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Landfill

Landfill

A girl, a ghost, a killer

2021116 minMidcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
Director
Yesser Laham
Starring
Linda Blair, Christine Elise, Michael Dudikoff, Chris Romano

When a little girl begins to see the ghost of another girl her age shortly after finding a necklace at a landfill, she embarks on a journey to help the ghost discover the mystery behind her death.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Landfill?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Landfill streaming on Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Landfill?

Landfill earns 1 badge: Award Winner.

Reception

Is Landfill worth watching?

Landfill's Midcredits score is the 15th percentile of all films, from 212 ratings across 3 sources. 31% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

15th percentile

Better received than 15% of films

12th percentile among Crime16th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)9th
Approval (how many liked it)24th

44 /100

9th percentile of all films

6th percentile among Crime10th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

31% liked it

24th percentile of all films

23rd percentile among Crime26th percentile among 2020s
31% rated it 7–1069% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 15 wins / 4 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

31st percentile

212 ratings across platforms

20th percentile among Crime31st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$1.1K
Domestic gross$3K
Worldwide gross$3K

5th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is an atmospheric supernatural mystery with strong visuals and a promising concept, but its execution is uneven — especially in pacing and supporting performances.

Fans praised

  • Gripping supernatural mystery with emotional depth and family drama
  • Atmospheric cinematography, lighting, and unsettling musical score
  • Strong lead performances, especially from child actors and the father

Detractors panned

  • Uneven acting, particularly among side characters and some child actors
  • Pacing issues with overlong scenes that drag past their point
  • Underdeveloped supporting characters that feel two-dimensional

What stands out

Cinematography78

Beautifully shot with strong lighting and well-chosen locations

Atmosphere76

Creepy, ominous tone with immersive world-building between reality and the supernatural

Sound and music75

Haunting, unsettling score that enhances atmosphere, though sound mix rough in spots

Originality72

Unique landfill setting and clever metaphors, though genre-familiar

Plot and story68

Promising premise with too many subplots but a coherent, engaging core mystery

Acting65

Mixed bag: lead and father praised, side characters and some kids uneven

Characters58

Lead relatable and likable, but several supporting roles feel clichéd or half-baked

Pacing45

Several scenes drag past their point; film could be shorter

Watch experience

What is Landfill like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
TenseMelancholicContemplative
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film balances suspense and emotional depth, treating its ghostly mystery with sincerity while maintaining a brooding atmosphere.
The rideThe first half builds character development with a melancholic feel, while the second half becomes more tense; the heaviest emotional stretch arrives during the investigation and climax.
StructureThe story follows a conventional beginning-middle-end structure as the girl investigates the ghost's death.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film resolves its mystery with emotional closure, leaving the viewer with a sense of peace and hope despite the sadness of the ghost's fate.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MysteryEnigma
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2% (this title)
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Enigma: The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).

7% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA young girl's encounter with a ghost sets her on a path to uncover the truth behind the ghost's death, driving the narrative as a mystery.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsJustice · 13% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the protagonist's relationship with her parents, especially her supportive father and strained mother, while also seeking justice for the ghost girl's unresolved death.
StanceThe film celebrates the bonds of family and the courage to seek justice for the dead, with an earnest, heartfelt posture toward its material.

The world

ContemporaryRuralSuburbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalAmbientSupportive music · original score · Salil Bhayani
Settinga small town where a housing development is being built on a landfill
MusicReviews mention chilling music accompanying dreamy abstract scenes.

Content guide

Is Landfill okay for kids?

As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (6 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Landfill have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Landfill?

Cast

Linda Blair
as Detective Karen Atwood
Christine Elise
as Detective McCarthy
Michael Dudikoff
as Mr. Lindbergh
Chris Romano
as Reporter Mark Edwards
Lily Jang
as Student
Sophie Guest
as Nora Birch
David Lee Smith
as Robert Everie
Angela Jones
as Lisa Everie
Adrienne Wilkinson
as Judy Birch
Julie Lake
as Mrs. Kettleworth

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Landfill?

Movies like Landfill include Lady in White (1988) and Casper (1995), both stories about otherworldly companions.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with Landfill?

278 other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: otherworldly companion. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.