A recommendation: The Life of Chuck 🕺

“I am wonderful, I deserve to be wonderful, and I contain multitudes.” One of the best films of the year is currently playing in theaters and it’s a must watch. The Life of Chuck is the uplifting, heartfelt, wonderful new film from director Mike Flanagan, usually know for directing horror (e.g. Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Hill House, Gerald’s Game, Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher). The Life of Chuck is actually Flanagan’s Big Fish, a bright and colorful and beautiful film that stands out in his oeuvre much like Big Fish stands out in Tim Burton’s filmography. It’s a life-affirming, feel-good story about making sense of your life and finding the wonder and joy in it no matter who you are or what you do or how long you end up living. The film originally premiered at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival last year to rave reviews, and it was picked up by Neon who is giving it a summer 2025 theatrical release - with a full nationwide rollout in theaters everywhere. It’s still sitting at 82% on RT (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) and continues to earn warm reviews from everyone who sees it. I also fell in love with it, confirming my theory that any film with a dancing scene in it is always amazing. I’ve been recommending it all the time mostly because it will leave everyone in a good mood after watching. It makes me want to dance! And shout about how wonderful life is! And celebrate all the little moments! Even though it’s a Stephen King story (from his novella first published in the collection “If It Bleeds” (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)) it’s far from being dark and/or scary and/or upsetting. In fact, it’s the exact opposite – about the magic of life and the moments that bring us together and connect us with everyone else. I can’t say much else as I don’t want to give away the rest of the story – you have to watch and experience The Life of Chuck first hand and connect with it in your own way. Do not miss this lovely film.

Winner of the Toronto Film Festival's “People's Choice” Award in 2024 and based on the novella (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) by Stephen King, this gem is a summer highlight. Charles “Chuck” Krantz experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us. A life-affirming, genre-bending story based on Stephen King's story about three chapters in the life of an ordinary man named Chuck. Starring Tom Hiddleston as Chuck, with an ensemble cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay (playing a young Charles), and most importantly Mark Hamill. Best known as Luke Skywalker, actor Mark Hamill stars in this as Albie Krantz, the humble grandfather who raises Chuck when he’s a young boy. He plays a vital role in the third act of the story, not only offering some needed wisdom and warmth, also helping guide Chuck down the right path in his life – for better or worse. Hamill’s wholesome performance really adds the gravitas of the film overall. The Life of Chuck is written and directed by Mike Flanagan, and is being released by the distributor Neon, the same people who released Anora (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) last year and took it all the way to the Oscars. (Though, don’t worry, this film is nothing like Anora and much more tame and friendly in comparison.) I’m glad they’re fully supporting this exquisite film because they’ve done an excellent job with the marketing & promotion so far. Allowing the love and warmth of the film to radiant in all of the marketing, which will hopefully draw more people to theaters to watch this. It’s already being called a modern version of the iconic Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life – and perhaps that will be the kind of praise that will convince everyone to enjoy this winner.

The Life of Chuck is playing in theaters now - for more info visit the official site (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).