Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Sinister

Sinister is a 2012 supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson, who co-wrote the screenplay with C.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

Sinister is a 2012 supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson. It follows a true-crime writer who uncovers disturbing home movies in his new home.

What it is

Sinister centers on Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), a true-crime writer who moves his family into a house connected to a brutal murder. He discovers Super 8 footage showing violent deaths and a supernatural force. The film blends found-footage horror with a mystery thriller.

Key details

Directed by Scott Derrickson and co-written with C. Robert Cargill, the film stars Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, and others. It runs about 109–110 minutes and is rated R for disturbing images. A sequel, Sinister 2, was released in 2015. The film is noted as an American-Canadian-British production.

Reception

Sinister is marketed as a tense horror mystery. It received positive reviews for its atmosphere and Hawke's performance. The found-footage elements and supernatural threat are key highlights.

In short

  • True-crime writer finds deadly home movies.
  • Directed by Scott Derrickson, starring Ethan Hawke.
  • Followed by a 2015 sequel.
  • Rated R for disturbing violent images.
Canadian angle

The film has been described in some sources as an American-Canadian-British production, which may be of interest to Canadian viewers and film readers.[5]

Quick questions

What is Sinister?
Sinister is a 2012 supernatural horror film about a true-crime writer who discovers disturbing films in his new home.
Who directed Sinister?
Scott Derrickson directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with C. Robert Cargill.
Who stars in Sinister?
Ethan Hawke stars as Ellison Oswalt, alongside Juliet Rylance, Fred Thompson, James Ransone, Clare Foley, and Michael Hall D'Addario.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinister_(film)
    Supports: Director, writers, premise, cast
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1922777/
    Supports: Plot, cast, runtime, release date, supernatural elements
  3. German Wikipedia — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinister_(Film)
    Supports: Release and sequel information
  4. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sinister_2012
    Supports: Genre, rating, release date, runtime, synopsis
  5. Common Sense Media — https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/sinister
    Supports: Plot details, rating explanation, tone
  6. Netflix — https://www.netflix.com/title/70221486
    Supports: Synopsis and cast
  7. YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kbQAJR9YWQ
    Supports: Trailer description and premise
  8. French Wikipedia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinister
    Supports: French-language note and Canadian/British production description