Sinister

Sinister has quietly become one of the more dependable crime dramas currently available in Australia on Stan, and in the US on YouTube TV and MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 6,087 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch Ethan Hawke work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Available now on Stan — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Sinister is worth clearing space for. The plotting in Sinister is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. True-crime writer Ellison Oswalt is in a slump; he hasn't had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So, when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victims' home and gets to work. Ethan Hawke and Juliet Rylance lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. It hit screens in 2012. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — Sinister passes that test consistently. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, Sinister delivers. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Ethan Hawke carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.