Gerald’s Game

While most of the attention was understandably directed towards It, 2017 will, in the years to come, be recognised as the bringer of a new Golden Age for Stephen King adaptations. It’s kind of incredible that three King adaptations - we’ve spoken about It, and we’ll shortly get to 1922 - feature on our list. And it’s a testament to his talents as a horror storyteller that each of these movies is wildly different from the others. Gerald’s Game is a cracking psychological horror film - with an irresistible premise, near-flawless execution by director Mike Flanagan, and a sympathetic exploration of potent themes.

1922

With 1922, director Zac Hilditch has made a stately horror picture about broken families, jealousy, and the sins of the father — all staple Stephen King themes. He employs a gorgeous, psychological slow-burn approach to the storytelling, and punctuates it with sudden bursts of visceral horror. It’s a film that strides just as confidently through scenes of duplicitous dialogue as it does in moments of shocking gore.

Life

Life is a remarkably well made movie. Almost too well made in fact, for the sort of film it is (a largely derivative thriller which borrows heavily not only from the goofy monster movies of the ‘50s, but also from gory ‘80s horror and pulpy ‘90s action). But it’s telling that in a year that gave us a bonafide Alien movie, the blatant ripoff turned out to be the better film.

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