co-producer of both of his features, had started a production company called Square Peg, self-described as "a home for artists, weirdos and freaks" that will develop and produce film and TV projects for a number of emerging artists, as well as future projects by Aster.

As of this writing, Aster's next film is another [=A24=] collaboration that will be entitled ''Disappointment Blvd.'', starring Creator/JoaquinPhoenix and Creator/MerylStreep. It is described as "an intimate, decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time." Aster had [[https://www.slashfilm.com/ari-aster-nightmare-comedy/ previously described]] his next film as a four-hour "nightmare comedy"[[note]]which -- given the ambiguity of the description alongside his [[CrossesTheLineTwice pre-established]] [[BlackComedy humor likings]] -- could mean just about anything[[/note]]; how much of that film exists in this one remains to be seen.

** Protagonists (preferably female) with intense family trauma and anxiety issues.
** The protagonist losing their mind in the end.
** Sequences consisting of said protagonists letting out very realistic wails of grief following a deeply traumatic event.
** [[FacialHorror Extreme violence against people's faces]], usually with a subsequent GrossUpCloseUp of what's left.
** Full frontal nudity used for FanDisservice and horror.
** Lots of symmetrical wide shots.
** Characters crossing the DespairEventHorizon.

* FacialHorror: Head trauma has been at the center of the most disturbing parts of his features; according to some public statements, multiple unreleased scripts of his involve it in some way.

** ''Johnsons'' has an attempted murder by fireplace.
** ''C'est La Vie'' references the protagonist's parents' death in an accidental fire.

* RefugeInAudacity: A majority of his films seem to be in full blown taboo topics that he ''knows'' will piss or upset people off, but he rolls with it. ''The Strange Thing About the Johnsons'' in particular is infamous for this specific factor and actually got him some acknowledgement before he made it big with ''Film/{{Hereditary}}''.

Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American director and screenwriter known for his work in the genres of {{psychological horror}} and family drama.

Alongside this, [[https://deadline.com/2019/06/hereditary-director-ari-aster-launch-square-peg-producer-lars-knudsen-midsommar-1202635495/ Aster has started]] a production company called Square Peg (alongside producer Lars Knudsen) that will host film & TV projects for a number of emerging artists, as well as the next film Aster chooses to direct.

On the subject of that next film, [[https://deadline.com/2021/02/a24-ari-asters-disappointment-blvd-joaquin-phoenix-1234696364/ according to information disclosed in February 2021]], it is another [=A24=] collaboration that will be entitled ''Disappointments Blvd.'' and star Creator/JoaquinPhoenix. It is described as "an intimate, decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time." Aster had [[https://www.slashfilm.com/ari-aster-nightmare-comedy/ previously described]] his next film as a four-hour "nightmare comedy"[[note]]which -- given the ambiguity of the description alongside his [[CrossesTheLineTwice pre-established]] [[BlackComedy humor likings]] -- could mean just about anything[[/note]]; how much of that film exists in this one remains to be seen.

* ''Disappointments Blvd.'' (feature; TBA)

For the next few years, he would make a name for himself with a series of controversial and provocative short films, the most popular being ''Film/TheStrangeThingAboutTheJohnsons'', that would eventually attract the attention of independent entertainment company Creator/{{A24}}.

His first two features, ''Film/{{Hereditary}}'' and ''Film/{{Midsommar}}'', have both been distributed through [=A24=] and gone on to become some of their biggest commercial successes.

* ''Disappointment Blvd.'' (feature; TBA)

* InTheStyleOf: ''The Turtle's Head'' is a parody of a HardboiledDetective FilmNoir mystery with the added twist that [[spoiler:said detective has a disease that makes his penis slowly retract. [[BodyHorror Yeah.]]]]

* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Taken to significant extremes, [[Film/{{Hereditary}} Charlie's death]] and [[Film/{{Midsommar}} the Ättestupa]] being prime demonstrations.

On the subject of that next film, [[https://deadline.com/2021/02/a24-ari-asters-disappointment-blvd-joaquin-phoenix-1234696364/ according to information disclosed in February 2021]], it will be entitled ''Disappointments Blvd.'', starring Creator/JoaquinPhoenix and co-produced by [=A24=]. It is described as "an intimate, decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time." Aster had [[https://www.slashfilm.com/ari-aster-nightmare-comedy/ previously described]] his next film as a four-hour "nightmare comedy"[[note]]which -- given the ambiguity of the description alongside his [[CrossesTheLineTwice pre-established]] [[BlackComedy humor likings]] -- could mean just about anything[[/note]]; how much of that film exists in this one remains to be seen.

* ''Beau Is Afraid'' (feature; TBA)

On the subject of that next film, according to [[https://discussingfilm.net/2020/11/20/joaquin-phoenix-in-talks-to-star-in-ari-asters-beau-is-afraid-exclusive/ information disclosed in November 2020]], it is currently named ''Beau Is Afraid''[[note]]and would thus likely be an evolved continuation of ''Beau'', one of his first shorts[[/note]] with Creator/JoaquinPhoenix in talks to star. Aster had [[https://www.slashfilm.com/ari-aster-nightmare-comedy/ previously described]] his next film as a four-hour "nightmare comedy"[[note]]which -- given the ambiguity of the description alongside his [[CrossesTheLineTwice pre-established]] [[BlackComedy humor likings]] -- could mean just about anything[[/note]]; how much of that film exists in this one remains to be seen.

* The protagonist losing their mind in the end.

* TheBadGuyWins: What make his films unsettling is that the antagonists achieve victory in one way or another -- and as ''The Strange Thing About The Johnsons'' demonstrates, even if they ''are'' defeated, they've already wrought so much damage that [[PyrrhicVictory it means absolutely nothing]].

* TheBadGuyWins: What make his films unsettling is that the bad guys achieve victory in one way or another -- and as ''The Strange Thing About The Johnsons'' demonstrates, even if they ''are'' defeated they've already wrought so much damage that [[PyrrhicVictory it means absolutely nothing]].

For the next few years, he would make a name for himself with a series of controversial and provocative short films, the most popular being ''Film/TheStrangeThingAboutTheJohnsons'', that would eventually attract the attention of entertainment company [=A24=].

His first two feature films, ''Film/{{Hereditary}}'' and ''Film/{{Midsommar}}'', have both been distributed through this company and gone on to become some of the company's biggest successes.

On the subject of that next film, according to [[https://discussingfilm.net/2020/11/20/joaquin-phoenix-in-talks-to-star-in-ari-asters-beau-is-afraid-exclusive/ information disclosed in November 2020]], it is currently named ''Beau Is Afraid''[[note]]and would thus likely be an evolved continuation of ''Beau'', one of Aster's first shorts[[/note]] with Creator/JoaquinPhoenix in talks to star. Aster had [[https://www.slashfilm.com/ari-aster-nightmare-comedy/ previously described]] his next film as a four-hour "nightmare comedy"[[note]]which -- given the ambiguity of the description alongside his [[CrossesTheLineTwice pre-established]] [[BlackComedy humor likings]] -- could mean just about anything[[/note]]; how much of that film exists in this one remains to be seen.

* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Taken to (appropriately enough) truly harrowing extremes, [[Film/{{Hereditary}} Charlie's death]] and [[Film/{{Midsommar}} the Ättestupa]] being prime demonstrations.

Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American director and screenwriter known for his work in the genres of PsychologicalHorror and family drama.

On the subject of that next film, [[https://www.slashfilm.com/ari-aster-nightmare-comedy/ Aster stated around early summer 2020]] that he plans for it to be a four-hour "nightmare comedy," which -- given the ambiguity of the description alongside his [[CrossesTheLineTwice pre-established]] [[BlackComedy humor likings]] -- could mean just about anything.

* ViolenceIsDisturbing: Taken to (appropriately enough) truly harrowing extremes, [[Film/{{Hereditary}} Charlie's death]] and [[Film/{{Midsommar}} the Ättestupa]] being prime demonstrations.

** [[FacialHorror Extreme violence against people's faces]], usually with a subsequent GrossUpCloseUp of [[{{Squick}} what's left]].

* DespairEventHorizon: Characters in his works has a tendency to cross this.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: Aster's works are as cynical as cynical can get, with plenty of trauma, backstabbing, horror and despair to go around.

Ari Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American director and screenwriter known for his work in the genres of horror and family drama.

* TheBadGuyWins: What make his films unsettling is that the bad guys achieve victory in any way.

On the subject of that next film, [[https://www.slashfilm.com/ari-aster-nightmare-comedy/ Aster stated around early summer 2020]] that he plans for it to be a four-hour nightmare comedy, which -- given the ambiguity of the description alongside his [[CrossesTheLineTwice pre-established]] [[BlackComedy humor likings]] -- could mean just about anything.

* DownerEnding: Many of his films end this way, the most prominent being ''Hereditary'' and ''The Strange Thing About the Johnsons''.

* {{Troll}}: Downplayed; he doesn't throw it in people's faces much, but he's fully aware of the public's reaction to his work and doesn't seem to be apologizing for it anytime soon.