A Quiet Place

Part Steven Spielberg family drama, part John Carpenter creature feature, writer/director/star John Krasinski's sensational shocker is an instant sci-fi horror classic. In the very near future, blind insectoid monsters with super-sensitive hearing have wiped out most of humanity. The few survivors tiptoe around, whispering and using sign language to communicate - for staying silent means staying alive. Krasinski, Emily Blunt (aka Mrs Krasinski), Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe (all of whom are absolutely tremendous) play the family recovering from tragedy who must navigate their dangerous farmhouse environment in continual stillness. But with a new baby on the way, complete quiet will soon be impossible. Krasinki's brilliantly economic storytelling is a masterclass in evoking unbearable tension. Every frame is choreographed for maximum scares, with the tremendously effective sound design yet another class element in the director's effectively lean and mean fright arsenal. The stalking creatures really are the stuff of nightmares, making this a completely unnerving and unforgettable experience.