Sinister is a horror film released in 2012 and directed by Scott Derrickson. The movie follows a true-crime novelist named Ellison Oswalt, played by Ethan Hawke, who moves into a new home with his family in order to research his latest book. Unbeknownst to them, the previous occupants of the house were murdered in their sleep, and Ellison discovers a box of old home movies in the attic, which seem to depict the murders of other families.
As Ellison studies the footage, he uncovers a series of similar killings that span over several decades and are all connected to an unknown supernatural entity known as "Bughuul." The more he investigates, the more he becomes convinced that Bughuul is a malevolent force that feeds on the souls of children, luring them into his grasp through his terrifying movies.
As Ellison's obsession with the case grows, he becomes increasingly erratic and paranoid, causing tension with his wife Tracy, played by Juliet Rylance, and their two children. As he delves deeper into the mystery of Bughuul, the boundary between reality and the supernatural begins to blur, and a series of terrifying events unfold that put his entire family in danger.
Sinister is a tense and atmospheric horror film that combines elements of found footage and supernatural horror to create a truly unsettling experience. The movie is notable for its inventive use of sound design and jump scares, and for its central performance by Ethan Hawke, who manages to convey both the intellectual curiosity and creeping terror of Ellison with convincing nuance.