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Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Mist (2007) in Movies
Jan 6, 2018
The creatures (2 more)
The feud
The ending
When walking into The Mist, I was hopeful and skeptical at the same time.
I knew director Frank Darabont could product a great film as he did with The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Even being comfortable with Stephen King material was a plus. However, I just thought another lame creature feature with no real development or point and just a lot of senseless gore.
I could not have been more wrong.
The visual effects, creatures and scares in this film are definitely A+ for sure, but what makes the film work without a doubt is the fantastic screenplay.
When people start dying, it doesn't really matter unless you care about them first as people and get invested in their circumstance and fate. Once the townspeople are trapped by the mist in the grocery store, some of their true personalities start to emerge as the tension builds.
Much has been written about the ending whether plausible, not necessary, too much of a coincidence or just right. In the day of carbon copy, nonoriginal storytelling, I would definitely reward a film that takes risks vs. one that doesn't.
The risks in this film pay off big time.
I knew director Frank Darabont could product a great film as he did with The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Even being comfortable with Stephen King material was a plus. However, I just thought another lame creature feature with no real development or point and just a lot of senseless gore.
I could not have been more wrong.
The visual effects, creatures and scares in this film are definitely A+ for sure, but what makes the film work without a doubt is the fantastic screenplay.
When people start dying, it doesn't really matter unless you care about them first as people and get invested in their circumstance and fate. Once the townspeople are trapped by the mist in the grocery store, some of their true personalities start to emerge as the tension builds.
Much has been written about the ending whether plausible, not necessary, too much of a coincidence or just right. In the day of carbon copy, nonoriginal storytelling, I would definitely reward a film that takes risks vs. one that doesn't.
The risks in this film pay off big time.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Dark Tower (2017) in Movies
Aug 20, 2017
Stephen King let them make this?
I'll start off by saying I knew I was going to hate this film. From the moment I heard of the casting and then saw the first trailer. I get the justification for them making this film completely different (i.e. Horn of Eld - but was that even in the film?!), but for me it just doesn't work.
The book series is a fantasy masterpiece, but they appear to have made a standalone Dark Tower film pulled together with a vague mishmash of characters and ideas from the entire book series. It just doesn't work, especially not in a paltry 90 minutes. This is just far too different from the books - the characters are undeveloped, their motives are unclear. You almost have to have read the books to get an understanding of the characters as it just doesn't come across in this. Casting for me was poor too. McConaughey and Elba are fantastic actors but it doesn't show in this, they're let down by a poor script and a poor plot.
My only hope for this film is that it prompts those who haven't read the books to pick them up and realise how awesome they are.
The book series is a fantasy masterpiece, but they appear to have made a standalone Dark Tower film pulled together with a vague mishmash of characters and ideas from the entire book series. It just doesn't work, especially not in a paltry 90 minutes. This is just far too different from the books - the characters are undeveloped, their motives are unclear. You almost have to have read the books to get an understanding of the characters as it just doesn't come across in this. Casting for me was poor too. McConaughey and Elba are fantastic actors but it doesn't show in this, they're let down by a poor script and a poor plot.
My only hope for this film is that it prompts those who haven't read the books to pick them up and realise how awesome they are.
I might not go on that hiking trip.....
You're in at the deep end straight away with this story, and it doesn't come up for air for the next 200 pages (or so!). It starts as a ghost story told by their teacher to five 13 year old boys on a training weekend on Rutmoor National Park, and ends - well, that would be giving the game away! We get glimpses into the past with the use of newspaper articles written about missing children and mutilated animals, and we look at the present and one of the survivors from the ill-fated walk. We're also told the story of what really happened on that ill-fated weekend.
The suspense was portrayed really well, and the boys were written with an understanding of how teenaged boys talk and act (much like Stephen King, in fact). I actually dreamt about this story whilst I was reading it, and let me tell you, it wasn't pleasant! And yes, I loved it!
This is great for horror-suspense lovers, and isn't really gory, in my opinion. It just messes with your mind ?
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for choosing this book to serialise. It was fun (in a keep-you-thinking-about-it-late-into-the-night kind of way)!!!
The suspense was portrayed really well, and the boys were written with an understanding of how teenaged boys talk and act (much like Stephen King, in fact). I actually dreamt about this story whilst I was reading it, and let me tell you, it wasn't pleasant! And yes, I loved it!
This is great for horror-suspense lovers, and isn't really gory, in my opinion. It just messes with your mind ?
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for choosing this book to serialise. It was fun (in a keep-you-thinking-about-it-late-into-the-night kind of way)!!!
Beatriz (17 KP) rated 1408 (2007) in Movies
Feb 22, 2019
1408
1408 is a 2007 American psychological horror film based on Stephen King's 1999 short story of the same name.
It tells the story about a man that specialises in going to places with paranormal events and longs to find something that actually scares him. So he goes to the room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel.
Its a genious psycological horror .
Here are some facts i found about the film ...
-The bottle that Gerald Olin offers Mike Enslin is named "Les Cinquant Sept Décès". In French, it means literally
"The fifty seven deaths". And just after that we learn that in the room 1408 there were 56 deaths. So we could have guessed that Mike's fate was "written".
-When the clock starts counting down from 60:00, the movie ends exactly one hour later.
-There are many references to the number "13" throughout the movie. The room is numbered "1408", add each number together equals 13. The room is on the 14th floor,
and the Hotel skips the 13th floor, so the room is technically on the 13th floor. The room's key lock also has "6214" etched into it, which adds up to 13.
And the first death was in the year 1912, which adds to 13.
- It has two alternative endings
It tells the story about a man that specialises in going to places with paranormal events and longs to find something that actually scares him. So he goes to the room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel.
Its a genious psycological horror .
Here are some facts i found about the film ...
-The bottle that Gerald Olin offers Mike Enslin is named "Les Cinquant Sept Décès". In French, it means literally
"The fifty seven deaths". And just after that we learn that in the room 1408 there were 56 deaths. So we could have guessed that Mike's fate was "written".
-When the clock starts counting down from 60:00, the movie ends exactly one hour later.
-There are many references to the number "13" throughout the movie. The room is numbered "1408", add each number together equals 13. The room is on the 14th floor,
and the Hotel skips the 13th floor, so the room is technically on the 13th floor. The room's key lock also has "6214" etched into it, which adds up to 13.
And the first death was in the year 1912, which adds to 13.
- It has two alternative endings
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Gwendy's Button Box in Books
Mar 18, 2019
Wanted more
I’m a massive Stephen King fan and often find that his books fall into two categories; so brilliant that you can’t put them down, or stilll good but somehow lacking his usual brilliant magic.
For the most part, Gwendy’s Button Box falls into the first category. Admittedly this is only a novella, but I couldn’t put it down. It was such an easy read with an intriguing plot and a well developed and likeable main character. There’s just enough intrigue to keep you reading yet it doesn’t explain too much and still leaves you with questions at the end. Any story set in Castle Rock is always a safe bet too. Gwendy is a very likeable character and King always manages to write his child characters well without them seeming too young and childish, which is often a frustration with other books that feature children (especially YA).
My only criticism is that I think this story was far too short. The button box is a great idea and i think they’ve not done it as much justice as it deserves. This could easily have made for a much longer and detailed novel, and would’ve been all the better for it.
For the most part, Gwendy’s Button Box falls into the first category. Admittedly this is only a novella, but I couldn’t put it down. It was such an easy read with an intriguing plot and a well developed and likeable main character. There’s just enough intrigue to keep you reading yet it doesn’t explain too much and still leaves you with questions at the end. Any story set in Castle Rock is always a safe bet too. Gwendy is a very likeable character and King always manages to write his child characters well without them seeming too young and childish, which is often a frustration with other books that feature children (especially YA).
My only criticism is that I think this story was far too short. The button box is a great idea and i think they’ve not done it as much justice as it deserves. This could easily have made for a much longer and detailed novel, and would’ve been all the better for it.
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Gwendy's Button Box in Books
Jan 31, 2018
An interesting plot bunny, but a bland book.
So, one of the things that makes a lot of horror book lovers give me the stink-eye is the fact that I freely admit to the fact that I don't really like to read Stephen King's books. I'm a huge fan of his plots, but I have an attention span the length of a gnat, so when he goes off on his 'wanders', I go glaze-eyed and generally move on to something else.
But, I saw everyone talking about Gwendy's Button Box, and took note of the fact that it had been 'co-written' by Richard Chizmar. Given the fact that it was a novella, I decided to give it a try. (I got the audio version from the library.) And.. it was... okay? Yeah, okay is the right word.
The narrator did a fantastic job as Gwendy, and the concept of the Button Box was a great one. The character development of Gwendy is excellent. However, the actual story itself just left me scratching my head and wondering if I missed something. It was a good thought experiment, but coming from two horror writers, I was a little taken aback at the lack of actual, you know, horror.
But, I saw everyone talking about Gwendy's Button Box, and took note of the fact that it had been 'co-written' by Richard Chizmar. Given the fact that it was a novella, I decided to give it a try. (I got the audio version from the library.) And.. it was... okay? Yeah, okay is the right word.
The narrator did a fantastic job as Gwendy, and the concept of the Button Box was a great one. The character development of Gwendy is excellent. However, the actual story itself just left me scratching my head and wondering if I missed something. It was a good thought experiment, but coming from two horror writers, I was a little taken aback at the lack of actual, you know, horror.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated The Beekeeper's Son in Books
Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)
Deborah and her family up and move to Texas. Anna decides it best and comes to live with her brother John and his family in Bee County, Texas. Deborah is surprised when she finds a strange animal. Phinas King is help unloading the truck and looks at her and thinks Deborah is horrid by what happen to him and his scar.
Anna is said to be committed to a man who want her has is wife. Though it possible that she find her second true love here in Bee County, Texas. Deborah is waiting to hear from her love in Tennessee. She is determine to return home. Though Deborah is somewhat courious of the man behind the scars. Is it possible that Phinias is hiding behind his scars.
Things start to get a bit turned upside down. There is tons of twist and turns. Whatever happens to Anna and Phinas dad or Stephen. Who will Anna choose. Deborah and Phinas will they find true love. What happens to them. Though Phinas happens to help Deborah and her family. There a house fire and what happens then goes from strange to something surprising. The book seems to have two love stories.
Anna is said to be committed to a man who want her has is wife. Though it possible that she find her second true love here in Bee County, Texas. Deborah is waiting to hear from her love in Tennessee. She is determine to return home. Though Deborah is somewhat courious of the man behind the scars. Is it possible that Phinias is hiding behind his scars.
Things start to get a bit turned upside down. There is tons of twist and turns. Whatever happens to Anna and Phinas dad or Stephen. Who will Anna choose. Deborah and Phinas will they find true love. What happens to them. Though Phinas happens to help Deborah and her family. There a house fire and what happens then goes from strange to something surprising. The book seems to have two love stories.
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated The Hunger in Books
Jun 28, 2018
Either narrow the focus or expand the scope
Contains spoilers, click to show
This book was so hyped. I was getting emails about it for months; Stephen King recommended it up and down. And it was good! Sort of.
As others have noted, Katsu does an excellent job of building atmosphere and tension in the first half of the book, but when things start to unravel for the Donner Party, so does the narrative. There are too many characters to keep track of interspersed with too many flashbacks. It weakens the impact of what happened up in those mountains. In fact, it barely mentions them at all.
Yes, there are supernatural elements woven into an historical event. But—you know, it wasn’t really necessary. I thought the idea of linking it (the hunger) to a disease was an interesting one that ultimately went nowhere. It all just got too convoluted. I continuously had to keep rechecking who each character was, because some would disappear between chapters. There is so much that is lost between pages, including the fates of (what the reader is led to believe are) key characters.
Do yourself a favor if you pick this one up, and read the Wikipedia article on the Donner Party first. At least then you can maybe keep track of the characters.
As others have noted, Katsu does an excellent job of building atmosphere and tension in the first half of the book, but when things start to unravel for the Donner Party, so does the narrative. There are too many characters to keep track of interspersed with too many flashbacks. It weakens the impact of what happened up in those mountains. In fact, it barely mentions them at all.
Yes, there are supernatural elements woven into an historical event. But—you know, it wasn’t really necessary. I thought the idea of linking it (the hunger) to a disease was an interesting one that ultimately went nowhere. It all just got too convoluted. I continuously had to keep rechecking who each character was, because some would disappear between chapters. There is so much that is lost between pages, including the fates of (what the reader is led to believe are) key characters.
Do yourself a favor if you pick this one up, and read the Wikipedia article on the Donner Party first. At least then you can maybe keep track of the characters.