Carrie (2014), directed by Kimberly Pierce (Vern)

Firstly, I'd like to say that I am generally a fan of updating films by re-making them...if it's done right. Usually I just end up disappointed. Thankfully, this remake of Carrie was well cast, well directed, and well acted.

Carrie, played by the inimitable Chloe Grace Moretz, is a young girl who has been raised in a sheltered, overly protected home by her over-the-top religious mother (Julianne Moore), who shoves her fundamentalist beliefs down Carrie's throat. Near the beginning of the film, Carrie is showering after gym class at school and starts her period for the first time. She falls down, terrified, and thinks she's dying. Her classmates, who have all been much better prepared for such a happening, make fun of her and throw feminine products at her. One girl even records it on her cell phone and posts it online. 

One of the girls who participated feels guilty, and comes up with a plan to have her boyfriend ask Carrie to senior prom as a way of making amends. On the other hand, the bully who filmed the incident is suspended and banned for her conduct, leading her to see revenge. At the same time, Carrie begins to realize she has a special talent- one that ensures nobody can hold her down any longer. She goes to prom, and that fantastic Stephen King story runs its course. I don't want to ruin it (although everyone probably knows), but the underdog versus bully high school story is classic!

I highly recommend this movie, especially to horror fans or fans of Stephen King's work. Older teens (with parental consent) would likely enjoy this one as well, especially since they've probably seen bullying in their very own hallways. What a lesson there is to be learned!