The defence The Arthouse Gremlin
“Its refusal to behave is the point.”
The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.
Back to trending 
Before I Wake
Drama · Fantasy · Horror · 2016
An orphaned child's dreams—and nightmares—manifest physically as he sleeps.
Movie details
Before I Wake
“Fear your dreams.”
2016 Drama · Fantasy · Horror 1h 37m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.5 / 10
Community rating
An orphaned child's dreams—and nightmares—manifest physically as he sleeps.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Before I Wake?
For the defence
The Arthouse Gremlin
“The stranger, the better.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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Werewolf: The Beast Among Us
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Set in a 19th century village, a young man studying under a local doctor joins a team of hunters on the trail of a wolf-like creature.
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A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
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A psychiatrist, familiar with the knife-wielding dream demon Freddy Krueger, helps teens at a mental hospital battle the killer who is invading their dreams.
His House
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The Entity
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A single mom is raped by an invisible force. Her psychiatrist believes the experience stems from childhood trauma, while she knows something supernatural is at play.
The Transfiguration
Horror · 2016
When troubled teen Milo, who has a fascination with vampire lore, meets the equally alienated Sophie, the two form a bond that begins to blur Milo's fantasy into reality.
Tideland
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Because of the actions of her irresponsible parents, a young girl is left alone on a decrepit country estate and survives inside her fantastic imagination.
mother!
Horror · 2017
A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.
Where it lives
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Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.
Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Mike Flanagan
Written by
Mike Flanagan · Jeff Howard
Kate Bosworth
Jessie
Jacob Tremblay
Cody
Thomas Jane
Mark
Annabeth Gish
Natalie
Lance E. Nichols
Detective
Scottie Thompson
Teacher
Dash Mihok
Whelan
Court is in session
Put Before I Wake on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Oddness is not depth.”
A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.