If You Must Watch a (HBO) Max Movie in October 2024, Play This

Horror fans will find plenty to enjoy at Max in October, especially if they like the work of Stephen King. The long overdue reboot of King’s Lot of Salem came to Max earlier this month along with previous adaptations like Doctor Sleep, The Shiningthe original Lot of Salemand both the television and film versions of this. But if you’re looking for an understated horror story from the master of horror, then the (HBO) Max movie you need to see in October is misery.

King wrote the original novel in 1987 as a parable for his drug addiction and perhaps the dislike of his most devoted fans. Rob Reiner directed the film from legendary screenwriter William Goldman, who previously collaborated with the director The Princess Bride. It’s the story of a novelist, Paul Sheldon (James Caan), whose life is saved by his “big fan”, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), before she makes his existence a living hell by keeping him captive and forcing him to write for her. Screen icon Lauren Bacall has a small role as Paul’s agent Marcia Sindell, and there are a handful of other actors as well. However, for the most part, Bates and Caan carry this film by themselves.

misery it’s far from an underrated film, but 34 years is enough time to dull the memory of how great it really is. That’s why we’re sharing the reasons why you should watch misery this month at Max.

Kathy Bates is absolutely fearsome as Annie Wilkes

You’ve never seen how scary a middle-aged woman can be until you’ve seen Kathy Bates at work misery. She won the Oscar for Best Actress for her turn as Annie Wilkes, and it was well deserved. Annie is one of the scariest villains created by King in part because she feels grounded in reality. There is nothing supernatural about Annie, she is just demented and deranged. In Annie’s eyes, Paul has committed the unforgivable sin of killing her favorite literary character, Misery Chastain, and she is more than willing to torture him to make him “fix” this mistake.

The film does not immediately reveal Annie’s dark side. He actually saves Paul’s life from a near fatal accident. He even seems to like it at first. But as soon as she discovers that Paul has dared to mess with Misery, Annie is baffled. What’s amazing about Bates’ performance is that Annie still has some likable qualities even after her turn. But there’s no denying that Annie’s madness is terrifying, especially when she finds Paul breaking her rules.

James Caan gives a believable and convincing performance

Although James Caan has had plenty of flashy roles, he gives a very restrained performance against Bates’ over-the-top character. Paul is the audience surrogate in this story, whose limited mobility after his accident puts him at a serious disadvantage. Caan conveys Paul’s fear of Annie in his body language, even when the character tries to hide it. Likewise, Caan shows an innate ability to let the audience see the wheels turning in Paul’s mind as he plans his escape.

Just as every good hero needs a great villain, Annie wouldn’t have been nearly as memorable if she hadn’t had Paul to play with during their time together. Because of his physical limitations, Paul cannot simply dominate Annie. So you have to find another solution. Watching Caan’s character go through the whole experience is fascinating.

The film creates incredible tension when Annie is not on screen

There are moments in the film where Paul seems to be coming into his own by leaving his room and discovering Annie’s secrets while away from home. But these scenes also feel incredibly tense because it seems like Paul would be in terrible danger if Annie discovered his movements. Even leaving any trace of her actions threatens Paul’s safety, and Annie is someone who makes good on her threats.

Of course, this goes back to Bates’ performance. Annie wouldn’t have cast such a long shadow in the scenes she’s not in if Bates hadn’t successfully captured her sense of menace. This makes the audience fear for Paul’s safety, because when Annie crosses paths, she is very unforgiving.

The film ends in a moment of understated horror

It would do this movie an injustice to simply spoil how things turn out between Paul and Annie. But we do want to draw attention to the last moment of the film, which seems to put the main character in King’s shoe’s as he meets his “big fan”.

It’s not a conventional jump scare, but it’s enough to convey a moment of understated horror that tops off an unforgettable film.

Look misery activated Max.