The Shining (1980)

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Stars: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd
Runtime: 146 minutes

Synopsis: A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.

Performances: 5/5
Screenplay: 4/5
Costumes/Makeup: 4/5
Editing: 5/5
Cinematography: 5/5
Score/Soundtrack: 5/5

Verdict: There's nothing I can say about "The Shining" that hasn't been already said a million times. It's a horror classic directed by one of the greatest directors of all time, and it's loved by so many people (excluding famously the author of the book it's based on, Stephen King) that a sequel is set to be released very soon, nearly 40 years after the original hit theaters. In it, Jack Nicholson is phenomenal as Jack Torrance, the gatekeeper of an isolated hotel that slowly sends him in a path of insanity. Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd also deliver pretty good performances as his wife Wendy and only child Danny (huh, another actor whose name coincides with their character's name). However, it's Kubrick who shines most (pun intended) as his filmmaking genius is seen throughout the entirety of a movie that truly gets into your head. From its cinematography to its editing to its timeless score, Kubrick made Jack's descent into madness a perfectly paced one. The film's creepy atmosphere is also an aspect that was absolutely nailed thanks to the film's technical aspects.
I have but one issue with the movie, and it's a very personal one. I'm not a fan of the ending. There are loads of different interpretations of it, and they're all very interesting to read about, but none of them were satisfying to me.
I still obviously love "The Shining", and do consider it to be one of the best horror films ever made. Much like most of Kubrick's work, it encouraged me to discuss it with friends of mine and do some research about it, which speaks tons about its quality. 

FINAL GRADE: 9/10