With winter cruelly encroaching upon us, this is perfect to binge on
Winter is nearly here and we all know it. Sure, the odd flicker of sunlight can temporarily make you believe that we can fight the seasonal onslaught but deep down we know we are powerless to result.
One of the benefits of winter is that we get to sit indoors and cover ourselves in blanket and drink warm drinks and not feel bad about it.
At this time of year it is advisable to binge watch television shows and films on streaming services like Netflix, all the while stocking up on food until you are well-rested enough to emerge in spring.
Thankfully, Netflix has plenty in its coffers ahead of the cold months.
There’s an assortment of great titles like Paul Greengrass’ (Captain Phillips, the Bourne films) new drama July 22, Gareth Evans (The Raid) taking on the occult in the bonkers Apostle, and a new documentary on the shooting of Bob Marley to get stuck into.
Aside from this, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Girl on the Train, Babe, and Big Mouth have all been recently added to their library.
This being said, one title has been drawing more buzz than most and if you’re a fan of horror, The Haunting of Hill House could be just the thing you’re looking for.
But don’t judge it based on the fact that it contains the words “house”, “haunting” and “hill” – like roughly a million shows and films before it – because Mike Flanagan’s ten-part series is a very different beast to the more standard dare of blood, guts and gore that we’re familiar with.
Due to the fact that the show is given time to breathe and develop, the creators are far more interested in fleshing out the backstory and individual arcs.
Okay, what’s it about?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9OzG53VwIk
Clip via Netflix
The Haunting of Hill House is a modern reimagining of Shirley Jackson’s beloved novel of the same name, about five siblings who grew up in a famous haunted house.
Now adults, they’re reunited by the suicide of their youngest sister, which forces them to finally confront the ghosts of their own pasts – some which lurk in their minds – and some which may really be lurking in the shadows of the iconic Hill House.
While the show excels in terms of drama, there’s plenty for horror fans to enjoy as a foreboding sense of dread and menace fills Hill House.
Just like The Conjuring, Flanagan brings a modern feel to some old fashioned scares and some of the ghosts and demons created are extremely eerie.
We’re not going to give too much away but the public’s initial reactions are in and people love what they’ve seen.
Happy Friday!
Netflix drops some excellent stuff today.
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, which I'll agree w/ @tommphilip is the first truly great horror show of all time. It doesn't quite stick the landing, but it's a terrific, emotional show that's impressive for so many reasons
— Brett (@BrettRedacted) October 12, 2018
Hot damn. First episode of @flanaganfilm's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE is fucking aces. Beautiful blend of character, terror, and story setup forcing me to press on into episode two. #Netflix
— Hunter (@FakeRobHunter) October 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/Yungbiracial_/status/1050779173793529856
https://twitter.com/lindsay_alexx/status/1050777187526344704
https://twitter.com/macrojoeym/status/1050774680729264128
Watching this show on #Netflix. It's called The Haunting Of Hill House. I'm about 6 episodes in and I'm hooked. This series is already scarier than any horror movie I've seen since the first Conjuring.
— The Man In Black âš« 🖤 Patient Zero (@Z4PPA) October 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/JDActor/status/1050740245749276672
https://twitter.com/louisisaacrab/status/1050736032788955136
As for the critics, the show currently has a rating of 81% on Metacritic and it has clearly made an impression on those that have seen it.
In their review, Variety said that it is “a horror series that doesn’t immediately make a case for itself; like the best of the genre, it’s slowly insinuating, building in power as it tells a story of repressed trauma and family discord”.
The Hollywood Reporter stated that the show is “scary as hell and possessed of enough character-centric nuance to carry viewers through to the end,” while TV Guide said “it’s as though Flanagan has taken Jackson’s original work, shattered it and then rearranged the pieces to create a completely original, but equally brilliant tale.”
The Haunting of Hill House is now available to watch on Netflix.
Critics Consensus: The Haunting of Hill House is an effective ghost story whose steadily mounting anticipation is just as satisfying as its chilling payoff.
'The Haunting of Hill House' is now #CertifiedFresh at 90% on the #Tomatometer https://t.co/PhKDbizyyh pic.twitter.com/si3LUTgcYF
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) October 12, 2018
The reviews are in. pic.twitter.com/FDcBy6LreY
— Midnight Mass (@midnightmass) October 11, 2018
