Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that Sinister -- a horror movie from the director of The Exorcism of Emily Rose -- is about a potentially supernatural killer and the disappearance of several children. It has some genuinely scary, tense, and shocking moments, including images of gruesome murders shown on Super 8 film footage. There's also a scene of blood spattered all over several walls. Language is a minor issue ("s--t" is used a couple of times), but the main character gulps whisky during tense moments and also smokes a cigarette.

Sexual Content

A married couple shares a couple of kisses and are shown sleeping in the same bed.

Violence

Genuinely scary/shocking moments. The main character watches Super 8 films with grisly scenes of murder, such as a group hanging, a family burned alive inside a car, a family drowned in a swimming pool, and people cut up by a power lawnmower. There are suggestions of slaughter and images of walls decorated with blood.

Language

Language is infrequent but includes a few uses of "s--t." In one scene, a character says the word "f--king" but drops a couple of letters so that it's not quite clear. Characters also say "damn it," "goddamn," "Christ" (as an exclamation), and "oh my God."

Social Behavior

Perhaps the biggest message here is "curiosity killed the cat," though the main character does eventually learn to put his family before his work.

Consumerism

The main character regularly uses an Apple computer and iPhone. The computer's screen and its various functions, commands, and applications -- such as Google, iChat, Safari, and QuickTime -- are shown often.

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

The main character is shown gulping down whisky during tense moments, though he's never shown drunk, and it's not established that he has a drinking problem. He's also seen drinking a beer at dinner, and he lights up a cigarette during one especially tense scene.