Book Review - Pet Sematary by Stephen King

Title: Pet Sematary
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Published: 1983
 
Description: The House looked right, felt right to Dr. Louis Creed.
 
Rambling, old, unsmart and comfortable. A place where the family could settle; the children grow and play and explore. The rolling hills and meadows of Maine seemed a world away from the fume-choked dangers of Chicago.
 
Only the occasional big truck out on the two-lane highway, grinding up through the gears, hammering down the long gradients, growled out an intrusive threat.
 
But behind the house and far away from the road: that was safe. Just a carefully cleared path up into the woods where generations of local children have processed with the solemn innocence of the young, taking with them their dear departed pets for burial.
 
A sad place maybe, but safe. Surely a safe place. Not a place to seep into your dreams, to wake you, sweating with fear and foreboding.
 
Review: Did I just read my new favorite Stephen King book?  A terrifying epic about the limits of human grief. “Pet Sematary” is an absolute masterpiece. After closing that very last page, I can only conclude one thing: this is officially my favorite Stephen King novel. Over the years I have devoured many of King’s books, but this particular story grabbed me by the throat from the very first chapter and never lets go. It’s dark and compelling and will haunt your mind for days afterwards.
 
The story follows the young, successful doctor Louis Creed. He moves with his wife Rachel and two young children Ellie and Gage, and the family cat Church to the seemingly idyllic countryside of Maine. Their fresh start seems perfect, but appearances can be deceiving. They soon befriend their elderly neighbor, Jud Crandall, who takes them to a mysterious pet cemetery deep in the woods: the “Pet Sematary”.
 
What begins as a melancholic place where local children commemorate their deceased pets, however, turns out to be a dark façade. Deeper in the woods lies an ancient Mi’kmaq Indian burial ground that is possessed by a malevolent, supernatural force. The ground there is literally and figuratively acidic: whatever is buried there returns from the dead. But they never return exactly the same. When tragedy strikes the Creed family without mercy, Louis is driven by intense grief to defy the laws of nature. He makes a fatal decision with horrific irreversible consequences.
 
I can say with complete conviction that this is one of the scariest books I’ve ever read in my entire life. King doesn’t build tension with the cheap shock tactics of supernatural jump scares, but with a deep suffocating psychological terror that slowly creeps under your skin. From the very first page, the atmosphere is stifling, ominous, and uncomfortable. As a reader, you sense the impending catastrophe, but you’re just as powerless as the characters themselves. The climax is so intense and terrifying that I simply couldn’t put it down, despite the chills running down my spine. The last 100 pages were top tier.
 
What truly elevates this book to the level of a literary masterpiece is its emotional and philosophical depth. Pure grief is the central, most important theme of this story. King dissects the human psyche to the bone and painfully reveals just how blinding, destructive, and isolating intense grief can be. The book poses the chilling question: How far would you go to get a lost loved one back? It explores the universal fear of death and our inability to let go. The conclusion is brutally harsh: sometimes death really is better. “Pet Sematary” undoubtedly has one of the darkest and most hopeless endings Stephen King has ever written.
 
It’s dark, emotionally draining, psychologically complex, and terrifyingly relatable. It’s Stephen King at the absolute peak of his power. An absolute must-read for anyone who loves horror of the very highest caliber. I can’t believe it took me so long to read it.
 
Rating: 5/ 5
 

Book Review - The Body by Stephen King

Title: The Body
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 1982
 
Description: It’s 1960 Castle Rock. Ray Brower, a boy from a nearby town, has disappeared, and twelve-year-old Gordie Lachance and his three friends set out on a quest to find his body along the railroad tracks. During the course of their journey, Gordie, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio come to terms with death and the harsh truth of growing up in a small factory town that doesn’t offer much in the way of the future.
 
Review: I have read Stephen King’s “The Body” before, but this time I decided to listen to the audiobook narrated by Wil Wheaton. One of my favorite movies, “Stand By Me”, is based on this novella and Wheaton plays Gordie Lachance.
 
Although Stephen King is known as the “King of Horror”, but he proves with this novella that he is the absolute master at capturing the human soul and the bittersweet transition from childhood to adulthood.
 
Four boys go looking for a dead body along the railroad tracks. It sounds simple, but it’s a deep, emotional journey filled with friendship, fear, and the realization that the worlds isn’t as safe as you hope it is as a child. The raw, honest way King describes the dynamics between the boys remains unmatched.
 
Wil Wheaton is the perfect choice as a narrator. He brings a vulnerability and sincerity to the text that perfectly matches the book’s melancholic tone. If anyone aside from King himself, knows this story, it’s Wheaton.
 
This book is an ode to friendship. Whether you’re familiar with the film or not, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves compelling characters development and atmospheric storytelling. A timeless classic that will stay with you long after you’ve closed the book.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

20s Movie Review - The Life of Chuck

Director: Mike Flanagan
Genre: Drama/ Fantasy
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, Jacob Tremblay, Matthew Lillard, Annalise Basso, Kate Siegel, Samanta Sloyan

Description: A life-affirming, genre-bending story about three chapters in the life of an ordinary man names Charles Krantz.

Review: With “The Life of Chuck”, director Mike Flanagan proves that he can do more than horror. He is an absolute master of portraying the human soul. Based on the short story by Stephen King, that I just finished reading, this is a deeply moving celebration of life, told in reverse chronological order.

The film begins at the end of the world and works backward to the childhood of Chuck. It’s a darling structure that works perfectly; as the world around the characters literally falls apart, we discover the small, seemingly insignificant moments that give a life meaning. The iconic dance scene on the street is already a classic. It was my favorite scene in the book and is the best part of the movie as well. It’s pure, infectious, and a symbol of indestructible joie de vivre.

Flanagan embraces the sentiment without ever becoming sentimental. He is very faithful to Stephen King’s story, which I can only applaud. He reminds us that every human being carries a whole universe withing them. “The Life of Chuck” is a visually stunning and emotionally overwhelming tribute to the fact that we exist. Tom Hiddleston is absolutely brilliant in it. The film is an absolute triumph and a new favorite film.

Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - The Life of Chuck by Stephen King

Title: The Life of Chuck
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Fiction/ Fantasy
Published: 2020
 
Description: In a crumbling world plagued by natural disasters, collapsing infrastructure, and mass panic, bizarre billboards and advertisements appear through town: “Charles Krantz. Thirty-nine great years. Thanks, Chuck!” Marty Anderson, a schoolteacher, becomes obsessed with these messages as the world, inexplicably linked to Chuck’s life, seems to be approaching its end.
 
Told in three acts, presented in reverse order, “The Life of Chuck” explores one man’s past. We see him in middle age on a business trip in Boston as he is seduced by a busker into spinning a gorgeous sidewalk dance. And we see him as a child, in a house haunted by a terrible secret, learning to dance with his grandmother.
 
Review: “The Life of Chuck” is not just a story; it is an emotional tour de force that proves Stephen King is much more than just the “King of Horror”. In three acts, told in reverse chronological order, King paints a universal portrait of what it means to be human.
 
The story begins at the end: an apocalyptic world slowly falling apart. What initially feels like a classic King scenario quickly transforms into a profound metaphor for the death of an individual. The mysterious billboards thank Chuck Krant for 39 wonderful years form the heart of a puzzle that compels the reader to reflect on the impact of a single life on the universe.
 
King shows that every human harbors a world on their own. In the middle section, in which an adult Chuk spontaneously begins dancing in the street, is one of the most exuberant scenes King has ever written and my favorite part of the story. It reminds us that happiness often lies in brief, unplanned moments. The final section takes us back to Chuck’s childhood and the mysterious locked room in his grandparents’ house. Here, King masterfully blends supernatural and magical elements with the tenderness of growing up.
 
This book made me think and eventually brought me to tears, with its pure humanity. The choice of the reverse storytelling is brilliantly executed. It ensures that you already know the tragedy of the ending, giving the small victories in Chuck’s early life extra meaning.
 
Although it contains elements of cosmic horror and the unknown, at its core is a hopeful message about the value of life, even without the promise of an afterlife.
 
“The Life of Chuck” is a beautiful, melancholic, and ultimately comforting story. It is an absolute must-read for anyone who loves deep characters and stories that continue to resonate in your mind long after you’ve closed the book.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - The Outsider by Stephen King

Title: The Outsider (Holly Gibney # 1)
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Published: 2018
 
Description: An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town parl. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League Coach, husband and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.
 
As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face?

Review: “The Outsider” is a masterful blend of hard-boiled police thriller and classic supernatural horror, a genre for which Stephen King is renowned. The book grabs you by the throat from the very first page and doesn’t let go.
 
The story starts in Flint City, with the gruesome discovery of the body of an 11-year-old boy. All the evidence – fingerprints, DNA and eyewitnesses – point to Terry Maitland: the popular teacher, father and coach of the Little League team. Detective Ralph Anderson arrests him in a very public manner. However, Maitland has a watertight alibi; at the time of the murder, he was miles aways at a conference, and there is even video footage to prove it. The central question that drives the investigation is how can someone be in two places at once?
 
Stephen King succeeds in creating an oppressive atmosphere of mistrust and sadness in a small community. What begins as a realistic whodunnit slowly but surely slips into a sinister, supernatural nightmare.
 
The build-up to the mystery is phenomenal, the final confrontation and explanation feel a bit rushed and less satisfying then the rock-solid first part of the story.
 
If you are a fan of horror and thriller, this dark investigation into the nature of evil and the limits of our belief and logic is an absolute recommendation. A solid four-star book.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - Revival by Stephen King

Title: Revival
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror/ Thriller/ Fiction
Published: 2014
 
Description: In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transforms the local church. The men and boys a re all a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs; the women and girls feel the same about Reverand Jacobs – including Jamies mother and beloved sister Claire. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession. When tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, this charismatic preacher curses God, mocks all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town.
 
Jamie has demons of his own. Wed to his guitar from the age of thirteen, he plays in bands across the country, living the nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll while fleeing from his family’s horrific loss. In his mid-thirties – addicted to heroin, stranded, desperate – Jamie meets Charles Jacobs again, with profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil’s devising, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings.
 
Review: Jamie Morton tells his story, of his life when he met Reverend Charles Jacobs. The story takes time to get going. It begins with a detailed description of the lives of Jame and Reverend Jacobs. The evens that lead to their fate are described at length.
 
Stephen King has always been a very descriptive author, with which it’s easy to picture characters, settings and situations. “Revival” is no different. The pace of this story is slow to medium, but I didn’t mind. The characters are so well-written and interesting, that it’s a joy to read about them in great detail.
 
The detailed narrative is convincing, but there is a chance the reader will lose interest because you have no clue where the story is going. It is actual the constant tension that makes you want to continue reading. At first, it feels like a literary novel, but more supernatural and horror elements will enter later in the book.
 
The story has a lot of depth and it’s very clear that King was inspired by books like Frankenstein or the works of H.P. Lovecraft. I believe that this is one of those King books that lots of people don’t know about. I went in with no expectations, but it immediately grabbed me and I enjoyed reading it.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - You Like It Darker by Stephen King

Title: You Like It Darker
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Published: 2024
 
Description: “You like it darker? Fine, so do I,” writes Stephen King in the afterword to this magnificent new collection of twelve stories that delve into the dark part of life – both metaphorical and literal. King has, for half a century, been a master of the form, and these stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are as rich and riveting as his novels, both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to read. You like it darker? You got it.
 
Review: Stephen King’s 2024 release, “You Like It Darker”, is a collection of 12 short stories. They live up to the hype, though some stories are more memorable than others. And like the title says, it explores the grimmer aspects of life.
 
There was only one story I didn’t really care for, called “Red Screen”. The rest of the stories were all really good. And I will focus on a few of my favorites.
 
“The Fifth Step” is one of the shortest stories and this makes it even more impressive that it packs such a powerful punch. We meet Harold who agrees to listen to the confessions of a recovering alcoholic named Jack. His revelation are initially mild but the twist in this story is what makes your jaw drop.
 
“Rattlesnakes” is a (sort of) sequel to “Cujo”. This is the scariest story in the book, about a man named Vic facing a haunting in Florida. He staying at a friend’s home and befriends the neighbor woman, who also lost her children. It’s a frightening horror story.  
 
There were two stories I rated 5 stars and one of them might be an unpopular one. I loved “Laurie”, which focuses on death and grief, but is the most heartwarming story in this collection. I was emotionally invested and loved the main character and his dog Laurie. No supernatural, no twists, just really good.
 
My absolute favorite was “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream”. It’s the longest story, with over 150 pages, it’s a novella within a book. Danny has been having the same dream, about an abandoned gas station with a person’s hand sticking from the ground. When he finds the actual gas station, he decides to visit it, and there he finds a dead body. He makes an anonymous call, but when he’s been tracked by the police, Danny becomes the prime suspect. Danny Coughlin is one of the most compelling main characters and the story is very compelling from start to finish.
 
Other favorites were “Two Talented Bastids”,”Willie the Weirdo”, “The Turbulence Expert”,  “The Dreamers” and “The Answer Man. I was so happy that this turned out as good as I hoped it would be, because you never know with a short story collection.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Title: Fairy Tale
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Fantasy/ Horror
Published: 2022
 
Description: Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself – and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets Howard Bowditch, a recluse with a big dog in a big house at the top of a big hill. In the backyard is a locked shed from which strange sounds emerge, as if some creature is trying to escape. When Mr. Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie the house, a massive amount of gold, a cassette tape telling a story that is impossible to believe, and a responsibility far too massive for a boy to shoulder.
 
Because within the shed is a portal to another world – one whose denizens are in peril and whose monstrous leaders may destroy their own world, and ours. In this parallel universe, where two moons race across the sky, and the grand towers of a sprawling palace pierce the clouds, there are exiled princesses and princes who suffer horrific punishments; there are dungeons; there are games in which men and women must fight each other to the death for the amusement of the “Fair One”. And there is a magic sundial that can turn back time .
 
Review: We meet Charlie Reade, our main character and the narrator of the story. He is a nineteen-year-old kid who one day helps the elderly Mr. Bowditch. Because Mr. Bowditch has broken his leg, Charlie decides to take care of him and he becomes friends with him and Mr. Bowditch’s dog Radar. Charlie discovers a shed in Mr. Bowditch’s yard, which is always locked and there are strange sound coming from the inside of it. When Mr. Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie his dog, his house and his money. But also a cassette tape, on which Mr. Bowditch tells Charlei what is in the shed and the instructions he should explore it.
 
I immediately liked Charlie. I’m glad he was the main character. He is a kind, smart, selfless kid and I enjoyed reading from his perspective. Stephen King did a great job with this character. Also with Mr. Bowditch and even with the dog Radar. What King also did, and has always been one of his best qualities, is setting a scene and describing everything. It’s always so easy to form a picture in your head while reading a Stephen King novel. He created an interesting, magical, scary world in “Fairy Tale”. It's a fantasy novel at most and it’s not King’s preferred genre. But it’s excellently done.
 
The story is full of characters and there is a lot of world-building. There is a lot of social and political commentary, as known from King’s other books. And the book had some surprising lightheartedness to it. It didn’t feel heavy, even though “Fairy Tale” also deals with themes like grief, addiction and death.
 
I really enjoyed “Fairy Tale”. It’s a wonderfully imaginative, adventurous book. The only critique is that it was a tad too long and there were some parts in the book that dragged a bit or felt repetitive. I would definitely recommend this to people, if they want to start reading Stephen King.  
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - It by Stephen King

Title: It
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Published: 1986
 
Description: Welcome to Derry, Maine. It’s a small city, a pace as hauntingly familiar as your hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real…
 
They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them back to Derry to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name.
 
Review: Of all the books I read by Stephen King, I can surely tell that “It” has left the biggest impression on me. It’s one of the scariest books I have ever read.
 
Seven teenagers, living in Derry, Maine, all face their biggest fears and it still haunts them as adults, when all but one has left Derry. When, after 27 years, that thing they feared the most is back, they all return to Derry to face it once again.
 
The book has two timelines that run together, they intertwine; When they were teenagers and that of them as adults. And there is no other author that can flesh out a character as well as Stephen King. Seven characters actually. Seven characters you get to know so well, you come to love, you understand, you sympathize with. Each character gets King’s personal attention, he put so much effort into all of them.
 
Most of Stephen King’s books are slow paced, because he takes his time to describe everything and everyone in extreme detail. And to be honest, King’s books are the only ones I can really appreciate it from, because slower paced books or slow burns are not my favorite. But because King’s storytelling qualities are of such a high level, it doesn’t bother me.  
 
“It” is first and foremost a horror novel, but it is also a coming-of-age story. Childhood fears, friendships, losing innocence, learning about the cruel world, growing into adulthood. These are themes that the book revolves around. And that are also recurring themes in King’s other books.
 
There is this one particular scene in the book, very disturbing given the age of the seven kids, that even Stephen King knew would never make it to the screen. And it didn’t, not in the mini-series nor in the two-parter directed by Andy Muschietti. Which is understandable. This scene seems an extraordinarily strange scene. But given the theme of the book, it entirely fits. With this, Beverly forges together the blood bond they agree on as children. I’m not going to spoil this scene, but if you know, you know.
 
“It” is a very long book, but also a perfect one. I never really could say what my favorite Stephen King was, of the ones that I’d read. But “It” is that book now.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Title: Salem’s Lot
Series: -
Author: Stephen King
 
Description: Writer Ben Mears has returned to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot with the hope that moving into a dilapidated mansion, long the subject of town lore, might help him get a handle on his life and provide inspiration for a new book. But when two young boys venture into the woods and only one comes out alive, Mears begins to realize that there may be something sinister at work.
In time, he comes to understand that his hometown is under siege from forces of darkness far beyond his wildest imagination. And only he, with a small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that is tearing the town apart.
 
Review: “Salem’s Lot” is undoubtedly one of the works that has put Stephen King on the map, and rightly so. It contains all the ingredients that set King apart from the masses. King really is a master in setting up a story, by telling you in detail about the town it’s set in and the people that live there. This way the town and the inhabitants really come to life.
 
King was inspired by Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, and he gives it a nice, modern twist without losing its power. And it’s a horror book, with some real creepy moments. But it’s not King at his scariest.
 
Because the first 40 percent of the book was basically the story’s set-up, “Salem’s Lot” is a slow burn and not a lot happens at that point. But ones strange things start to happen, this book is un-put-downable. I wouldn’t call it a page-turned, it’s too slow for that, but you do want to keep reading and you’re sucked into the story. “Salem’s Lot” is one of my favorite King books I have read so far, although you have to be patient before it really gets going. Worth the wait though.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - 1922

Director: Zak Hilditch
Genre: Drama/ Horror/ Crime
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Thomas Jane, Molly Parker, Dylan Schmidt, Brian D’Arcy James

Description: A simple yet proud farmer (Thomas Jane) in the year 1922 conspires to murder his wife (Molly Parker) for financial gain, convincing his teenage son (Dylan Schmidt) to assist. But their actions have unintended consequences.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 42: A MOVIE BASED ON A STEPHEN KING NOVEL
 
Review: Stephen King is probably the author with the most book to movie adaptations on his name. “1922” is based on a novella King wrote in 2010, where we follow Wilfred James, an American farmer. His wife no longer wants to live in the country and is determined to sell her share of their land and move to the city. Wilfred sees no other way out bu to murder his wife and convince his son to help him. Soon after the murder, his life slowly falls apart.

A slow burn, which King is known for. The film looks stylish and has some really creepy moments. It’s not a very surprising movie, but grabs you enough to stay tuned.

Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - The Institute by Stephen King

Title: The Institute
Series: -
Author: Stephen King
 
Description: In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents—telekinesis and telepathy—who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, “like the roach motel,” Kalisha says. “You check in, but you don’t check out.”

In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extranormal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along, you get tokens for the vending machines. If you don’t, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute.
 
Review: Luke Ellis, a 12-year-old boy from Minneapolis, is kidnapped from his home one night, by a mysterious team. He wakes up in a room that looks exactly like his own, but doesn’t have a window. Soon he meets peers who have been similarly kidnapped and inform him: they are locked up in The Institute, a facility for children with psychic powers. Luke and some of his friends are telekinetic and others telepathic. At first glance, the facility’s staff seems friendly, but turns out to have no good intentions. They experiment on the children and as those increase, more and more of Luke’s friend disappear into the secret half of the institution. Luke concocts an escape plan, but no one has ever succeeded to do so.   
 
At first glance, “The Institute” is not Stephen King’s most original work; children and adults with paranormal abilities have been popping up throughout his career from his debut “Carrie” to “The Shining”, “Firestarter” and “The Green Mile”, and many others. Its influence over the years is evident. This book felt a lot like the storyline of Eleven in the Netflix show “Stranger Things”.
 
Despite that not be the most innovative theme, King’s “The Institute” is an exciting, entertaining and at times moving story. The book gradually builds to a strong climax that reveals everything and more than you as a reader expect. I loved that ending. This book si more sci-fi, thriller and fantasy than gory horror. And much attention is paid to underlying themes of friendship and good versus evil. But there is still suspense in this story.
 
What I find very good about this book is that it’s both a good start for Stephen King newbies and recommended for his fans. I don’t think it’s one of his best books, because it is at times very uneventful and it drags a bit. But still a pretty good read.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Mr. Harrigan's Phone

Director: John Lee Hancock
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Horror/ Mystery
Runtime: 105 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Jaeden Martell, Donald Sutherland, Joe Tippett, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Peggy J. Scott,  
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 43: A MOVIE BASED ON A BOOK
 
Description: When Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland) dies, Craig (Jaeden Martell), the teen who befriended and did odd jobs for him, puts his smart phone in his pocket before burial. When the lonely Craig sends his friend a message, he is shocked to get a return text.

Review: The number of film adaptations of Stephen King stories is at least as vast as the literary canon of the great master himself. New to the list is the Netflix film “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone”.

Craig befriends the old billionaire Mr. Harrigan where at a young age, he reads literature to the old man, because his eyes are deteriorating. He does this over a period of five years and we see him grow up from a young boy to a teenager. A special bond develops between the two. Craig gets an iPhone from his father and later buys one for his old friend. When one day Mr. Harrigan dies, Craig puts Harrigan’s phone in his suit at the funeral, to be buried with him. When Craig is feeling lonely, he decides to leave a voicemail message for Mr. Harrigan, telling him how much he misses him. But he gets a text message back from him and strange things start to happen.

The reason the two have such a good bond is because they both lost their mother at a young age. Craig likes being with him because he is not well-liked at school and is more concerned with getting rid of the bullies. The wise old man recognizes this and teaches him wise life lessons.

For the people afraid of horror: you can watch this. It is not horror. It’s at most a mystery thriller, with drama elements. The focus is on the bond between the two main characters. What is their connection. How is it that Craig still gets messages on his phone when the man has died. And what about the wishes he expresses on Harrigan’s voicemails and their outcomes?

Donald Sutherland, who plays the titular Mr. Harrigan, doesn’t have a big role, but plays it convincingly. Wise and sly but also fragile. Jaeden Martell, who was also in “It”, another film based on a Stephen King book, and  holds his own against the veteran. Martell portrays a believable, insecure teenager.  

“Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” is a film I enjoyed, not one of the best Stephen King adaptations, but definitely not in the worst category either.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King

Title: Gwendy’s Button Box

Series: The Button Box # 1

Author: Stephen King

Description: There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974 twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson has taken the stairs, which are held by strong (if time-rusted) iron bolts and zig-zag up the cliffside.

At the top of the stairs, Gwendy catches her breath and listens to the shouts of the kids on the playground. From a bit farther away comes the chink of an aluminum bat hitting a baseball as the Senior League kids practice for the Labor Day charity game. One day, a stranger calls to Gwendy. On a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat like for a suit, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head is a small neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat...

Review: “Gwendy’s Button Box”, unlike most Stephen King’s work, is only a very thin book. It is a novella, which you can usually read very quickly. The cover is beautiful and inside are wonderful illustrations.

The story follows Gwendy, who struggles with various aspects of her life, including her weight. After she gets a button box ins a special way, it seems to change her whole life. She loses wight, gets better grades, and excels at sports and work. The button box in particular is very appealing to the imagination of this story. The tension is well built.

There is a clear message in the novella. As you reas, you get the idea that you need to read the book again, to fully grasp the meaning of the story. We experience the story mainly through Gwendy’s eyes, although due to the length of the story we don’t really get to know her as a character.

The book combines several elements and genres, including fantasy, horror, life lessons and young adulthood. The ending of “Gwendy’s Button Box” is surprising, because the evens make you expect the novella to end differently.

Stephen King never disappoint, and he didn’t with this short story.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Gerald's Game

Director: Mike Flanagan
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Carla Cugino, Bruce Greenwood, Henry Thomas, Carel Struyken, Kate Siegel

Description: A couple (Carle Cugino, Bruce Greenwood) tries to spice up their marriage in a remote lake house. After the husband dies unexpectedly, the wife is left handcuffed to their bed frame and must fight to survive and break free.

Review: Gerald handcuffs his wife Jessie to the bed of a remote lake house they are vacation in. for Jessie, this adventure turns into torture when Gerald suddenly dies of a heart attack, while her still being cuffed to the bed.  
2017 was a year that Stephen King had many of his films being adapted to the big screen. His book series “The Dark Tower” finally turned into a movie and the remake of “It” was a huge success. In addition, Netflix presented us with “1922” and “Gerald’s Game”.
One thing is for sure, “Gerald’s Game” is not the easiest book to film. The story largely takes place in the mind of Jessie who is chained to a bed while her late husband is being eaten by a stray dog. Yet director Mike Flanagan manages to squeeze enough suspense out of this plot.
This success is largely due to the intense acting of Carla Cugino as Jessie. As the fear, hunger and thirst begin to take their toll, she turns more an more into herself. We too escape from Jessie’s plight for a brief moment, only to be confronted with the nightmares of her past.
These interludes deepen the complexity of Cugino’s character and ensure that the film never becomes boring. Flanagan’s dedication to character development makes “Gerald’s Game” both a robust King film adaptation and an effective psychological horror film.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Five to Watch - Movies Based on Stephen King Novels

Stephen King is one of the best and most successful authors ever and he probably is also the writer with the most book to movie adaptations. I decided to select five films, that are based on his stories, that you should definitely see. I will avoid the obvious ones like “The Shawshank Redemption”, “The Shining” “Stand By Me”, “The Green Mile”, “It” or any other well-known film, since most of you have seen them probably more than once. I picked films that are overlooked and underrated and that a lot of people maybe never even saw.

The Night Flier
It’s a substantial film adaptation of Stephen King’s short story about a cynical journalist and a benevolent intern from a tabloid newspaper, who hunts down a dark murderer. A tricky job because the alleged culprit travels by black plane, suffers from a vampire complex and robs his victims on remote airfields. Richly filled with bloody close-ups, ripped open necks and twisted bodies with a finale that will give you sleepless nights.

Apt Pupil
The adaptation of a story from Stephen King’s collector “Different Season”, which also has the more well-known “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption” and “The Body” (Stand By Me ) in it. Brad Renfro plays a young boy who wants to hear all the stories his neighbor has to tell. The neighbor, portrayed by Ian McKellen, is a passionate former Nazi. It’s a disturbing and provocative film that survives to its intense performances.

Dolores Claiborne
Journalist Selena returns home after years, to meet her mother Dolores, who is accused of murdering her employer. Everyone, including detective Mackey, is convinced of her guilt. Twenty years ago Dolores’ husband died under mysterious circumstances. Then she got away, but Mackey is sure she won’t escape her punishment this time. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kathy Bates play mother and daughter and play off each other perfectly. Bates is mostly known for her role in another King adapted novel, “Misery”, but in “Dolores Claiborne” she is also really good.

Cat’s Eye
A cat is the red thread in this film with three different stories by Stephen King. The first revolves around a man who enters a smokers’ rehab clinic where unconventional and somewhat shocking methods are used. In the second episode, a man makes a terrifying bet with his wife’s lover. King wrote the third story with young Drew Barrymore (a few years after “E.T.”) in mind. She plays a girl who is sure there is a strange creature behind her bedroom wall. Excellent special effects and of course very exciting.

Silver Bullet
Welcome in 1976 and the peaceful village of Tarker’s Mill. A typical Stephen King town. Eleven-year-old Marty suspects a werewolf among the villagers. His uncle Red is the only one that believes him and together they fight the godless monster. It’s horror with a slight comedic touch, but has a scary atmosphere. The late Corey Haim and Gary Busy star in it.

10s Movie Review - In the Tall Grass

Director: Vincenzo Natali
Genre: Thriller/ Horror/ Drama/ Mystery
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Laysla de Oliveira, Svery Whitted, Patrick Wilson, Will Wuie Jr., Harrison Gilbertson, Rachel Wilson

Description: After hearing a young boy’s cry for help, a sister and brother vernture into a vast field of tall grass in Kansas, but soon discover there may be no way out… and that something evil lurks within.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 18: A MOVIE BASED ON A STEPHEN KING BOOK

Review: Netflix released another film based on a Stephen King novel, like before “Gerald’s Game” and “1922”. King wrote this story together with his son Joe Hill and it was released in 2012.
The pregnant Becky and her brother Cal are on their way to San Diego. When they make a little stop, they hear a boy calling for help in a big field of grass. They decide to help the boy, but lose each other and can’t seem to find one another. And for some reason, they are not able to get to each other or leave the field. Things get even more mysterious when they meet other people in the grass.
We all know the feeling that you get when you’re lost: helplessness, frustration and fear. You would think that “In the Tall Grass” would give you these feelings too, but it only happens at times. The film has a creepy feel to it, but really lacks enough tension to stay exciting the entire runtime.
What does work are the amazing visuals, both in the dark as in broad daylight. It adds to the total experience of the film, which can be very vague. It never really explains anything, which is not a bad thing per say. Because stories like this can become over-explanatory and lose mystery because of it. So, because of the big mystery element the film does make it worth your time.
I think it’s an okay mystery thriller, but it probably works better as a book or maybe even a short story then a full length film.

Rating: 3 / 5