With Bong Joon-ho's Parasite (2019) winning the Oscar for Best Picture, and what seems to be a steady stream of films from directors like Jordan Peele ( Get Out, 2017; Us, 2019), Ari Aster ( Hereditary, 2018; Midsommar, 2019), and Robert Eggers ( The Witch, 2015; The Lighthouse, 2019); it seems we've entered into a golden age of arthouse horror films that use the genre to tackle social issues, explore the human condition, and study characters. Natalie Erika James's debut Relic , released July 3rd by IFC Films, seems to be the latest in this vein; and like those other movies, it succeeds. Relic transcends the genre: it's the kind of horror movie I would tell people who don't typically like horror movies to watch. It's not because of the acting (though I loved the performances, and Robyn Nevin's facial expressions alone make it worth the watch). It's not because of the imagery (though I wondered at the surreal dimensions of the house, particularly in the...
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