Tag: Stephen King

Female Characters, Reviews, Television, Television Review

Review: Lisey’s Story, Episodes 1 &2

Year: 2021 Runtime: 60 minutes per episode Director: Pablo Larrain Writer: Stephen King (novel and screenplay) Actors: Julianne Moore, Joan Allen, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Clive Owen, Ron Cephas Jones, Dane DeHaan, Omar Metwally, Brian Hutchinson, Peter Scolari By Joan Amenn “Every marriage keeps its own secrets.” -Stephen King Premiering this weekend on Apple TV, Stephen King’s “Lisey’s Story” (2021) is adapted for the screen by … Continue reading Review: Lisey’s Story, Episodes 1 &2

jmamennLeave a comment
Film Reviews, Reviews

Review: “Doctor Sleep” (2019) Warner Bros.

In “DOCTOR SLEEP” little Danny Torrance is now a grown up Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor), and is still understandably haunted by the things that happened to him at the Overlook Hotel as a small child. Most days he drinks his hours away to silence the voices in his head. After one drug-fueled drinking rampage, waking hungover and getting ready to rob the last dollars from his one-night stands wallet … Continue reading Review: “Doctor Sleep” (2019) Warner Bros.

Peggy MarieLeave a comment
31 Days of Horror, Female Filmmaker, Female Filmmakers, Halloween, Retrospect Reviews

31 Days of Horror, Day 12: Pet Semetary

In the book The World According to Garp, John Irving explores the theme of parental fear of being unable to protect one’s children from harm. “Pet Semetary” (1989) shares this theme as only Stephen King could interpret it, with a screenplay written by him based on his book with the same title. Directed by Mary Lambert, it is a twisted tale of grief and what horrors can be unleashed by those suffering from a loss that is too much to bear.

The Creed family relocate to a rural New England town where father Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) will be the new resident doctor for the local college. With two young children in tow, their beautiful new farmhouse comes with a troubling location right next to a busy highway that is frequented by speeding semi-trailers. A grand tour of a pet cemetery located behind the house is conducted by their new neighbor, Jud Crandall (Fred Gwynne). Apparently, the highway has claimed many pets in town and all have been buried coincidently and conveniently near the Creed’s new home. Continue reading 31 Days of Horror, Day 12: Pet Semetary

jmamennLeave a comment
31 Days of Horror, Female Characters, Female Filmmaker, Film Reviews, Halloween, Retrospect Reviews

31 Days of Horror, Day 5: Carrie (2013)

Brian De Palma’s “Carrie” (1976) is such a staple of American horror that any director (regardless of their gender) would have had trouble trying to step into De Palma’s shoes. When it was first announced that there would be a remake of Stephen King’s Carrie, many of us held our breath. However, director Kimberly Peirce (“Boys Don’t Cry”) manages to pull off this challenge and modernizes the text for a Generation Y audience who have been brought up on a diet of social media and the internet. Stepping into the prom shoes of Sissy Spacek is Chloe Grace Moretz who delivers a decent performance, making her version of Carrie a lot more likable and relatable. Moretz’s Carrie has a unique vulnerability to her performance and we see the pain she is going through captured in her wide eyes. Continue reading 31 Days of Horror, Day 5: Carrie (2013)

jmamenn2 Comments
Female Characters, Film Industry, Reviews, Women in Film

Reflecting on IT Chapter 2: In Defense of Beverly Marsh

Stephen King’s “It” series is arguably one of the most compelling horror series. What separates the “It” series from not only other Stephen King stories, but other horror franchises overall, is the fact that “It’s” scariest moments do not derive from its signature killer clown. Rather, they come from the realities of human nature, and through the exploitation of trauma. Arguably, “It” does this best through the eyes of Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain as adult Beverly, Sophia Lillis as young Beverly). Continue reading Reflecting on IT Chapter 2: In Defense of Beverly Marsh

jmamenn1 Comment