I saw this film at an advance screening on Monday, and it’s been on my mind ever since. Felt right to write out some thoughts ahead of its wider release. It won the People’s Choice Award at TIFF in 24' and is based on a short story by Stephen King. If you plan on watching it, I highly recommend not knowing anything, also try to avoid any trailers as well. I’d say it’s easily the best thing I’ve seen this year, and I’m already looking forward to rewatching it when it gets to streaming.

The film is divided into three acts—played in reverse order: ACT III, ACT II, ACT I. Honestly, I’d be curious to see a cut in chronological order.

Funny enough, I didn’t know it was based on a Stephen King short story going in. So when ACT III ended, my first thought was: “Oh boy, this writer really backed himself into a corner… like Stephen King.” 😂

We open in a literal end-of-the-world type of scenario. You're dropped straight into it—no context, just absolute chaos. Very “end of times.”

The characters talk about how desensitized and apathetic they've become to the constant stream of catastrophic news everyday. Interestingly, the film doesn’t actually show any of these horrors—only references them through haunting monologues from some really great actors. Most memorable one is delivered by the guy from Scream. Great casting there. It's fascinating to see what different people value in these scenarios, and what it reveals about ourselves.

ACT III was the most satisfying part of the film for me. The way everything ends—stars and planets vanishing from the sky with thunderous booms—was both abrupt and awe-inducing. There was something in the main characters of this ACT that felt deeply familiar—something personal I couldn’t ignore.

A busker sets up her drum kit in a town square, unsure if she’ll make any money. She starts playing a simple downtempo beat, adjusting it to a man in a suit walking nearby. The man notices—then starts dancing. Like, really dancing.

A crowd gathers. A young woman passes by, and he asks her to join. "Hey little sister come dance with me," he says. They dance together, and suddenly you’re in a moment straight out of La La Land. It's electric.

It shouldn't work—but it does. Beautifully.

This is by far one of the film’s most pure moments — when you suddenly realize what it truly feels like to be alive in multitudes with the characters. Something Stephen King does really well, Shawshank Redemption is a perfect example of this. Hats off to the director, Mike Flanagan for translating that feeling so powerfully.

This one kicks off like an episode of Stranger Things: a lonely boy, his grandparents, and a haunted attic. Mark Hamill delivers an incredible performance—I didn’t even realize it was him until the credits rolled. I imagine he’ll be getting some kind of award recognition for this. He’s the emotional anchor of ACT I.

There’s more to it than that, but I don’t want to spoil too much. ACT I ties the entire film together in a surprisingly powerful way.

The acting talent they brought in for this is incredible—so many standout scenes, especially the monologues.

My only gripe? One unnecessary scene between ACT III and ACT II. It felt out of place. I’m not sure why the director added it—it would’ve been more impactful without. I’d be curious to know if that scene was in King’s original story. My guess: it wasn’t.

Why? Because I had already figured out what was happening with the characters, and I couldn't have been the only one. That extra scene spelled things out a bit too much. Without it, the ending would have hit so much harder. (Think: ending of Memento or Inception. That kind of moment.)

Still, it’s a phenomenal film. Highly recommend going in with an open mind. In many ways, it beautifully explores how the people we encounter in life—no matter how briefly—leave lasting impressions. Also strangely feels like the kind of filmmaking we got in the '90s—films that challenged audiences to see the world differently and not give up on society, even in the face of overwhelming darkness.