The Shining (4 stars)

I rented The Shining as part of my Halloween celebration. I thought it appropriate to watch one of the all time best horror movies. The movie stars Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance, a struggling author, who's just become the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in the mountains of Colorado. The hotel is shut down in the winter because of its remote location, and the caretaker must spend the winter at the hotel. There are enough food and provisions to last the winter, so the caretaker never has to leave the hotel. Jack brings his wife Wendy (Shelley Duval) and his son Danny with him up to the hotel. Not too long after they arrive, strange things start happening. Danny starts having visions of the former caretaker's daughters, whom he murdered, as well as seeing other ghastly visions. Jack slowly starts to lose his mind and sees visions of people from the golden days of the hotel. Jack eventually snaps and under the direction of the denisens of the hotel sets out to kill his family.

The Shining has been often immitated and parodied (my favorite being the Simpsons Tree House of Horror Episode), but seeing the original is something everyone should do at least once. It's also a great piece of film making by the wonderful Stanley Kubrik that stands the test of time.