Mike Flanagan has established himself as one of the biggest horror directors working today, alongside names like Jordan Pele, Eli Roth and Karyn Kusama. Having signed with Netflix for several titles, Flanagan has spawned a thriller film, Gerald's Game, and several of Netflix's most beloved horror series, namely The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club, and the upcoming The Fall of the House of Usher. With Halloween approaching, it's the perfect time to check out some spooky and captivating titles. I highly recommend watching Mike Flanagan's Midnight Mass on Netflix if you haven't seen it yet. This film has been dubbed “the best vampire thriller of the decade” and it truly lives up to that title.
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Midnight Mass
Midnight Mass is a chilling and gripping tale of what happens when a small town with strong Catholic beliefs is led astray by its priest. Thinking it might be a cult situation, the series unexpectedly begins with the murder of a young teenage girl by Riley Flynn who fell asleep, drunk, behind the wheel. A former startup investor, Riley can't shake the guilt he feels over his favorable outcome, leaving the scene of the horrific car crash with nothing but a hangover and a few scratches. , while the young girl was robbed of her life and her future.
After serving a relatively short sentence, Riley returns home to the small fishing town of Crockett Island, a picturesque place of fewer than 100 people, surrounded by miles of water. Now having to reintegrate into society, Riley faces the daunting task of repairing her relationships, going to her AA meetings, and working on how to deal with her guilt.
Things begin to heat up when a new preacher comes to town, replacing the beloved Monsignor John Michael Pruitt who has mysteriously fallen ill after a spiritual retreat in Israel. This mysterious new priest is accompanied by strange but real miracles, which inspire the community to return to the faith. The suspense begins when the community begins to understand that this new priest is not who he claims to be and that he has brought with him a deranged idea of faith.
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The inspiration behind the masterpiece
While the premise of Midnight Mass is terrifying in its own right, what really makes it feel like a thriller is the meaning and inspiration behind the series, and how it's inexplicably based in reality. Mike Flanagan has stated that while the series is heavily inspired by Stephen King's Salem's Lot, it also draws inspiration from his own experiences as an altar boy in his youth, and his struggle with addiction.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last year, Flanagan shared some of what really inspired the series, “Here's this long scene I had written about atheism. Let me watch it a few years later and refute it. Let me try to come honestly and challenge my own idea. Here's a long scene about alcoholism. different selves over the past 11 years, all of whom have delved into this story, is what makes it so personal to me. I don't know if I will ever have the chance to relive this experience with another book.
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While the series isn't too heavy on jumpcares, the haunting monologues are the driving force behind this chilling story. Just before the series' release on Netflix, Flanagan said on Twitter, “The ideas behind this show scare me,” showing once again that it's not because there's no There's no stabbing killer, frantic chases or the constant threat of a flesh-eating demonic angel lurking in the shadows that a series can't send shivers down your spine.
If you're in the mood for an unconventional thrill and explore some terrifying concepts for Halloween, I definitely recommend watching Midnight Mass. This is truly a thriller worth binge-watching, with a stunning conclusion that leaves you wanting more.
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