Summary
Stephen King calls Babylon utterly brilliant, extravagant, over the top, hilarious, and thought-provoking, despite the film's polarized reception.
Despite being a box office flop and receiving minimal Oscar recognition, King believes that Babylon has the potential to become a future classic. Alongside his well-known affinity for horror films, King has also demonstrated a diverse taste in cinema, recommending a variety of genres such as dramas, thrillers, and even lighter fare like Billy Elliot, a lighthearted musical.
Stephen King, the renowned horror author, highly praises the black comedy Babylon, featuring Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, which sparked divisive opinions among both audiences and critics. Premiering in 2022, Babylon delves into the dark side of early Hollywood, as the 1920s stars witness drastic changes in their careers during the transition from silent films to sound. While some critics praised Babylon's ambitious storytelling, captivating performances, and nuanced exploration of the era, others criticized it for being excessive, overstuffed, and messy. Recently, King expressed his unwavering support for the film, taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his opinion.
What Other Movies Does Stephen King Like?
King not only gave Babylon a rave review, but he also described it as "utterly brilliant--extravagant, over the top, hilarious, thought-provoking." Additionally, he hinted that it could potentially be re-evaluated in the future and recognized as a classic. This statement is quite surprising, considering Babylon's lackluster performance at the box office and its minimal Oscar nominations. King even acknowledged that his positive assessment might only reflect his personal preferences.In addition to Babylon, there are numerous other films that King has endorsed on social media or spoken highly of in interviews. Given King's renowned characters and stories, as well as his involvement in certain adaptations, his recommendations carry significant weight. They range from his preferred adaptations of his own work and Netflix originals to blockbuster hits. King has always been candid about his favorite and least favorite adaptations, with Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption being singled out for praise.
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Surprisingly, both of these movies are not horror films. Rather, they are adaptations of short stories by King rather than his novels. Despite this, King has declared them as two of his favorite adaptations. He has also expressed a fondness for Cujo, Carrie, and The Dead Zone. Although he detested Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of The Shining, he recommends Kubrick's movies Dr. Strangelove and Paths of Glory. King's opinion on horror is highly sought-after, and he has expressed enjoyment for horror flicks such as Dementia 13, The Blair Witch Project, The Changeling, Night of the Demon, and Village of the Damned.
However, King's taste in films is quite broad, and he has also praised non-horror dramas and thrillers. He has given high praise to The Queen's Gambit, even claiming it to be superior to The Trial of the Chicago Seven. King has even listed the lighthearted coming-of-age musical Billy Elliot as one of his favorite movies. With his intriguing list of recommendations and personal favorites in TV and film, it is interesting to note that Babylon is the latest addition.
Source: Stephen King/Twitter