Sinister Review

Crime writer Ellison (Ethan Hawke) moves into a house to research a book about a mass hanging, without telling his wife (Juliet Rylance) or children that they’re living in a crime scene. Home movies found in the attic suggest a serial killer — or supernatural force — is responsible for the atrocities. Sinister see-saws between crime mystery and spooky stuff, as the slightly unhinged hero gets deeper into a puzzle that poses a threat to him and his family. Well-acted, reasonably paced and intriguing, this mid-list shocker from writer-director Scott Derrickson is nothing new, but delivers enough subtle creeps to get by.