The Witch (2015)

In the The Witch, a goat named Black Phillip asks its main character, a young Puritan woman whose family has been cast out of their village and who is blamed for her youngest sibling’s disappearance: “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?” Yes, you read that right, and after watching writer and director Robert Eggers’ debut film and seeing how alluring witchcraft and devilish deviance would be for a woman living in such patriarchal and oppressive times, you understand the allure of such a question. From the moment the film opens, it’s clear you’re in for a somber, moody experience—but as soon as things start to go south, you can feel fear creep up your body like a cold, dank chill in a log cabin.

Along with exploring the cultural mindset of early Puritanical settlers, The Witch shows off Eggers’ obsession with historical accuracy—the structures on set were built by thatchers and carpenters well-versed in building in 17th century British-American style, and Eggers spent years researching language to ensure the script was written accurately. It’s a beautiful, haunting movie that put superstar Anya Taylor-Joy on the map.

Watching The Witch is like stepping into a time machine and out into an unknown, virtually uninhabited 1630s New England. With an unknown evil lurking in the woods and puritanical men telling you how to behave, wouldn’t you decide to live deliciously, too? — Alyssa Mercante