“Smile” is one of 2022’s most popular horror film’s whose successful blending of genres has allowed the movie to reach wider audiences. The film, released Sept. 30, was incredibly successful at the box office, grossing over $100 million internationally. This was the only reason I, a publically proclaimed hater of horror films, chose to go to the movie theater and give it a try.

“Smile,” is based on the 2020 short film “Laura Hasn’t Slept,” and focuses on psychiatrist Dr. Rose Cotter, who is haunted by an evil spirit that feeds on the trauma of humans. The jumpscares were nerve-wracking to say the least, and the cinematography was brilliantly done.

As a lover of art within movies such as color choice and photography, “Smile” checks all my boxes. There is little to no cheesiness, and eye-roll moments are few and far between. The film’s incredible box office success can be attributed to its blend genres of mystery, romance and horror. Rose must balance The lack of humanity within the evil spirit which, juxtaposed with its hunger for humans’ emotional trauma, made me wish Director Parker Jones was considering a “Star Wars”-esque prequel series.

Whether you are a die-hard fan of all things scary or the kind of person that finds themself covering their eyes for the majority of the movie after the opening credits, “Smile” has something for every viewer (even if that thing is the inability to sleep for a week after watching —I am definitely not speaking from personal experience).