On streaming: The best horror movie of all time – and the incredible sequel is included! – Cinema News

It’s hard to deny that Stephen King and his horror stories have an almost unparalleled appeal – and that remains evident year after year with countless adaptations of his works. So it’s no surprise that the horror master is often spot on with his recommendations, which he shares on X. Sometimes, however, it’s hard to understand why the author has a strong or even completely negative opinion about a film or series. And the most famous example is based on one of his own writings.

As we know, King is not a fan of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining – and in the 1990s, he adapted his classic into a miniseries that reflected his vision. But why the first film adaptation from 1980 is still considered by many to be the best horror film in the history of cinema and leads several rankings of the genre, you can find out on HBO Max.

Before Life of Chuck, Stephen King teamed up with this director to make the sequel to one of the best horror films of all time

Also available on HBO Max (and Netflix) is Doctor Sleep – the underrated sequel to 2019’s The Shining, which received 3.5 out of 5 stars from the film reviewers on QuandoCinema.

King expert and horror wunderkind Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) masterfully walks a tightrope, drawing inspiration from both Stephen King’s original and Kubrick’s version – combining both influences into a sinister character study that looks fantastic and, most of all, really touches you.

What are The Shining and Doctor Sleep about?

In The Shining, writer Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) is hired as a caretaker at the remote Overlook Hotel during the winter. Along with his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd), he is charged with maintaining the resort, which remains empty during the cold months except for the Torrances. But it isn’t long before strange events occur at the luxurious estate – as Jack gradually descends into madness.

More than three decades later, in Doctor Sleep, Danny (Ewan McGregor), now an adult, still struggles with the traumatic events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel. He was only able to control his telepathic “enlightenment” abilities with the help of alcohol – but then he goes through rehabilitation and meets young Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), who has a power even stronger than his.

It isn’t long before the two are forced to combine their powers. Because the sinister Rose (Rebecca Ferguson) and her followers are on their way.