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Category: Mike Flanagan

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  • The Life of Chuck review: contains multitudes of joy

    The Life of Chuck: contains multitudes of joy


    Score Details

    DT Editors' Choice

    “The Life of Chuck contains multitudes of joy, with this Stephen King adaptation being Mike Flanagan’s most heartwarming film yet.”

    Pros
    • Incredible ensemble cast
    • Layered, heartfelt story
    • Empowering, thought-provoking themes
    • Beautiful visuals and music
    • Terrific dance numbers

    Writer-director Mike Flanagan has touched the stars with his uplifting sci-fi drama film, The Life of Chuck. Based on a novella by author Stephen King, this movie follows the life of accountant Charles Krantz, who was orphaned as a child and raised by his grandparents, up until his death. However, his demise ultimately leads to the end of the world itself, with billboards and advertisements of him appearing out of nowhere, thanking him for his life in an unusual version of the apocalypse.

    Both King and Flanagan are known for their many contributions to the horror genre. However, after successfully adapting some of King’s scariest stories, including Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, Flanagan made another exemplary film with The Life of Chuck that marks a bold and beautiful first step into more traditional drama. With profound themes, a heartfelt story, and an ensemble of incredible performances, The Life of Chuck further established Flanagan as a master of filmmaking while showcasing his range as a storyteller.

    The stars aligned with the film’s cast

    A close-up of Benjamin Pajak in "The Life of Chuck."
    Neon / Neon

    For this star-studded odyssey, Mike Flanagan assembles his massive family of frequent collaborators, led by newcomer Tom Hiddleston. The latter steals the show with what little time he has on-screen as the 39-year-old Chuck, particularly with his beautiful, heart-pounding dance number with his equally vibrant co-star, Annalise Basso. Benjamin Pajak shines just as bright as the young Chuck. In the spitting image of Hiddleston, Pajak captivates viewers with his charming and nuanced performance, as well as his killer dance moves, hinting at a promising acting career on the horizon.

    As an ensemble film, The Life of Chuck features stellar performances from just about every actor. Karen Gillan and Chiwetel Ejiofor hold up the first act as the fearful, star-crossed lovers who find each other again at the world’s end. Mark Hamill, Samantha Sloyan, and Kate Siegel bring love and warmth to the third act as Chuck’s childhood mentors. Even actors Jacob Tremblay, Carl Lumbly, Matthew Lillard, and David Dastmalchian work wonders in only one or two scenes in this film. While he doesn’t appear on-screen, Nick Offerman breathes life into the film with a voiceover narration that evokes more of his folksy charm and humor. With Offerman lending his vocals to tell the story, The Life of Chuck makes its viewer feel like they’re reading King’s novella on the big screen.

    The story presents a beautiful portrait of the apocalypse

    A close-up of Tom Hiddleston in "The Life of Chuck."
    Neon / Neon

    Since Mike Flanagan made a name for himself creating horror, the director does dabble in it a bit with the apocalypse in The Life of Chuck. Specifically, the scene of the world ending to the distorted sound of The Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin’” is arguably one of the most haunting scenes in any of Flanagan’s works. However, at the center of all of the director’s scary stories was sincere human drama, which he successfully put on full display in The Life of Chuck. The first act of The Life of Chuck is a heartfelt story filled with love and existential dread as people come to terms with the apocalypse, which is presented with several images of natural disasters on the news that feel just as prevalent in the real world.

    Despite its dark “ending,” The Life of Chuck injects enough heart and humor into the story to present a beautiful and compelling portrait of life and its inevitable end. The portrait itself is rich and vibrant, not just because of Eben Bolter’s cinematography or The Newton Brothers’ musical score. The world of the film feels remarkably real as each of the supporting characters is given a detailed backstory in very little time, thanks mostly to Offerman’s narration. Likewise, Flanagan delivers his trademark brand of vivid, layered monologues in the script, taking discussions about math and rain and injecting them with so much emotion and symbolism that the writing is a work of art in itself.

    The film explores the beauty and terror of life and death

    Benjamin Pajak looking up at the sky in "The Life of Chuck."
    Neon / Neon

    While The Life of Chuck is more of a drama, like some of King’s other stories, The Life of Chuck depicts some cosmic horror in small-town America in the form of the cupola at the top of Albie’s Victorian house. With it, the film explores the terror of death as a constant of life. Whether death comes from a universal apocalypse or from a brain tumor, the film shows how the scariest part is knowing you are destined to die and having to wait for it all to end at some unknown time.

    The Life of Chuck also stands out as a coming-of-age film with the way it explores Chuck’s life in reverse as he goes from a dying accountant to a gifted, wide-eyed dancer. Many audiences can relate to Chuck’s experiences growing up, as they may feel like they’re forced to abandon their dreams and conform to the structure of civilization by working boring desk jobs. While the protagonist’s life seems like a frightening tragedy in the film, Chuck counters the terror and sorrow with a powerful validation of his existence as he embraces his life with a dance in his step, leaving the film on an inspiring high note.

    Is The Life of Chuck worth a watch?

    The Life of Chuck is one of Mike Flanagan’s best films and one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever. But overall, the film is a cinematic glimmer of hope that people desperately need right now. While the world may seem like it’s circling the drain these days, this will remind audiences of the joy and beauty that still exist in a cinematic celebration of life. The Life of Chuck quickly builds a vibrant universe filled with hope and love, and despite its ending, the film goes out with a bang, not a whimper. Thanks, Chuck!

    The Life of Chuck is now playing in theaters.

  • 3 underrated Netflix shows you should watch this weekend (May 23-25)

    Netflix is, by design, trying to overwhelm you with the sheer volume of stuff that you can watch. If you’re actually trying to watch something, that can make things difficult. It’s tough to tell the good from the bad or trust the streamer’s algorithm.

    We’ve pulled together three wildly different shows that are all available to watch on Netflix. Whether you’re looking for comedy or drama or something a little bit hard to explain, we’ve got you covered with these great shows you can stream now.

    Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new shows to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime Video, the best shows on Max, and the best shows on Disney+. 

    Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney (2025-)

    Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney is one of the oddest experiments that Netflix has produced to date. It’s also one of its best. The late–night talk show is stranger and more interesting than any you’ve likely seen. John Mulaney brings in a stable of guests, and they talk about a specific topic that may or may not be of interest to the celebrities on the panel.

    They also bring in live callers who have stories related to the topic, and there’s a snack robot that brings people things to eat. Oh, and Richard Kind is there to be delightful. Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney is zany and unpredictable, but those are both core elements of its appeal.

    You can watch Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney on Netflix.

    Dark Winds (2022-)

    A brilliant twist on the modern-day cop show, Dark Winds follows officers of the Navajo Tribal Police as they investigate crimes on the reservation in the 1970s. As they uncover buried truths about their community and the darkness that festers within it, they have to examine their own lives and the secrets that they’ve tried to bury.

    Dark Winds is a perfect combination of a conventional criminal procedural with something more specific and slightly stranger. Anchored by a brilliant lead performance from Zahn McClarnon, it’s a show that deserves more eyeballs.

    You can watch Dark Winds on Netflix.

    The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)

    Loosely adapted from an Edgar Allan Poe short story, The Fall of the House of Usher is the most recent and most underrated of Mike Flanagan’s Netflix miniseries. The show is told largely via flashback and follows a wealthy family whose money was made in the pharmaceutical business as members of their family start dying.

    As we learn more about the devil’s bargain that led to the wealth, we come to appreciate exactly what’s going on in this family and why every member seems to be dying in horrific fashion. Featuring plenty of solid scares and a cast filled with Flanagan regulars, The Fall of the House of Usher deserves a second glance.

    You can watch The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix.

  • 3 underrated Netflix shows you should watch this weekend (May 16-18)

    Netflix has revolutionized the way we watch television, and while the streaming era has come with plenty of pros, it’s also come with a few negatives. One of those negatives is choosing what to watch may not be as simple as turning on your TV. Now, there’s a mountain of options to select from, and you’re tasked with picking the thing you’d best like.

    If that task feels overwhelming, then we’ve got you covered. We’ve selected three very different shows that you can stream on Netflix, each of which is well worth your time.

    Dark (2017-2020)

    Dark is the kind of heady science fiction that requires charts to fully comprehend, but that’s part of the fun. This German-language series became something of a cult phenomenon upon its release in the U.S., and with good reason. The series is set in a small town following the disappearance of two children and dives into the intricate history that envelops all of the show’s characters, whether they realize it or not.

    The series also bears an eerie similarity to events from 1986, and as we learn more about that connection, we come to understand that everything in this small town is not what it seems.

    You can watch Dark on Netflix.

    Never Have I Ever (2020-2023)

    The kind of smart teen comedy that we simply don’t get enough of today, Never Have I Ever follows an overachieving Indian-American girl who is trying to balance school with the expectations of her family and her budding interest in boys. All this overlaps even as she deals with the lingering grief of losing her father and begins to reconcile with her own narcissism.

    Never Have I Ever is a really funny show with a sometimes grating central character, but it understands all of her flaws and embraces them, even as it also takes time to explore the rest of the show’s excellent young ensemble.

    You can watch Never Have I Ever on Netflix.

    The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)

    This pseudo-sequel to Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House didn’t get as much attention as that original series. The show follows a young governess who arrives at an elaborate manor in the 1980s, only to discover that the manor itself and the children she’s been tasked with watching are both hiding secrets.

    Like much of Flanagan’s television work, Bly Manor is a fascinating combination of terrifying and genuinely moving, and it features a breakout performance from Victoria Pedretti, who had already shown herself to be a star with her work on Hill House.

    You can watch The Haunting of Bly Manor on Netflix.

  • It’s official: Mike Flanagan’s Carrie TV series greenlit at Amazon

    Horror maestro Mike Flanagan has been linked to a Carrie TV series since October. Now, it’s finally official at Amazon.

    Prime Video has ordered Carrie, an eight-episode TV show based on Stephen King’s iconic horror novel from 1974. Per Deadline, Flanagan will write, executive produce, and showrun Carrie while directing several episodes. Trevor Macy, Flanagan’s partner at Intrepid Pictures, will executive produce.

    Reports of Flanagan’s involvement with Carrie date back to the fall of 2024. The series will reimagine the story about Carrie White, a high school teenager who lives with her overprotective mother. After her father’s sudden and untimely death, Carrie finds herself contending with the alien landscape of public high school,” the synopsis reads, “a bullying scandal that shatters her community, and the emergence of mysterious telekinetic powers.”

    Casting for the lead roles is currently underway. Summer H. Howell (Curse of Chucky, Hunter Hunter) is in talks to play Carrie White. Siena Agudong (Resident Evil, Sidelined: The QB and Me) will play Carrie’s rival, Sue Snell.

    Two years after King’s novel, Brian De Palma directed 1976’s Carrie, the most famous adaptation to date. Carrie featured Sissy Spacek as Carrie White, Amy Irving as Sue Snell, John Travolta as Billy Nolan, and Piper Laurie as Carrie’s mother, Margaret White. De Palma’s is frequently cited as one of the most influential horror movies of the last 60 years.

    Since 1976, three other movies in the Carrie universe have come out: 1999’s The Rage: Carrie 2, a sequel to Carrie; 2002’s Carrie, an NBC movie from Bryan Fuller; and 2013’s Carrie, the remake starring Chloë Grace Moretz.

    Amazon MGM Studios will produce Flanagan’s Carrie.

  • The Life of Chuck teaser trailer previews heartfelt Stephen King adaptation

    Time is ticking in the teaser trailer for The Life of Chuck, the upcoming adaptation of the 2020 short story by Stephen King.

    Tom Hiddleston stars as Charles “Chuck” Krantz, the titular protagonist at the story’s center. The movie is divided into three chapters told in reverse. Chuck, an ordinary man by nature, walks down the street in the teaser. When the camera cuts to Chuck smiling, it quickly flashes to younger versions of the character.

    “The universe is large, and it contains multitudes, but it also contains me,” a voiceover states before the teaser ends.

    Besides Hiddleston, the ensemble cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Annalise Basso, Benjamin Pajak, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Matthew Lillard, Carl Lumbly, Samantha Sloyan, Harvey Guillén, Jacob Tremblay, Kate Siegel, and Mark Hamill. Nick Offerman plays the film’s narrator.

    Horror maestro Mike Flanagan writes and directs The Life of Chuck. Flanagan also produces with his frequent collaborator Trevor Macy of Intrepid Pictures.

    Tom Hiddleston holds a woman's hand.
    Neon

    Flanagan has previously adapted some of King’s works, including Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep. Flanagan will also adapt two more of King’s novels — The Dark Tower and Carrie — for television for Amazon MGM Studios. While Flanagan and King are predominantly known for their work in horror, The Life of Chuck is a much different story than what audiences are used to seeing from the duo.

    The Life of Chuck premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the People’s Choice Award. Neon, the distributor behind the most recent Best Picture winner Anora, will distribute Flanagan’s movie.

    The Life of Chuck opens in theaters on June 6, 2025.