Entertainment
10 Heaviest Movies of the Last 30 Years, Ranked
Doc Brown from 1955 would hate to hear it, but there are some movies that are just too heavy. There are many things that can make a film feel that way: Perhaps it’s emotionally devastating, or overwhelmingly vast in its scale and scope, or hell-bent on shredding any bit of hope that the audience may have going into the story.
No matter the case, several of the best films of the last 30 years can very comfortably be described as “heavy.” From gut-wrenching tear-jerkers like Manchester by the Sea to hyper-long arthouse epics like An Elephant Sitting Still, these masterpieces may not be easy to get through all the way until the end, but they sure are worth the effort.
10
‘Synecdoche, New York’ (2008)
For a long time, Charlie Kaufman has made a name for himself as the single greatest screenwriter currently working in Hollywood. In 2008, after Spike Jonze dropped out of the project, Kaufman decided to make his directorial debut with Synecdoche, New York. The result couldn’t have possibly been better. This is, far and away, one of the boldest drama movies of the 21st century.
The film is filled to the brim with the same kind of impenetrable motifs, thought-provoking themes, and mind-bending bits of uniquely neurotic surrealism that characterize Kaufman’s work as a writer. For people who love films that fill them with profound existential dread, this one’s a must-see. The way Synecdoche explores the inevitability of mortality and the complicated nature of living should be enough to make anyone rethink their life choices.
9
‘Happiness’ (1998)
It’s probably Todd Solondz‘s black dramedy Happiness that has the most misleading title of all time. This is one of those comedy movies that are hard to finish, exploring controversial themes in fittingly controversial ways through a rich visual style, a marvelously written scripts, and one of the best cast ensembles of any film from the ’90s.
Often quite disturbing and unabashedly transgressive, Happiness revolves around deeply unpleasant characters who do deeply unpleasant things, taking a satirical look at their lives. The subject matter sure is unsavory, and more than enough to make the movie feel really heavy; but Solondz explores it with dramatic mastery and a level of comedic perfection that’s hard to take one’s eyes off of.
8
‘An Elephant Sitting Still’ (2018)
Clocking in at nearly four hours in length, An Elephant Sitting Still sure is one of the grandest and most ambitious arthouse dramas in recent memory. It was the first and only feature film by the novelist-turned-director Hu Bo, who tragically committed suicide soon after finishing the film at the age of 29. It becomes impossible not to read the film as the artist’s suicide note, which makes it even more depressing than it already would have been otherwise.
Absolutely nihilistic in tone, An Elephant Sitting Still may be a slow-burn, but its deep sense of despair and misery makes it one of the best drama movies of the last 50 years. It’s a masterful soap opera without a single dead spot throughout its entire runtime, armed with sharp sociopolitical critique and Bo’s incredible direction.
7
‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ (2025)
In 2024, five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab was killed by the Israel Defense Forces, along with six of her family members and two paramedics who came to her rescue. This horrific event is the subject of The Voice of Hind Rajab, far and away one of the most perfect war movies of the 21st century. This profoundly affecting Tunisian docudrama uses real recordings of Hind from the actual event, following the Red Crescent team who tried to save her.
This framing device turns a film that would have already been absolutely devastating into one of the timeliest, most powerful, and most pressingly important movies of our time. It’s incredibly heavy both emotionally and in terms of its fast pacing, but those with the stomach for it will be treated to one of the most admirable feats of filmmaking from recent years.
6
‘Manchester by the Sea’ (2016)
Kenneth Lonergan is another artist best known for his work as a screenwriter who has also sat on the director’s chair, perhaps never more notably than in 2016, when he made Manchester by the Sea. It’s one of the most disturbingly realistic movies ever made, that’s for sure (largely thanks to Casey Affleck‘s heartbreaking lead performance), but it’s also one of the best tear-jerking dramas of the 2010s.
As good as it may be, though, Manchester by the Sea is also guaranteed to continually pull out and step on the viewers’ hearts. It’s a gut-wrenching film, but without ever falling into sensationalism, Lonergan also makes sure to inject it with small bits of hope that somehow, things will get better. It helps, but this is still one of the heaviest films of the 2010s.
5
‘The Zone of Interest’ (2023)
A24 has been distributing a wide array of hugely entertaining bangers over the course of their history as an indie studio, but Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest isn’t designed to be entertaining. Instead, this deeply thought-provoking study of the banality of evil follows Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his family as they go through their boring daily lives as the horrors of the Holocaust take place off-screen.
The screams of thousands upon thousands of people being murdered are but a distant echo in the background of The Zone of Interest‘s masterful sound design.
Where the vast majority of Holocaust films portray the atrociousness of such events by displaying them directly, the screams of thousands upon thousands of people being murdered are but a distant echo in the background of The Zone of Interest‘s masterful sound design. Some flies in the distance, but our characters never even bother to look over at it. In this hugely unconventional way of framing the war movie genre, Glazer made one of the heaviest movies of the last 10 years.
4
‘Requiem for a Dream’ (2000)
Darren Aronofsky is a filmmaker well-known for his ability to make some profoundly devastating films, but no movie he’s ever made has ever been more deeply affecting than his magnum opus, Requiem for a Dream. Though it’s a must-see, this soul-stirring tale of addiction is a genuine challenge to watch, no matter how much it’s worth the effort.
The tour-de-force performances (Ellen Burstyn‘s in particular), Clint Mansell‘s haunting score, Aronofsky’s energetic direction, the absolute gut-punch of an ending—it all amounts to one of the most scarring films of the 2000s. It’s a deeply bleak, thoroughly intense masterpiece that portrays the mental states of addicts in the rawest, most painfully realistic ways.
3
‘Amour’ (2012)
German-born Austrain auteur Michael Haneke is the kind of director who seems to exclusively make overwhelmingly heavy movies, and picking which one’s the most intense is a nearly impossible task. There’s one Haneke title, however, that’s perhaps easiest to pick as his most awfully devastating: Amour, one of the heaviest romance movies of all time.
Following the crumbling lives of an elderly couple after the woman has a stroke, Amour is as powerful as it is primarily thanks to Haneke’s exceptional direction and script and Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva‘s towering performances. There are no emotional escapes here, and Amour becomes a movie you have to endure, not particularly enjoy. Haneke taps into the most profoundly human aspect of this story in a way that makes aging seem terrifying in a way all-too realistic.
2
‘Irreversible’ (2002)
For all those who look at Haneke’s filmography and think “I can go heavier than that!,” Gaspar Noé is right there, awaiting their sicko cinephile taste. And as far as heavy Gaspar Noé movies go, it doesn’t get any more horrific than Irréversible, easily one of the most controversial films of all time. After all, a story in reverse chronological order about two men attempting to avenge the brutal rape and beating of the woman they love isn’t exactly a breezy watch.
That’s what makes Irréversible one of the heaviest movies of the 2000s, definitely not a film that everyone can tolerate. Whether the subject is even treated with the care it deserves isn’t uncontested, but one thing is certain: This movie’s almost impossible to get through, the reverse order of the narrative serving as the horrifying cherry on top of an already very cruel cake.
1
‘Dancer in the Dark’ (2000)
All those who look at Haneke and Noe’s filmographies and think “I need something heavier” should first go to therapy. After that, if they’re still craving the kind of cinematic experience that will leave a knot in their stomachs for days, they could check out Lars von Trier, who made what may just be the single heaviest movie ever made: the gut-wrenching psychological drama musical Dancer in the Dark, starring Björk in what might be the best acting performance ever delivered by a musician on film.
A musical unlike any other, Dancer in the Dark is a must-see for all those interested in a movie that’s entirely composed of a chain of tragedies, miseries, and misfortunes. There’s no happiness here, no joy, no hope. Not even the songs provide any bit of whimsy to a film that ultimately serves as a critique of the escapism of the musical genre itself. Over the course of the last three decades, there hasn’t been a single movie heavier than this one.
Dancer in the Dark
- Release Date
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October 6, 2000
- Runtime
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140 Minutes
- Director
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Lars von Trier
- Writers
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Lars von Trier, Sjon
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Zendaya is currently experiencing one of the busiest years of her career. Not only is she starring in A24’s critically acclaimed “The Drama” alongside Robert Pattinson, but her HBO series, “Euphoria”, is set to return following a years-long hiatus. Now, the actress is opening up about the show, saying she thinks this may be the final season.
Zendaya Thinks ‘Euphoria’ Is Ending After Season 3
Zendaya appeared on “The Drew Barrymore Show” on April 6 to promote “The Drama” and her several other projects. During the discussion, host Drew Barrymore mentioned “Euphoria” and asked if the upcoming third season would be the final outing for the HBO drama series.
Zendaya responded, “I think so, yeah.” Barrymore then said, “I never want to ask questions like that, because it’s not my business, and yet, is this to be enjoyed knowing [it will end]?”
After that, Zendaya stated, “Yes, I think so,” before saying, “That closure is coming.” So far, HBO has neither confirmed nor denied that “Euphoria” will end after season three.
HBO Announced The Third Season In 2025
Season three of “Euphoria” has been highly anticipated, as it’s been four years since the second installment. HBO announced in December 2025 that the show would finally return on April 12. After that, the network released full-length trailers in March, following a series of teasers.
According to Variety, this season will feature a time jump, giving a look at the characters as they navigate adult life. In addition to Zendaya, the ensemble cast includesJacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, Colman Domingo, and more.
Fans Are Reacting To The Possible End Of ‘Euphoria’
As mentioned, there is no official confirmation that “Euphoria” will end with season three, despite Zendaya’s public comments. However, fans of the show are reacting, with many saying they already believed this would be the show’s final season before Zendaya’s “Drew Barrymore Show” appearance.
One person said on X, “HBO staying silent is classic corporate chess — they get the viral speculation for free while keeping the door cracked for spin-offs, movies, whatever prints money later. Smart, but it also feels like they know the lightning-in-a-bottle era is over.”
They continued, “Look, Euphoria changed television. It made us feel uncomfortable on purpose, launched half the young cast into superstardom, and gave Zendaya the kind of role most actors wait a lifetime for. But dragging it past this season risks turning it into the show that used to be great.”
Another “Euphoria” fan said, “Zendaya saying ‘I think so’ for Euphoria… yeah, that sounds like the end is near.” Lastly, someone else wrote, “lowkey gutted that season 3 is the last of ‘Euphoria.’”
Zendaya’s ‘The Drama’ Has Solid Reviews Despite Controversy
One of Zendaya’s several projects released in 2026 was “The Drama,” which arrived in movie theaters on April 3. According to BoxOfficeMojo, the movie debuted at number three in the US, making $14,380,197. “The Drama” came in behind “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Project Hail Mary” in the number one and two positions, respectively.
Regarding reviews, “The Drama” currently has a 77% rating from critics and an 81% rating from audiences, making it “certified fresh” with both. This is despite TMZ having revealed the controversial twist of the movie, which is that Zendaya’s character once considered going through with a school shooting.
Because of the film’s subject matter, some critics vowed not to review it, and it also drew attention from various gun violence prevention organizations, such as March For Our Lives, according to IndieWire.
The ‘Euphoria’ Star Says She’s Taking A Break
As mentioned, 2026 will be among the busiest 12 months of Zendaya’s stellar career. This is evidenced by the fact that she will have five projects released to the work before the end of the year. Following “The Drama” and “Euphoria,” she will appear in “The Odyssey” and “Spiderman: Brand New Day,” both of which are releasing in July.
After that, Zendaya will star in “Dune: Part Three,” in which her “The Drama “co-star Pattinson will also appear.
Regarding her busy schedule, Zendaya told Fandango in March 2026 that she would take a break after this year. She said, “I guess, you know, I just hope people don’t get sick of me. I really appreciate everyone who supports any of the movies or who supports my career in any kind of way.”
Zendaya went on, “I’m deeply appreciative, and like I said, I just hope you guys don’t get sick of me this year because I’ll tell you what: after this, I’m disappearing for a little bit. I’m going to have to go into hiding for just a little bit.”
“Euphoria” premieres on HBO and HBO Max on April 12.
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BBC comedies and Emmy-winning dramas are among our favo(u)rites.
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Artemis II crew says watching Ryan Gosling's “Project Hail Mary” prepped them for their own 'space adventure'
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Gosling wished the Artemis II well ahead of its historic mission to the moon and back.
Former “Bachelor” contestant Ashley Iaconetti is laying into “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Taylor Frankie Paul. As Paul continues to deal with the aftermath of ABC canceling her season of “The Bachelorette” two days before it was scheduled to premiere, more and more people are speaking out about what drove the network to that decision.
Former ‘Bachelor’ Star Lays Into Taylor Frankie Paul, Questions If She Was The Right Choice To Begin With
Speaking with Variety, Iaconetti, who is reclaiming her star as the newest cast member on Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Rhode Island,” called Paul’s situation with the network “nuanced” before sharing even more of her opinion.
“It’s a good thing they didn’t go forth with the season,” she said. However, Iaconetti said the network should’ve decided to pull Paul’s season sooner. “That was a decision that should have been made more carefully earlier on.”
‘Bachelor’ Alum Says The Network Knew Taylor Frankie Paul Had A Troubled Background Before Casting Her
As reported by The Blast, ABC canceled Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette” after a video of her appearing to assault her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, was shared online.
Paul displayed appalling behavior in the clip, striking Mortensen, pulling his hair, wrapping her arms around his body, and later throwing metal chairs at him.
Mortensen appeared distraught in the video, crying out for Paul to stop. “This is called physical abuse. This is all you do,” he could be heard saying. “It’s the only thing you know how to do is hurt me. You think this is OK? It’s not OK. Holy sh-t.”
ABC released a statement shortly after, saying it was focusing on supporting Paul and her family at the time, but Iaconneti said there was nothing new about the released clip.
“We knew very much in detail, based on a lot of the interviews that she’s given, exactly what happened in the video and what led to the arrest,” she said. “You guys did have her on a TV show for four seasons.”
This Previous ‘Bachelor’ Cast Member Said Taylor Frankie Paul Was Not ‘Appropriate’ For The Show
Elsewhere in the interview, Iaconetti called the events of that night in 2023 “terrible” and said it was one reason Paul wasn’t the right fit for the iconic franchise.
“That wasn’t an appropriate role for her to fill,” she said, adding, “and probably was not something that she was mentally, emotionally ready to take on for many reasons—the fact that she was so intertwined with Dakota going into it being one of them.”
Paul’s rep addressed the news in a statement to Variety, thanking the public for their support.
“After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm,” their statement read.
Paul Is Being Investigated Right Now
Amid this, production on season 5 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” was halted, according to NBC News, after Paul and Mortensen were involved in another alleged domestic dispute in February 2026.
While the details of the most recent alleged dispute have been kept under wraps, a friend of Mortensen’s called the Draper Police Department and said he was a “victim of a domestic violence assault by an ex-girlfriend at her Draper residence.”
The police department declined to share additional details, but a spokesperson confirmed there was an open investigation.
Paul Shares Candid Post On Social Media Saying She Is Distancing Herself From The Mormon Church
Paul shared a post on social media calling the last 40 days “hell on earth.” Despite that, Paul said she’s relied on her faith to get her through.
In another post, however, Paul admitted the way she practices her faith would look different moving forward.
“Born and raised Mormon (LDS) and I’ll always have love and respect towards it,” she said on her Instagram Stories. “I’ll even continue to go with my family at times; with that being said, it’s time to detach myself from it.”
And while Paul said she’ll always believe in Jesus Christ and God, she stated that she’s realized she can practice her faith anywhere, not just inside the physical church.
“Point being, there is more out there to learn. And I’m writing this out as a release,” Paul finished.
Entertainment
Music festival urges critics to give Ye a 'second chance' after losing sponsors over his antisemitic remarks
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The festival’s parent company insists that the rapper “has a legal right to come into the country and to perform.”
Remi Bader had a relatable fashion moment while trying on outfits.
Bader, 30, took to Instagram on Sunday, April 5, to share a potential Coachella look with her followers. “Coachella 2026! Bursting out of my pants,” she said while wearing a brown bra top and high-waisted jeans. “Why did I think this wasn’t going to happen? It always happens.”
She then put her hand in her pocket and added, “But this — also, clearly gained some weight — it’s fine!” The influencer noted that she needed a size or two bigger while showing her inspiration photo.
“I was like, ‘OK, I can copy her outfit but I’m gonna do fun, cool different pants,’” Bader explained of her floral-painted jeans. “Look what we’re working with,” she joked while putting on a cowgirl hat over her messy ponytail and accessorizing with a brown leather belt. “You know, it’s really giving a little bit of this from Coachella four years ago,” Bader joked, cutting the camera to a throwback clip of herself crying at the festival. “But worse. So I’ll see you in 2027, Coachella.”
The 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival may be over — but the fashion inspiration will carry Us through the rest of the year. Kylie Jenner turned up the heat at the Revolve x Sprinter pool party on April 11, dressing to impress in a fitted yellow minidress. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. […]
Ariana Madix offered some words of wisdom in the comments section. “Baby this is my TWELFTH Coachella, which makes me feel like the granny of the polo fields but plz listen to your elder and just wear something comfy! ❤️❤️❤️ i hope i see you there!”
More of her followers saw the “vision” behind her outfit, but supported her wearing something more comfortable as well. “Babe, as someone who lives in Palm Springs, the high is 69 on Saturday and rain on Friday, just go for a comfy look. It’s going to be freezing cold,” one advised. A second suggested, “Do a long skirt! Would look amaze and be super comfy.”
The first weekend of Coachella takes place on April 10 through April 12, with the second weekend dated on April 17 through the 19.
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Science fiction is filled with incredible spaceship captains. Star Trek alone gave the world Picard, Kirk, and Janeway, Firefly has Malcolm Reynolds, Farscape’s John Crichton, and Battlestar Galactica’s Adama, all of them are fantastic characters. All are noble and inspiring figures who make their crews better.
On the other end of the spectrum is Stanley H. Tweedle, captain of the Lexx, the most powerful weapon ever created. He’s a coward, a traitor, self-centered, shallow, and the last man in existence who should have the keys to the most powerful weapon in both galaxies.
Lexx’s Stanley H. Tweedle Is Sci-Fi’s Worst Captain
Stanley H. Tweedle, played by Brian Downey, kicks off the events of Lexx by skipping work to the point he’s deemed a fugitive from justice by the servitors inside His Divine Shadow’s headquarters and runs into another fugitive, Zev (Eva Habermann). Taking shelter on board the organic spacecraft Lexx, the command codes embedded in Stanley’s tooth are activated, and the ship recognizes him as the Captain. It’s not the most glorious origin story for the man who would eventually, sort of, save the galaxy. It gets worse.
Technically, Stanley’s responsible for the deaths of 685 billion people. He didn’t give the order to fire, and he was being tortured, but he did give the codes to the Lexx over to a band of mercenaries, and then they sold it to His Divine Shadow, and 100 worlds ceased to exist. No other captain in sci-fi can say thay also have the title “Arch-Traitor.”
During Season 2, “Stan’s Trial,” we learn that the root of Stanley’s cowardice is his fear of death. The threat of death causes Stanley to break under the smallest bit of pressure from any of the villains, which all comes to a head in Season 3 when he actually dies and has to face the judgment of Prince from the Fire Planet, Lexx’s version of the Devil. You’d think that anyone who’s that cowardly wouldn’t be respected by his crew, and you’d be right.
No One Respects Stanley
The Lexx’s crew of castoffs, including both Zev and Xev (Xenia Seeberg), the undead assassin Kai (Michael McManus), and the love robot 790/791 (Jeffrey Hirschfield), don’t respect Stanley. Eventually, Xev and Kai start to have a modicum of respect, but 790, competing with Stanley for the affection of both Zev and Xev, constantly belittles and insults its captain. Even Lexx has some difficulty with Stanley, often misunderstanding what he wants, including misinterpreting the captain’s request for the coordinates to a planet of loose women.
Early on in Season 3, Stanley’s desire for women comes to a head when Prince offers to revive Maya, a gorgeous woman from the Water Planet, if he’ll use the Lexx to destroy the Water Planet. Stanley doesn’t only think about it, he spends most of the second episode actively devising ways to betray everyone. Not even Kirk, sci-fi’s most famous womanizer, would contemplate an offer like that for a single second.
Stanley H. Tweedle is both sci-fi’s worst captain and one of the most interesting characters, because he is so detestable and openly not a good guy. At all. He helped save the galaxy from thousands of years of control under His Divine Shadow, but he’s still a coward and a lech. Worst of all, we never learn what the H stands for.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jessi Draper is owning up to the mistakes she said she made after two failed marriages.
“I take full ownership over all the mistakes I’ve made and all the stupid decisions I’ve made, but I am realizing I can’t just get divorced and go live a normal life,” Jessi, 33, shared via an Instagram video on Monday, April 6. “I’m having so much come to the surface right now, and I have a lot of healing to do.”
While filming a video in her car, the Hulu reality star opened up about her mindset weeks after her estranged husband, Jordan Ngatikaura, filed for divorce after five years of marriage. (She was also previously married to Zach Gish from 2014 to 2019.)
“This is such a weird experience to go through, and I know a lot of you can relate, and it’s the second divorce I’ve been through, which has been awful,” Jessi — who shares Jagger, 5, and Jovi, 3, with Jordan — explained. “They’ve both been very different and doing it with kids is very unique and different from my first situation. I just feel, like, really lost to be honest.”
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jessi Ngatikaura made some startling confessions about husband Jordan Ngatikaura including how he blackmailed her after her affair, what they lied about on screen and more. During the Wednesday, November 19, episode of “The Viall Files” podcast, Jessi, 33, opened up about her relationship with Jordan and shared […]
When opening up to her 1.8 million Instagram followers, Jessi claimed her two marriages “were emotionally unsafe.” After navigating those two relationships for a combined 10 years, the reality star said she began to learn habits, routines, defense mechanisms “and things that keep you safe.”
“It’s crazy how getting out of that can kind of mess with your head a little bit and make you go a little bit crazy,” she claimed. “I feel like I’m going through that right now. It’s kind of like a purging and a detox of the patterns that I’m used to. I have a lot of patterns that I don’t love. I have a lot of behaviors that I don’t love either, and I’m really trying to work on that.”
Jessi confirmed she is going on a four-day therapy retreat, where she plans to mourn what she lost while also healing from her past.
“I’ve had the darkest days I’ve ever had in the last month and it’s been really rough,” she told her fans. “It’s normal to feel all over the place and misplaced and sad and then happy and then relieved and then depressed. I’ve felt all of the emotions.”
While Jessi has made headlines in recent weeks after she was allegedly spotted spending time with Marciano Brunette, she confirmed in her latest Instagram that she is single and just wants “to have fun.”
“I want to enjoy life because I haven’t in so long, but I also want to do all of this in the right way, and I want to heal and not make mistakes anymore,” she explained. “There’s no perfect way to handle divorce …. I’ve received a lot of love and support and I want to thank you for that but I’ve also received a ton of hate and it’s totally warranted. I am trying to get through this the best possible way I can.”
You can read every single novel Stephen King has written and still find yourself far off from completing his body of work, so to speak, since he’s also been prolific as a writer of novellas and short stories on top of his nearly 70 (to date) novels. Most of these are compiled in collections, of which there are a dozen official ones. Seven are more short story-focused than novella-focused, as in they’re mostly made up of short stories, rather than novellas. Skeleton Crew is one, because while it kicks off with The Mist, which is a novella (and a pretty great one), most of the tales in that 1985 collection are of the short story variety.
So, there are five works by Stephen King that can be labeled novella collections, and all of them are ranked below. Four of them only have novellas and, funnily enough, all four of those are made up of four novellas each. There’s one other here that’s made up of three novellas and two short stories, but still, more than half are novellas, and in any event, the majority of your time spent reading that one will be on novellas rather than the short stories. These are spread out quite neatly through King’s bibliography (one from the 1980s, two from the 1990s, one from the 2010s, and one from the 2020s), and they range from decent to pretty great in quality, with the best novella collection written by King being up there among his most essential works to date.
5
‘Full Dark, No Stars’ (2010)
While Full Dark, No Stars might be the least interesting of all the novella collections here, it’s still not bad, and there are definitely things here that King’s constant readers will be able to appreciate. Also, people do seem to like this one a little more than some of the collections that’ll be ranked ahead of it, and maybe the stories here finding success with getting movie adaptations showcase that, to some extent. Granted, the movie adaptations haven’t been great, and were the sorts that were viewed as weaker than the source material, but still, they tried. There was interest in attempts being made.
There are also some references here to other Stephen King stories, which is always fun if you are someone very invested in everything he’s written (the guy has pretty much made his own multiverse, at this point). If you want more of a hot take than putting Full Dark, No Stars in last place, then how about this: “Fair Extension,” the shortest of the stories, is also the best one. It doesn’t waste any time and feels like vintage King. Every other novella here overstays its welcome, to some extent. “1922” doesn’t do so as drastically as the painfully drawn-out “A Good Marriage,” but both of them (and maybe “Big Driver,” too) could well have been made a little more impactful with a few words trimmed out here and there.
4
‘Hearts in Atlantis’ (1999)
Hearts in Atlantis is the one title that was a little tricky to add here, since it’s made up of three novellas and two short stories. But, you know, more of a novella collection than a short story collection. But wait! Things get more complicated, because Hearts in Atlantis has some continuity between the five stories it contains, with some recurring characters and similar themes explored across all the stories, so it almost feels like a novel, or it at least comes closest to feeling like one coherent story out of all the Stephen King collections. It’s further ambitious because it tackles the Vietnam War and its aftermath, really diving into a specific historical event to a pretty dramatic extent, by King’s standards.
There are some fantastical elements, especially in the first (and best) story of the bunch, “Low Men in Yellow Coats,” which has some surprisingly direct ties to The Dark Tower series, too.
He does so decently well, even if he lays it on a bit thick at times, and does seem insecure, as a writer, about his readers not “getting” certain things. So he really goes on and on, when you’re like, “No, I get it,” but then he keeps explaining things, it can feel frustrating. When Hearts in Atlantis is working, though, it’s pretty darn good. There are some fantastical elements, especially in the first (and best) story of the bunch, “Low Men in Yellow Coats,” which has some surprisingly direct ties to The Dark Tower series, too. That novella, plus the final story here, “Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling,” were adapted into Hearts in Atlantis, a 2001 movie, but with all the references to The Dark Tower and most of the fantastical elements pretty much taken out, which was disappointing. Oh well.
3
‘If It Bleeds’ (2020)
While If It Bleeds is the most recent Stephen King novella collection, it’s not his most recent collection of stories, since You Like It Darker came out in 2024. That one was mostly short stories, but it speaks to King’s productivity that they both came out in the 2020s, and so too did six other novels (and counting). The man cannot be stopped. Anyway, If It Bleeds is pretty good. None of the novellas here are 10/10-worthy, necessarily, but none entirely miss the mark, either, and they are all indeed pretty good.
“Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” is a better phone-related story than Cell, while “The Life of Chuck” is structurally interesting and perhaps a little sappy, but it works better than the (still fairly good) movie adaptation of the same name from 2024. The titular story here is the longest, and is one of many about Holly Gibney, who was introduced in the Bill Hodges trilogy, and got two novels as the protagonist post-If It Bleeds (Holly and Never Flinch). Then there’s “Rat,” which closes out the collection, and is one of many Stephen King stories about the struggles of writing. Also, like a fair few Stephen King stories, it doesn’t end ideally, but the ride before that point is engaging enough. If It Bleeds is just all-around solid. Nothing here represents King at his very best, and nothing here showcases him at his worst. It’s just pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.
2
‘Four Past Midnight’ (1990)
Before getting to the first of Stephen King’s novella collections, here’s Four Past Midnight, which was his second overall, not to mention his second best, and his first novella collection to be generally horror-focused. Also, some of these novellas are really quite long, as some paperback editions of Four Past Midnight hover around the 1000-page mark. Take the first story, for instance: “The Langoliers.” This one is actually longer than some of Stephen King’s novels. Page counts can vary, depending on the formatting, but the audiobook version of “The Langoliers” is almost nine hours long, and the audiobook for Carrie will take you just under 7.5 hours to listen to. So…
Also, “The Langoliers” might be the highlight here, or it’s neck-and-neck with “The Library Policeman,” which is harder to read, admittedly, but incredibly effective as a work of horror. It’s the reason that Four Past Midnight can be considered up there among the most disturbing of all of King’s novels, short story collections, novella collections, you name it. “Secret Window, Secret Garden” is also good, albeit maybe a little too similar narratively to King’s novel The Dark Half, and then the final story, “Sun Dog,” is an engaging read, being one of a fair few Stephen King stories set in Castle Rock. Four Past Midnight is a strong collection overall, with all four stories ranging in quality from pretty good to pretty great.
1
‘Different Seasons’ (1982)
It’s easy to single out Different Seasons as the best of Stephen King’s novella collections because of two stories here: “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption” and “The Body.” They both inspired two all-time great film adaptations (The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me), and are phenomenal in their original forms, too. “Apt Pupil” is another story here, and not quite a work of horror, but one that leans more into psychological thriller territory than those other two. It also got a movie adaptation, albeit not a great one.
Things conclude with “The Breathing Method,” which is the only adaptation-less story here, and probably the closest to the horror genre of the bunch, though Different Seasons overall was something meant to showcase King’s knack for writing non-horror stories. He’d largely been known for horror up until that point, and while nowadays, the idea of a Stephen King book not belonging to the horror genre doesn’t sound too wild, it was surprising back in 1982. So, Different Seasons was instrumental in demonstrating King’s range, and has endured because it houses some of his best writing, and two of the stories here went on to be adapted into two pretty-much-perfect movies. If you only ever have time to read one Stephen King novella collection, for whatever reason, then you’re best off making it this one.
The Shawshank Redemption
- Release Date
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September 23, 1994
- Runtime
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142 minutes
- Director
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Frank Darabont
- Writers
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Frank Darabont
Candice Accola (née Accola) and more stars from The Vampire Diaries franchise have offered a glimpse at their families off screen.
Candice welcomed her first daughter, Florence, with Joe King in January 2016. The couple later expanded their family with daughter Josephine. (Joe also shares daughters Elise and Ava with ex-wife Julie.)
In May 2022, Us Weekly confirmed that Candice had filed for divorce from Joe due to “irreconcilable differences.” According to court docs, the twosome pulled the plug on their relationship earlier that year after previously celebrating seven years of marriage.
In April 2026, Michael Trevino welcomed his first baby with wife Bregje Heinen.
Keep scrolling for a guide to The Vampire Diaries alums’ family members:
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