Latest news with #TheHauntingofHillHouse
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
The Life of Chuck movie review: Tom Hiddleston-Mike Flanagan create magic with a soulful adaptation of Stephen King's novella
The Life of Chuck is a masterpiece and deserves your attention read more Star cast: Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Jacob Tremblay, and Mark Hamill. Director: Mike Flanagan After The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, Gerald's Game, and Doctor Sleep, director Mike Flanagan has taken a different route by exploring a sentimental story from Stephen King's with The Life of Chuck. The movie tells the story of a middle-aged accountant named Charles 'Chuck' Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), who leads a modest life and whose childhood was marked by tragedy and loss. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Divided into three acts having reverse narrative style, The Life of Chuck showcases the lead protagonist's happy memories, sad moments and mundane moments along with the people who play pivotal parts in his life including a teacher, Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor), his grandfather Albie Krantz (Mark Hamill), a grade school crush, Cat (Trinty Jo-Li Bliss). The story has a supernatural element, similar to The Green Mile, as the room where Chuck lives is reportedly haunted, according to his grandfather. Mike Flanagan's direction looks like flawless poetry where questions like 'What happens next?' or, 'Why does anything have to have a conclusion?' explore the dynamics and essence of life. In the other two acts, where we see Chuck at different ages, engage in the core emotion of human values, which is beautifully written by the filmmaker. Talking about the performances, Tom has given one of his finest performances with restraint yet impactful act. He rules the screen with his nuanced and emotional expressions. Mark Hamill and Mia Sara as Chuck's grandparents are great while Ejiofor makes his strong presence with effortless act and charm in his brief role. Benjamin Pajak is simply phenomenal as young Chuck and you can't take your eyes off him. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the whole, The Life of Chuck is a masterpiece and deserves your attention. Rating: 3.5 (out of 5 stars) The Life of Chuck is playing in cinemas
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
'Carrie' going from page to Prime
Great news for horror lovers: Amazon has officially announced that it will be producing a series based on Carrie, one of Stephen King's most iconic and widely acclaimed novels, originally published in 1974. As reported by Variety, the show is described as a "bold and timely reimagining of the story of misfit high-schooler Carrie White (Howell), who has spent her life in seclusion with her domineering mother. After her father's sudden and untimely death, Carrie finds herself contending with the alien landscape of public high school, a bullying scandal that shatters her community, and the emergence of mysterious telekinetic powers." Cast and crew The upcoming series will be directed by acclaimed horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan, known for his work on projects such as The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass. Flanagan will also serve as executive producer, showrunner, and writer, alongside Trevor Macy as executive producer. The show, produced by Amazon MGM Studios, is set to premiere on Amazon Prime, adding to the platform's growing list of original horror content. In April, in an interview with Variety, Vernon Sanders, head of television for Amazon MGM Studios, said: "Carrie is an iconic story that has withstood the test of time with continued cultural relevance. With Mike Flanagan at the helm and the accomplished team assembled, including executive producer Trevor Macy, this provocative series is sure to captivate our global customers." According to Variety, ten actors have already been confirmed as series regulars. Leading the cast as the titular character Carrie White, Summer H Howell brings with her an impressive background in the horror genre. She began her acting career at the young age of eight, when she was cast as Alice in the cult horror film Curse of Chucky (2013), directed by Don Mancini. Since then, Howell has gone on to appear in several other horror and thriller films, including Cult of Chucky (2017), The Midnight Man (2016), All Fun and Games (2023), and Spirit in the Blood (2024), among others. Her experience in the genre gives hope for a stellar performance in the lead role. Playing her mother, Margaret White, is Samantha Sloyan who has been a recurring collaborator of Flanagan. She has starred in his shows The Haunting of Hill House, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Midnight Club, and Midnight Mass. Sloyan also appeared in Flanagan's 2016 film Hush. Joining them are Siena Agudong as Sue Snell, Alison Thornton as Chris Hargensen, Thalia Dudek as Emaline, Amber Midthunder as Miss Desjardin, Josie Totah as Tina, Arthur Conti as Billy, and Joel Oulette as Tommy. According to Variety, the Carrie series was first reported to be in development at Amazon in October 2024. After several months of planning and pre-production, the show officially received the green light in April 2025. Amazon has ordered a total of eight episodes for the first season, with production scheduled to begin in Vancouver, Canada, in the coming weeks. A rich legacy King's Carrie has previously been adapted multiple times. The first adaptation was directed by Brian De Palma in 1976, starring the award-winning actor Sissy Spacek. A sequel to the 1976 film, titled The Rage: Carrie 2, was released in 1999. It was directed by Katt Shea and featured Emily Bergl in her debut role. In 1988, a musical theatre adaptation by the Royal Shakespeare Company was performed five times at the Virginia Theatre before closing. This proved to be one of Broadway's most infamous failures, losing $7 million. However, in 2012, an off-Broadway revival of Carrie as a musical was staged to more favourable reviews. Later, in 2018, the popular television series Riverdale aired an episode inspired by the musical. In 2002, another adaptation of Carrie was produced as a television film, also filmed in Vancouver. It was created by Trilogy Entertainment Group and MGM Television, intended as a pilot for a potential TV series. In 2013, Carrie was adapted again for film, this time directed by Kimberly Peirce. This version featured a star-studded Hollywood cast, with Chloë Grace Moretz as the titular character and Julianne Moore as Margaret White. The ensemble also included Judy Greer, Portia Doubleday, Gabriella Wilde, Ansel Elgort, and Alex Russell.
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
5 best single-location thrillers on Netflix — stream these gripping movies now
I love a good thriller movie, but the only thing I love more than a compelling thriller is one that takes place entirely within one setting. There's something about the claustrophobic nature of a single location that reels me in every single time. Single-location movies are among my favorite subgenres, and fortunately, Netflix has a pretty great selection of flicks that take place primarily in the same setting. Yes, some of my picks below open and/or close in a different place, but for the most part, all the action is contained to just the one spot, whether that's a plush holiday home or a futuristic tower block prison. So, if you also have a love for movies confined to just one setting, here are the best single-location thrillers that you can watch on Netflix right now. 'Gerald's Game' is a rare psychological thriller that has forced me to avert my eyes from the screen as one truly wince-inducing moment had me feeling a little queasy. To dive into specifics would encroach on spoiler territory, but I'll just say ... maybe don't munch on snacks during this one. Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, it comes from Mike Flanagan, a real titan in the horror genre after his Netflix series 'The Haunting of Hill House,' 'Midnight Mass' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher,' it's a tense exploration of one womens drive to survive. Carla Gugino plays Jessie, a frustrated wife looking to spice up her struggling marriage by bringing some spice into the bedroom. Only her attempts to inject some excitement result in her being stuck handcuffed to a bed in an isolated holiday house with no means of escape. What follows is a desperate attempt to free herself, both literally and metaphorically, as the flick explores not just her dire present circumstances but also her past trauma and the demons that have haunted her whole life. Watch "Gerald's Game" on Netflix now In many ways, 'Rear Window' is the single-location thriller. This Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece has been gripping audiences for more than 70 years, and while decades have passed since it originally hit theaters, none of its potency has been lost. Starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, it centers on a photojournalist who is cooped up in his sweltering apartment after breaking his leg. He passes time by watching his neighbors out of a large window, but soon becomes convinced that something sinister is afoot and that the man across the courtyard from him is a murderer. Combining paranoia with eager curiosity, 'Rear Window' plays on the fact that we often only see a snapshot of other people's lives, and that hiding behind closed curtains can be some pretty dark secrets. It all ratchets up to a suspenseful ending and is often cited as one of the best movies ever made. How is this for a hooky premise for a sci-fi thriller: 50 people awaken in a dark room, standing in several large concentric circles. Every two minutes, one of them randomly dies. Soon, the remaining survivors realize they can select who is killed, and now each participant in this deadly game must make a desperate case for why they shouldn't be chosen as the next victim. 'Circle' is extremely minimalistic. The setting is a single dark room with ominous red lights on the floor, and a large white skylight overhead (which somehow manages to make bright light feel threatening). The focus is very much on increasingly erratic and hostile conversations. Kudos to the movie's creatives for managing to make such a simple premise hold your attention for 90 minutes. Unfortunately, the ending is more than a little outlandish. It's a shame 'Circle' ends on a disappointing bum note. But, still, the journey to get there is never less than engaging. Watch "Circle" on Netflix now I've long ranked 'Windfall' as one of Netflix's most overlooked original movies, so I'm thrilled to have another chance to highlight it here. Released in 2022, it stars Jesse Plemons, Jason Segel and Lilly Collins, and mixes effective crime thrills with biting dark comedy. Segel plays a desperate man, who breaks into the vacation home of a wealthy CEO (Plemons) only to get in way over his head when the unnamed CEO and his wife (Collins) arrive for a relaxing trip. Forced to take them hostage and demand a ransom in exchange for their freedom, events spiral out of control as the burglar tries to keep things under his control, and his motives are revealed. The chemistry between the three leads is just right in 'Windfall,' and the movie gets great mileage out of its habit of making you question who the true villains and victims of the piece are. Plus, its comedic streak is remarkably effective, but not so overbearing as to take away from the drama. Watch "Windfall" on Netflix now 'The Platform' (and its sequel, "The Platform 2") are excellent dystopian thrillers that center on a tower block prison where inmates are paired up across dozens of individual vertical levels and fed each day via a slowly descending concrete platform. The people at the top enjoy a lush banquet, while those towards the bottom are lucky if there's even scraps left by the time it reaches them. OK, so the political allegory here isn't exactly subtle. And frankly, lacking subtlety is a sort of running theme in 'The Platform,' but the bones of the movie are very solid, and watching protagonist Goreng (Iván Massagué) attempt to survive this nightmare prison is gripping. This is another one where you definitely won't want to be eating while watching. The scenes of inmates on the lower floors having to pick the remaining morsels of already chewed-up chicken bones and lick dirty plates clean just for meager sustenance are pretty revolting. Watch "The Platform" on Netflix now
Geek Tyrant
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Mike Flanagan's CARRIE Series Casts Samantha Sloyan as Margaret White and Reveals Full Main Ensemble — GeekTyrant
Mike Flanagan's Carrie series at Amazon is officially taking shape, and the casting news just hit like a bucket of blood. Ten series regulars have been announced for the new adaptation of Stephen King's debut novel, including The Fall of the House of Usher standout Samantha Sloyan, who's stepping into the terrifying shoes of Margaret White, Carrie's ultra-religious and deeply disturbed mother. Fans of Flanagan's work will immediately recognize this as a fitting match. Sloyan has become one of the filmmaker's go-to collaborators, having appeared in The Haunting of Hill House , Midnight Mass , The Midnight Club , and even his 2016 film Hush . Sloyan joins previously announced leads Summer H. Howell ( Clouds, The Midnight Club ) as Carrie White and Siena Agudong ( F9, No Good Nick ) as Sue Snell. As for the other familiar name? Scream starMatthew Lillard will take on the role of Principal Grayle. The rest of the cast includes Alison Thornton ( Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce, School Spirits ) as Chris Hargensen, Thalia Dudek ( The Running Man, The Undertow ) as Emaline, Amber Midthunder ( Prey, Legion ) as Miss Desjardin, Josie Totah ( Saved by the Bell, The Buccaneers ) as Tina, Arthur Conti ( Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ) as Billy, and Joel Oulette ( Sullivan's Crossing, Trickster ) as Tommy. The show, which received an official eight-episode order from Amazon back in April 2025, is being described as a 'bold and timely reimagining' of King's classic horror tale. The story follows Carrie White (Howell), a sheltered teenager raised in isolation by her overbearing mother (Sloyan). When her father dies suddenly, Carrie is forced to enter public high school, where she's swept into a scandal that exposes the town's darkest tendencies and awakens something telekinetic inside her. Production is scheduled to begin soon in Vancouver. Flanagan will serve as showrunner, writer, executive producer, and is set to direct multiple episodes. Longtime producing partner Trevor Macy will also executive produce under their Intrepid Pictures banner. The show is backed by Amazon MGM Studios. Source: Variety
UPI
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Famous birthdays for June 1: Nikki Glaser, Willow Shields
Entertainment News // 5 hours ago Lillard: 'Chuck' is a beautiful articulation of the wonder of life NEW YORK, May 31 (UPI) -- "Five NIghts at Freddy's," "Scream" and "Scooby-Doo" icon Matthew Lillard says he has found a kindred spirit in "The Haunting of Hill House" creator Mike Flanagan.
