Ari Aster Movies Ranked (Eddington)
Over the past several years, Ari Aster has emerged as a bold filmmaker, known for his uncanny feature films and psychological horrors. Whether he’s crafting an emotionally devastating family tragedy in Hereditary (2018) or an unsettling descent into psychological chaos in Midsommar (2019), Aster brings a distinct vision to everything he directs.
Before making a name for himself with feature films, Aster was already immersed in cinema during his time as a student at The College of Santa Fe. While studying in New Mexico, he wrote film criticism for the Weekly Alibi, a local arts magazine, contributing several feature film reviews of his own in 2004.
Ari Aster then began directing short films, leading projects such as “Munchausen” (2013), “The Turtle’s Head” (2014), and “C’est La Vie” (2016). One of Aster’s most notable early works, “The Strange Thing About the Johnsons,” served as his thesis film at the AFI Conservatory and quickly gained viral attention online. Many critics questioned Aster’s narrative around the African-American family at the center of the plot and the film’s exploration of incest and sexual abuse, underscoring Aster’s willingness to spark controversy.
Aster’s films are also visually striking, often blurring the line between horror, drama, and dark comedy. With only a handful of features, he’s already made a name for himself in the directing world. Here’s a closer look at each of his films, followed by a Tomatometer ranking of his work to date, including his upcoming film Eddington. (Michael Cahn)
Hereditary (2018): Ari Aster made a statement his directorial debut, Hereditary (2018), a chilling and emotionally devastating horror film. The film follows the Graham family in the aftermath of their secretive matriarch’s death, as daughter Annie (Toni Collette), her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne), and their children Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Milly Shapiro) begin to uncover disturbing truths about their ancestors.
The film is anchored by Collette’s powerhouse performance, which is widely considered one of the best horror performances of the decade. Hereditary blends psychological horror with supernatural elements that will leave audiences stunned. The film was a breakout hit for Aster and production company A24.
The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney on Hereditary: “Aster’s ability to modernize his obvious reverence for the expert mood modulation, visual command and layered characterizations that defined sophisticated horror of the 1960s and ‘70s catapults the writer-director into the vanguard of contemporary horror auteurs. The film’s superb cast, led by an astonishingly good Toni Collette, represents another strong draw.”
Midsommar (2019): Ari Aster followed up Hereditary with Midsommar (2019), a slow-burn psychological horror that became an instant success. The film centers on Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor), a young American couple whose strained relationship is pushed to the brink when they travel with friends to a remote Swedish village for a rare midsummer festival. Their trip eventually turns into a terrifying plunge into cult rituals. Pugh delivered what many consider her best performance to-date. With Midsommar, Aster flipped the genre on its head, delivering horror in the broad daylight.
Variety’s Andrew Barker on Midsommar: “Whatever you think of the end result, there’s always something thrilling about watching a young director who’s earned a long line of Hollywood credit decide to spend every last cent of it on a single film. And writer-director Ari Aster has certainly done that with his Hereditary follow-up, Midsommar.”
Beau is Afraid (2023): Following his two previous horrors, Aster’s Beau Is Afraid (2023) took a sharp turn away from traditional horror. Described as an existential nightmare, the film follows Beau Wassermann (Joaquin Phoenix), an anxiety-ridden man who sets out on a bizarre journey to visit his overbearing mother after her sudden death. Phoenix delivers an ambitious performance in Aster’s third film collaboration with A24.
Roger Ebert on Beau is Afraid: “Beau Is Afraid, an enveloping fantasy laced with mommy issues, is about being doomed from birth. It’s Aster’s funniest movie yet.”
Eddington (2025): Aster’s newest film, Eddington, is set in May 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The story unfolds in the fictional town of Eddington, New Mexico. Joaquin Phoenix, back for his second film with Aster, stars as a small-town sheriff. Alongside him is Pedro Pascal, who plays the city mayor. Both characters enter a standoff as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in this story of social and political turmoil. With a stacked ensemble cast, including Emma Stone, Austin Butler, and Deirdre O’Connell, Aster’s fourth film blends the western drama with satire and dark humor.
Deadline’s Damon Wise on Eddington: “Ari Aster is one of the rare directors willing to go there, and his new film Eddington is extraordinary not only for that but for depicting a slice of history that we have yet to see properly shown on film, even though it happened only five years ago.”
Hereditary
(2018)
90%
Midsommar
(2019)
83%
Beau Is Afraid
(2023)
68%
Eddington
(2025)
67%
