Stonehearst Asylum (2014)

An absolute waste of money

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Anything with Michael Caine, Ben Kingsley is well worth watching and indeed for most of the film it is exactly that. A good setting in a 19th century asylum run by a sadistic doctor. Enter our hero shove in a soppy romance. Add in a stuttering finale, throw in a sting in the tail and then spoil it all by an ending straight from a mediocre rom-com. If only they had read the script before filming and thought of what they could have done. So a good try worth watching but fatally flawed in the end.

I just came across this movie and I really enjoyed it. Great story, solid twists, decent cast, and quality production. It is what it is, a PG13 Hollywood horror mystery.

On IMDb, Stonehearst Asylum is described perfectly in one sentence: "An Oxford graduate takes up a job in a mental asylum, only to discover that the new treatments are inhumane and there is more going on than meets the eye." That's all you need to know before watching this film, besides the all-star cast: Jim Sturgess, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Caine, Ben Kingsley, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, and Sinead Cusack. This is a fantastic movie, one that I would add to my lineup of Halloween movies, except that I wouldn't want to wait and only watch it once a year! Jim Sturgess plays the new doctor, and he's mature and charming, which shows a new side to his acting. Fans of his, or anyone who only knows him as "the Beatles guy", will be very impressed. Kate Beckinsale is beautiful and mysterious, providing a classy and luminous element to the otherwise spooky setting. Those who have seen Ben Kingsley and Michael Caine together in the hilarious film Without a Clue will be delighted to see them reunited, and with an entirely different screen relationship. . .While most of the film is scary, it's not filled with "gotcha" scares or gore. It's very tasteful, and puts the audience in a constant state of suspense rather than frightening them so much so that they won't be able to sleep that night. The lighting and sets truly transport the audience to the time period, and Joe Gangemi fleshes out Edgar Allan Poe's story wonderfully. Brad Anderson's direction includes a wonderful attention to detail, so that when you watch it for the second or sixth time, you're still getting more out of it. With a touch of humor—David Thewlis's character is named Mickey Finn—and an incredibly intriguing story, this is a film to treasure. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for Ben Kingsley's son Edmund, in the small role as Kate Beckinsale's husband! Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to some scary scenes, I wouldn't let my kids watch it until they're a little older.

This film seemingly passed me by, so I was so glad to accidentally stumble across it, I'll say categorically that this is a superb movie. It boasts a tremendous cast, with phenomenal performances in particular from Ben Kingsley and Kate Beckinsale. It boasts fantastic scenery and production values, 1889 is truly brought to life with fabulous costumes and macabre devices. It's a fantastic story, full of suspense and mystery, you feel a sense of unease from the very beginning.Wonderfully dark and sinister, it starts of at a fairly casual pace, but as it develops it becomes more intriguing. Very dark matter, but remains engaging without becoming maudlin. You will keep on asking who the bad guys actually are.If you've ever wondered what happens when the patients take over an asylum this film is for you. 9/10