Latest news with #MikeFlanagan
Geek Tyrant
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Stephen King Shares His Thoughts on Mike Flanagan's THE LIFE OF CHUCK – "I Love That Movie" — GeekTyrant
With a wave of upcoming Stephen King adaptations headed our way, The Long Walk , The Running Man , and more, it's easy to focus on the familiar, the terrifying, the classic King. But right around the corner is a quieter release that's already made a powerful impression on the master of horror himself. The Life of Chuck , based on King's 2020 novella and hitting theaters next week, is not your typical King fare. This isn't horror. It's not about haunted hotels or killer clowns. It's about life… fleeting, beautiful, and strange. Directed and adapted by Mike Flanagan, who previously brought us Doctor Sleep , Gerald's Game , and The Haunting of Hill House , this film marks a shift into something more tender, more reflective, and, if you ask King, something truly special. King recently opened up about the Tom Hiddleston-led film, and this is what he said: 'It's a wonderful movie. I don't know if it will do any business or not. I don't know if people are in the mood for that sort of warm-hearted thing. 'It's not what I would call syrupy and sentimental because it does have an acknowledgment that life can be very, very difficult. But Hiddleston did a great job as Chuck. I love that movie.' A 'wonderful movie.' A 'warm-hearted thing.' From the guy who gave us Pet Sematary and The Shining , and that's an emotional endorsement. The story structure of The Life of Chuck is unconventional. It's told in reverse starting with Chuck's death from a brain tumor at 39, then moving backward through three linked vignettes that paint a portrait of a life lived, lost, and remembered. The result is something intimate and surreal, an 'apocalyptic version of It's a Wonderful Life,' as it's been described. As for Flanagan, King has nothing but respect for the guy. Over the past few years, Flanagan has carved out a niche for adapting King in ways that feel deeply personal and cinematic. With The Life of Chuck , he's traded in horror for grace, and according to King, it's great! The cast also includes Mark Hamill, David Dastmalchian, Chiwetel Ejiofor ( Doctor Strange ), and Jacob Tremblay ( Doctor Sleep ), as well as Mia Sara, Trinity Bliss, Harvey Guillen, Rahul Kohli, and Heather Langenkamp. Chiwetel Ejiofor ( 12 Years a Slave ), a school teacher trying to apply logic to the planet's troubles; Karen Gillan ( Guardians of the Galaxy ) is his ex, a hospital worker determined to save everyone she can; Matthew Lillard ( Scream ) is a construction worker neighbor who finds zen amid the chaos; and Carl Lumbly ( Alias ), plays a funeral director who has dedicated his life to easing people through death. As King put it, the film is 'a happiness machine.' And honestly? We could all probably use one of those right now.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Netflix fans left stunned after watching horror film dubbed 'the most disturbing' they've ever seen
Netflix viewers were left shocked after tuning into what they described as the 'most disturbing' psychological horror they had ever seen. Stephen King's kinky 1992 novel Gerald's Game had long been considered a book impossible to transition onto the big screen. But in 2017, film director Mike Flanagan - who has adapted a number of horror writer King's novels since - emphatically did just that. Starring Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood, the movie released on Netflix later that year leaving film-watchers and critics alike absolutely stunned. Its plot follows married couple Jessie and Gerald as they embark on a secluded retreat. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. After arriving at their abode however, Jessie is left locked to the bed when Gerald suffers a fatal heart attack during a kinky sex game. The rest of the plot details Jessie's desperate struggle to survive as she battles against her mental trauma - with the widow forced to overcome a traumatic incident in her childhood in order to leave the bedroom alive. The movie culminates in a gruesome finale which left many viewers hiding behind their sofas and unable to watch. In fact, the film was so terrifying that it gained the adulation of Stephen King himself, with the author posting on X: 'Saw a rough cut of Mike Flanagan's GERALD's Game yesterday. 'Horrifying. Hypnotic. Terrifying. It's gonna freak you out.' And freaks fans out it did, with hundreds taking to social media to express their views about the film. 'This movie is an enigma,' one wrote: 'On paper, it sounds like a boring movie: a woman is stuck, handcuffed to a bed for a long time, she eventually escapes. 'It was considered unfilmable for quite a while. But Mike Flanagan did a great job with this film and at this point, it's like he's physically incapable of making a bad King adaptation.' Actor Carla Gugino said she was 'thankful' that they managed to pull off the 'special' movie during an interview with Buzzfeed Another penned: 'This movie was one of the most disturbing and suspenseful movies I have ever watched, and it was awesome. 'Sometimes the plot and story were a little slow and boring, but it was worth it to feel the intensity of the movie. Another great adaptation of Stephen King's work! I enjoyed watching it, I highly recommend it for fans of horror and thrillers!' While another viewer praised its storytelling: 'This was a fun movie to watch, the characters felt fully thought out. The story is such a simple one to tell but incredibly rich with back story about our main character.' The movie too gained a host of positive reviews from critics at the time of its 2017 release. One wrote: 'Unsurprisingly, the film is [Mike Flanagan's] most accomplished to date, the result of the years he's spent giving a damn about his characters and their anguish. He's so good at it, he even makes it look easy.' Speaking about her role in the film, Carla Gugino told Buzzfeed: 'It was always considered an un-adaptable book by Stephen King. Also, someone was attached to play the role before. So, from the moment that I spoke to Mike Flanagan to the moment we were filming Gerald's Game, it was literally two weeks. 'So, to come on to that role in that project in which I was chained to a bed within that period of time, was a real risk. And I thought, "We're either going to do something really special here, or this is the end of my career." You know what I mean? There's no middle ground here. I'm so thankful that it was the former.' Stephen King's skills as an author coupled with Mike Flanagan's directorship expertise has proved to be a successful combination over the years. While Gerald's Game was the first book of King's which Flanagan adapted, they have gone onto collaborate on further projects. Doctor Sleep, which Flanagan adapted from the author's sequel to The Shining, was released to rave reviews in 2019. And in just a matter of weeks The Life of Chuck is set to come out, a Flanagan adaptation of the King novella of the same name. Thought to be one of the author's more experimental works, the film follows the life of Charles 'Chuck' Krantz, a man dying from a brain tumour
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix horror film about kinky sex game is 'most disturbing' fans have seen
Gerald's Game is a psychological horror thriller that left critics and audiences floored Mike Flanagan's 2017 psychological horror-thriller, Gerald's Game, left viewers and critics stunned upon its release, as evidenced by its impressive 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Now available on Netflix, this film adaptation of Stephen King's 1992 novel – long considered impossible to translate onto the big screen – features Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood as the main characters. Gerald's Game follows the terrifying story of a married couple, Jessie and Gerald, who embark on a secluded retreat, only for Gerald to suddenly succumb to a fatal heart attack, leaving Jessie locked to their bed with no apparent means of escape. Jessie's desperate struggle to survive, compounded by her inner turmoil, is masterfully conveyed in this gripping film, which earned high praise from none other than Stephen King himself, who tweeted: "Saw a rough cut of Mike Flanagan's GERALD'S GAME yesterday. Horrifying, hypnotic, terrific. It's gonna freak you out." Discussing her role in the film, Carla Gugino told Buzzfeed: "It was always considered an un-adaptable book by Stephen King. Also, someone was attached to play the role before. So, from the moment that I spoke to Mike Flanagan to the moment we were filming 'Gerald's Game,' it was literally two weeks.", reports the Daily Record. "So, to come on to that role in that project, in which I was chained to a bed within that period of time, was a real risk. And I thought, 'We're either going to do something really special here, or this is the end of my career.' You know what I mean? There's no middle ground here. I'm so thankful that it was the former." Gerald's Game has been receiving rave reviews and is a must-watch for those who enjoy psychological horror. One critic praised the film saying: "Unsurprisingly, the film is [Mike Flanagan's] most accomplished to date, the result of the years he's spent giving a damn about his characters and their anguish. He's so good at it, he even makes it look easy." Another reviewer added: "Finally, after the abysmal The Dark Tower and the overhyped It, we have a Stephen King adaptation that's worthy of the brand." While one critic stated: "Writer-director Mike Flanagan and co-writer Jeff Howard have turned Gerald's Game into one of the most compelling, eerie, memorable Stephen King adaptations to date." Another added: "Gerald's Game is a symphony of suspense and scares, spiked with just the right amount of gruesome gore." Audience reviews were equally complimentary. One viewer was captivated by the film's unexpected depth, remarking: "This movie is an enigma. On paper, it sounds like a boring movie: a woman is stuck, handcuffed to a bed for a long time, she eventually escapes. It was considered unfilmable for quite a while. But Mike Flanagan did a great job with this film and at this point, it's like he's physically incapable of making a bad King adaptation." Another cinema-goer praised the film's edge-of-the-seat quality, saying: "This movie was one of the most disturbing and suspenseful movies I have ever watched, and it was awesome. Sometimes the plot and story were a little slow and boring, but it was worth it to feel the intensity of the movie. Another great adaptation of Stephen King's work! I enjoyed watching it, I highly recommend it for fans of horror and thrillers!". Meanwhile, a different fan appreciated the storytelling, writing: "This was a fun movie to watch, the characters felt fully thought out. The story is such a simple one to tell but incredibly rich with back story about our main character." And yet another viewer lauded the film's faithfulness to its source material, saying: "One of the best adaptations to Stephen King's works. The substance was there and the story was well developed."
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Netflix horror film about kinky sex game 'most disturbing fans have watched'
The psychological horror thriller has been adapted from a 1992 Stephen King novel which was long considered to be unadaptable and unfilmable for the big screen. With a smashing 91 per cent score on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, Gerald's Game left critics and audiences floored when it was released. Directed and edited by Mike Flanagan, the 2017 psychological horror thriller is currently streaming on Netflix. With a screenplay penned by Flanagan and Jeff Howard, Gerald's Game is based on Stephen King's 1992 novel of the same name. Starring Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood, King's book was long thought to be unadaptable and unfilmable for the big screen. Centred around married couple Jessie and Gerald, the film sees the pair arrive at an isolated house for a relaxing holiday. However, life has other plans as Gerald suddenly dies of a heart attack, leaving Jessie handcuffed to the bed without a key and with little hope of any rescue. Jessie must then find a way to survive her impossible circumstances — all while battling her visceral inner demons. So highly commended was the film, that Stephen King himself took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote: 'Saw a rough cut of Mike Flanagan's GERALD'S GAME yesterday. Horrifying, hypnotic, terrific. It's gonna freak you out.' Speaking to Buzzfeed about taking on the role, Gugino said: 'It was always considered an un-adaptable book by Stephen King. Also, someone was attached to play the role before. So, from the moment that I spoke to Mike Flanagan to the moment we were filming 'Gerald's Game,' it was literally two weeks. "So, to come on to that role in that project, in which I was chained to a bed within that period of time, was a real risk. And I thought, 'We're either going to do something really special here, or this is the end of my career.' You know what I mean? There's no middle ground here. I'm so thankful that it was the former.' With glowing reviews, Gerald's Game is a top-tier watch for those looking to sink their teeth into a psychological horror. One critic said of the film: 'Unsurprisingly, the film is [Mike Flanagan's] most accomplished to date, the result of the years he's spent giving a damn about his characters and their anguish. He's so good at it, he even makes it look easy.' Another reviewer wrote: 'Finally, after the abysmal The Dark Tower and the overhyped It, we have a Stephen King adaptation that's worthy of the brand.' While one critic said: 'Writer-director Mike Flanagan and co-writer Jeff Howard have turned Gerald's Game into one of the most compelling, eerie, memorable Stephen King adaptations to date.' Another said: 'Gerald's Game is a symphony of suspense and scares, spiked with just the right amount of gruesome gore.' Audience reviews were not far behind in their praise. One viewer said: 'This movie is an enigma. On paper, it sounds like a boring movie: a woman is stuck, handcuffed to a bed for a long time, she eventually escapes. It was considered unfilmable for quite a while. But Mike Flanagan did a great job with this film and at this point, it's like he's physically incapable of making a bad King adaptation.' Another audience review added: 'This movie was one of the most disturbing and suspenseful movies I have ever watched, and it was awesome. Sometimes the plot and story were a little slow and boring, but it was worth it to feel the intensity of the movie. Another great adaptation of Stephen King's work! I enjoyed watching it, I highly recommend it for fans of horror and thrillers!' While one viewer wrote: 'This was a fun movie to watch, the characters felt fully thought out. The story is such a simple one to tell but incredibly rich with back story about our main character.' Another said: 'One of the best adaptations to Stephen King's works. The substance was there and the story was well developed.'
Geek Tyrant
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Mike Flanagan Says THE LIFE OF CHUCK Is the Movie He Wants to Be Remembered for; There's Also a New Clip — GeekTyrant
Mike Flanagan has a strong talent for telling existential stories like Midnight Mass , The Haunting of Hill House , Doctor Sleep , and Gerald's Game which all wrestle with mortality in their own ways. But with his next film, The Life of Chuck , Flanagan believes he may have created something even more enduring. Flanagan shared in an essay posted on social media: 'There are very few pieces of work that I imagine will outlive me in a meaningful way. You always hope they will; we hope that in telling the stories we tell, we are planting a seed that will grow long after we've faded away. 'I have no idea which of these seeds will take root with people, and dwelling on those questions is a path to insanity. I feel a quiet, humble confidence that The Life of Chuck will long outlast us all.' That's a big statement coming from someone who's also attached to high-profile IPs like The Exorcist , Carrie , Batman , and The Dark Tower . But it's clear that Thee Life of Chuck hits a different nerve because it's so personal. Based on the short story by Stephen King, The Life of Chuck plays out the life of a man, Chuck, in reverse. It's a poetic, emotional unraveling, and Tom Hiddleston leads a incredible ensemble that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Jacob Tremblay, and Mark Hamill. It's the kind of movie where performances matter, but so does the feeling it leaves behind. Flanagan continues: 'The Life of Chuck is, at this moment in time, my favorite movie I've ever been a part of. I told people going into production that this was the film I wanted to leave in the world for my children. 'It is so rare to work on something so meaningful, so unique, so distinct, and so earnest. This is a story without a cynical bone in its body. What a rare and beautiful moment of art.' The story that the film is based on is thoughtful, deeply human, and surprisingly warm for Stephen King, and I can't wait wait to watch this film adaptation. It's gotten great reviews! I also included a clip from the film for you to watch below
