Stephen King is having a moment. The new adaptation of It was a success, with a sequel already green-lit for 2019. There's a tv show (which was just cancelled) based on his Mist novel, and several more adaptations of his novels are coming down the line. It's good to be the King right now. The latest adaptation of his is a Netflix production of Gerald's Game, directed and written by horror up-and-comer Mike Flanagan.
Gerald's Game follows Jessie (Carla Gugino, who I've had a crush on since I first saw Spy Kids when I was just a boy) and Gerald (Bruce Greenwood), a couple who's marriage has started to crumble. In an attempt to save their marriage, they decide to take a weekend vacation to a secluded lake house. While there, Gerald attempts a bondage/rape RP that involves cuffing Jessie's hands to the bed. Things don't pan out quite so well, and Gerald suffers a heart attack mid-game, leaving Jessie cuffed to the bed with no escape in sight. Jessie is going to have to fight off her growing mental instability, contend with dark secrets from her past, ward off a wild stray dog with a taste for flesh, and find some way out of the handcuffs if she is going to live to see another day.
Gerald's Game could not have been an easy novel to adapt to screen. It's set in one single location (the bedroom), and most of it takes place inside Jessie's mind as she hallucinates and has flashbacks. Jeff Howard and Mike Flanagan wrote the screenplay, and the material is handled very carefully. The film is still set almost entirely in the bedroom (except for a few flashbacks), and Jessie's inner dialogue is handled via hallucinations of herself and Gerald that have conversations with her about her dire situation. I haven't read the novel, so I can't speak to how accurate the film is....all I can say is that Flanagan has earned my respect for pulling off a difficult task well.
Carla Gugino is beautiful, likable and sympathetic as Jessie. She is an interesting character who slowly has her layers peeled away throughout the film as she deals with both her current situation and a dark event from her past that has haunted her her whole life. Bruce Greenwood is fantastic as Gerald, a man who has more to him than would first appear. He plays both the real Gerald and Jessie's hallucination of him. He manages to be very likable, and kind of scary and intimidating at times. They both easily carry the film, and put on memorable, fantastic performances. Henry Thomas (aka Elliot from E.T.) has a supporting role as Tom, Jessie's father who we only glimpse in flashbacks. It's a memorable and decidedly different performance from Thomas that will likely stick with me. Carel Struycken (aka Lurch from The Addam's Family movie) is freaky and memorable as The Moonlight Man, a mysterious, shadowy figure that may be death himself.
Not only can Mike Flanagan write, edit, and direct....but he also seems adept at discovering great talent inside young actors. In Oculus we got Annalise Basso and Garrett Ryan, in Ouija: Origin of Evil we got Lulu Wilson, and now in Gerald's Game we get Chiara Aurelia. Chiara Aurelia is a fifteen year old actress. In Gerald's Game she plays the twelve year old version of Jessie and puts on a memorable and affecting performance. She gets the chance to really show off her acting chops, and I was impressed. Hopefully, this is just the beginning for this young actress. I hope to see her in more things.
Michael Fimognari was in charge of cinematography (as he was for Oculus and Ouija: Origin of Evil), and he does a great job. The cinematography is beautiful a good deal of the time, like a scene during a total solar eclipse. As the eclipse is happening, we get to watch as the colors slowly alter and change, it's very impressive and quite pretty. There's another scene where the whole film takes on a vibrant, ghastly, almost neon-like red hue. Fimognari clearly has an eye for this kind of thing, and it seems that Flanagan and him make for a nice pair.
Gerald's Game runs at an hour and forty three minutes. For a film that takes place almost entirely in a bedroom, it feels a bit long. The film does slow down at points (some may say lags), but I found myself consistently engaged, invested, and interested in the proceedings. Mike Flanagan took what many considered to be an un-filmable novel and managed to make a film that is pretty damned good. I'd say Flanagan was the most impressive part of the production. You can feel the hard work and sweat he put into making this film. Gerald's Game isn't scary in the traditional horror sense (It's more psychological/mental horror), in fact it's more of an intimate character study that happens during a traumatic event. It's far from King's best adaptation, but Flanagan's hard work pays off in the end. Gerald's Game is a nice treat for King fans and makes for another nice calling card for Flanagan.
3.5 STARS
Friday, September 29, 2017
Saturday, September 23, 2017
FRIGHT FEST: HE NEVER DIED
In He Never Died, we follow Jack (Henry Rollins), an immortal cursed to spend the rest of eternity on Earth. In an effort to resist his worst temptations, he's created a regimen (which includes playing Bingo at a senior center) which has served him well for a long time. When Jack learns he has a daughter (Andrea, played by Jordan Todosey), he may have to revert to old ways if he is to keep her safe from a ruthless loan shark named Alex (Steven Ogg).
He Never Died is a pretty damned cool film. We spend most every scene with Henry Rollins' Jack, and Rollins does a great job in the role. Jack looks and acts human, but isn't. He's a centuries old (if not older) immortal who feasts on human flesh and drinks their blood. His hunger/thirst is treated like alcoholism, and Jack has been on the wagon for a long time (But may not remain so for long). He hates Earth, and being stuck on it. Rollins plays Jack like a barely contained beast or monster. He snorts, growls, and twitches as he fights to control his bloody urges. He's not really a good guy, and is actually quite scary at points. Jack makes for a great, memorable and fascinating protagonist.
Jordan Todosey plays Andrea, Jack's 19 year old daughter who inserts herself into his life because she wants to meet him and get to know him. She is adorable, interesting, sympathetic, and very likable. Andrea is easily one of my favorite characters in the film, though she isn't in it a lot (A shame). There's also an interesting question to be raised about if she has any abilities or gifts, considering she was conceived by an immortal. Unfortunately, the film never addresses this question.
He Never Died feels like a Noir at times, but is really more of a horror film/character study. The first act is just following Jack around his every day life, but the 2nd act is where things pick up. We get a good deal of violence and blood, and things get darker. I was happy that the film chose to go this route, as it helped to accentuate it's more horrific elements.
He Never Died has a lot going for it: A cool and inspired story, two great performances, some action and violence to go with it's brooding introspectiveness. Unfortunately, the ending doesn't really resolve much and there's a reveal involving a character that raised some questions the film (once again) doesn't address or resolve. There's also constant, annoying audio of sword fighting, people screaming, and fire during certain quiet moments with Jack (To emphasize that he is haunted by the the events of his long life). All this isn't enough to ruin the film, but it does bring the whole thing down a little bit.
In the end, He Never Died was actually pretty great. It was dark, violent, smart, clever, and even fun. It managed to successfully mix two very different kinds of film together (Character study and horror film). Scary, dark, but also fascinating and cool, He Never Died is definitely worth a watch. It also fits nicely into the Halloween season.
3.5 STARS
He Never Died is a pretty damned cool film. We spend most every scene with Henry Rollins' Jack, and Rollins does a great job in the role. Jack looks and acts human, but isn't. He's a centuries old (if not older) immortal who feasts on human flesh and drinks their blood. His hunger/thirst is treated like alcoholism, and Jack has been on the wagon for a long time (But may not remain so for long). He hates Earth, and being stuck on it. Rollins plays Jack like a barely contained beast or monster. He snorts, growls, and twitches as he fights to control his bloody urges. He's not really a good guy, and is actually quite scary at points. Jack makes for a great, memorable and fascinating protagonist.
Jordan Todosey plays Andrea, Jack's 19 year old daughter who inserts herself into his life because she wants to meet him and get to know him. She is adorable, interesting, sympathetic, and very likable. Andrea is easily one of my favorite characters in the film, though she isn't in it a lot (A shame). There's also an interesting question to be raised about if she has any abilities or gifts, considering she was conceived by an immortal. Unfortunately, the film never addresses this question.
He Never Died feels like a Noir at times, but is really more of a horror film/character study. The first act is just following Jack around his every day life, but the 2nd act is where things pick up. We get a good deal of violence and blood, and things get darker. I was happy that the film chose to go this route, as it helped to accentuate it's more horrific elements.
He Never Died has a lot going for it: A cool and inspired story, two great performances, some action and violence to go with it's brooding introspectiveness. Unfortunately, the ending doesn't really resolve much and there's a reveal involving a character that raised some questions the film (once again) doesn't address or resolve. There's also constant, annoying audio of sword fighting, people screaming, and fire during certain quiet moments with Jack (To emphasize that he is haunted by the the events of his long life). All this isn't enough to ruin the film, but it does bring the whole thing down a little bit.
In the end, He Never Died was actually pretty great. It was dark, violent, smart, clever, and even fun. It managed to successfully mix two very different kinds of film together (Character study and horror film). Scary, dark, but also fascinating and cool, He Never Died is definitely worth a watch. It also fits nicely into the Halloween season.
3.5 STARS
Monday, September 18, 2017
FRIGHT FEST: I AM THE PRETTY THING THAT LIVES IN THE HOUSE
In I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House ( or Pretty Thing for short), stay-at-home nurse Lily (Ruth Wilson) takes on the job of caring for aging and senile mystery/horror author Iris Blum (Paula Prentis). In her dementia, Iris thinks that Lily is actually Polly (Lucy Boynton), a ghostly character from one of her novels. During her stay, Lily begins to suspect that Polly may actually have been based on a real person and maybe Iris' house is actually haunted.
I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House is a throwback to old-fashioned, classic, atmospheric ghost stories. That said, it's told from quite a different perspective: That of the ghost. I'm not going to say much else for fear of ruining anything, except to say that I loved this new, creative twist. It actually makes the whole affair somewhat unsettling to watch. This is Osgood Perkin's second directorial/writing effort (His first being the impressive and frightening Blackcoat's Daughter, which wasn't really for me), and I'd say he does a pretty great job at both. It's not really frightening, but it does succeed at putting you on edge and getting you creeped out throughout.
Pretty Thing is well-acted by it's main lead, Ruth Wilson. She manages to make her Lily a likable, attractive character (and yes, she is mighty pretty too). Paula Prentis and Lucy Boynton aren't given much to do. Prentis gets a great, creepy monologue and Lucy Boynton is relegated to wandering around and is turned into the film's weakest effect. Luckily, the atmosphere is pretty strong and the film itself is superbly written. Pretty Thing is a film that focuses a good deal on novels and books, so it's only appropriate that it is written like a novel itself. Expect long, sprawling, detail-filled bits of narration. I suppose some may find this annoying, I absolutely loved it.
As I said before, Pretty Thing isn't really all that scary of a film. The ending is also not the strongest, though it fits for what the film is going for. Luckily it makes up for its few flaws with a rich atmosphere, a strong script, a great leading lady. All things considered, Pretty Thing is a fairly effective film. If you love spooky, slow ghost stories then I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House is a new one that is sure to satisfy around the haunting season.
3.5 STARS
I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House is a throwback to old-fashioned, classic, atmospheric ghost stories. That said, it's told from quite a different perspective: That of the ghost. I'm not going to say much else for fear of ruining anything, except to say that I loved this new, creative twist. It actually makes the whole affair somewhat unsettling to watch. This is Osgood Perkin's second directorial/writing effort (His first being the impressive and frightening Blackcoat's Daughter, which wasn't really for me), and I'd say he does a pretty great job at both. It's not really frightening, but it does succeed at putting you on edge and getting you creeped out throughout.
Pretty Thing is well-acted by it's main lead, Ruth Wilson. She manages to make her Lily a likable, attractive character (and yes, she is mighty pretty too). Paula Prentis and Lucy Boynton aren't given much to do. Prentis gets a great, creepy monologue and Lucy Boynton is relegated to wandering around and is turned into the film's weakest effect. Luckily, the atmosphere is pretty strong and the film itself is superbly written. Pretty Thing is a film that focuses a good deal on novels and books, so it's only appropriate that it is written like a novel itself. Expect long, sprawling, detail-filled bits of narration. I suppose some may find this annoying, I absolutely loved it.
As I said before, Pretty Thing isn't really all that scary of a film. The ending is also not the strongest, though it fits for what the film is going for. Luckily it makes up for its few flaws with a rich atmosphere, a strong script, a great leading lady. All things considered, Pretty Thing is a fairly effective film. If you love spooky, slow ghost stories then I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House is a new one that is sure to satisfy around the haunting season.
3.5 STARS
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
FRIGHT FEST: IT COMES AT NIGHT
In It Comes At Night, we follow Paul (Joel Edgerton), Sarah (Carmen Ejogo), and their son Travis (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). They live in a pretty nice house/cabin in the woods in a post-apocalyptic world. A deadly contagion has been spreading, and Paul has come up with several safeguards to keep his family safe from outside threats and infection. When a stranger (Will, played by Christopher Abbot), breaks into their house looking for food and water, Paul and his family decide to help Will and his (consisting of Kim played by Riley Keough and son Andrew played by Griffin Robert Faulkner). Now, holed up in the same cabin/house, a shaky trust/friendship is established between the two families which is about to be tested by an unlocked door at night. In the end, fear makes monsters of us all.
Paul ( is the patriarch of the main family in the film. His safeguards include keeping the two doors that lead to the outside locked at night, staying inside at night, if traveling outside doing so in groups of two, only trusting family, etc. He is a gruff but good man who (as stated above) has some issues with trust, and only cares about doing whatever he can to keep his family protected. Will is the patriarch of the second family, and he is a good deal more trusting and open than Paul. Like Paul, his main goal is keeping his family safe. Travis is the seventeen year old son of Paul and Sarah. He is one of the more rationale and clear-headed ones in the film, as he does feel fear throughout but doesn't necessarily let it affect his judgement. Riley Keough as Kim wasn't given much to do, but she sure was likable and pretty. Carmen Ejogo's Sarah ends up short-shifted as well. I found I really liked all the characters in the film, and I was dreading how it all would end for them.
It Comes At Night was marketed as a horror film. SPOILERS It's not, though there are some horror aspects to it (Mostly via some intense nightmares had by Travis). If anything, it's more of a mix of mystery/suspense/drama. It's never scary. Whatever the 'It' of the title is is also never specified. The film has a pretty top notch cast, and everyone does a great job acting-wise (with Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbot, and Kelvin Harris Jr. getting the most meat to chew on with their roles). The first hour of the film is just getting to know our main characters and their respective families, and watching as that shaky bond between the two form. The final thirty minutes consists of building suspense, tension and fear until the explosive and shocking climax.
I really liked how the audience is only given tiny bits of information about the surrounding circumstances of the apocalypse. We don't know what the contagion is, what it's effects are, or how it's spread. There are many vaugeries in It Comes At Night, and the film leaves to us to fill in the blanks on our own. It's always nice to see a film that trusts it's audience.
It Comes At Night was directed by Trey Edward Shults (who also wrote the screenplay and co-edited the film. I'll say the screenplay doesn't really stand out.), and the film acts as a nice calling card for the director. The cinematography (by Drew Daniels) is beautiful and the score (by Brian McOmber) is effective. Shults has a definite grasp on what he wants to achieve and convey in his film, and I'd say he does a pretty good job. Count me interested in whatever he chooses to do next.
It Comes At Night is ultimately a tale about family, trust, and the destructive power of fear. The first hour is admittedly pretty slow, but I was completely riveted during the final thirty minutes. It definitely has a horrific payoff, so you won't be wasting your time giving it a view. I found it to be an interesting, effective, well-made and surprisingly memorable film.
4 STARS
Paul ( is the patriarch of the main family in the film. His safeguards include keeping the two doors that lead to the outside locked at night, staying inside at night, if traveling outside doing so in groups of two, only trusting family, etc. He is a gruff but good man who (as stated above) has some issues with trust, and only cares about doing whatever he can to keep his family protected. Will is the patriarch of the second family, and he is a good deal more trusting and open than Paul. Like Paul, his main goal is keeping his family safe. Travis is the seventeen year old son of Paul and Sarah. He is one of the more rationale and clear-headed ones in the film, as he does feel fear throughout but doesn't necessarily let it affect his judgement. Riley Keough as Kim wasn't given much to do, but she sure was likable and pretty. Carmen Ejogo's Sarah ends up short-shifted as well. I found I really liked all the characters in the film, and I was dreading how it all would end for them.
It Comes At Night was marketed as a horror film. SPOILERS It's not, though there are some horror aspects to it (Mostly via some intense nightmares had by Travis). If anything, it's more of a mix of mystery/suspense/drama. It's never scary. Whatever the 'It' of the title is is also never specified. The film has a pretty top notch cast, and everyone does a great job acting-wise (with Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbot, and Kelvin Harris Jr. getting the most meat to chew on with their roles). The first hour of the film is just getting to know our main characters and their respective families, and watching as that shaky bond between the two form. The final thirty minutes consists of building suspense, tension and fear until the explosive and shocking climax.
I really liked how the audience is only given tiny bits of information about the surrounding circumstances of the apocalypse. We don't know what the contagion is, what it's effects are, or how it's spread. There are many vaugeries in It Comes At Night, and the film leaves to us to fill in the blanks on our own. It's always nice to see a film that trusts it's audience.
It Comes At Night was directed by Trey Edward Shults (who also wrote the screenplay and co-edited the film. I'll say the screenplay doesn't really stand out.), and the film acts as a nice calling card for the director. The cinematography (by Drew Daniels) is beautiful and the score (by Brian McOmber) is effective. Shults has a definite grasp on what he wants to achieve and convey in his film, and I'd say he does a pretty good job. Count me interested in whatever he chooses to do next.
It Comes At Night is ultimately a tale about family, trust, and the destructive power of fear. The first hour is admittedly pretty slow, but I was completely riveted during the final thirty minutes. It definitely has a horrific payoff, so you won't be wasting your time giving it a view. I found it to be an interesting, effective, well-made and surprisingly memorable film.
4 STARS
Thursday, September 7, 2017
SMALLS FRIGHT FEST FLOATS WITH PENNYWISE: IT REVIEWED
It's not October yet, but sometimes the darkness frees itself early. That's right kiddies, it's that time of year again! Grow out your cobwebs, dig up a freshly buried corpse, terrorize y'alls neighborhoods, It's time for Fright Fest!
I figured there is no better way to start my Fright Fest this year than with a brand spankin' new Stephen King film, based upon one of his most beloved novels (That also just happens to be one of his best novels, and one of his thickest too at over 1,000 pages). That's right, Fright Fest commences with a visit from 'It'. I have been looking forward to this film for quite some time, I even read the source material and watched the tv mini-series from the 90's to prepare (Some may see this newest iteration of the story as a re-make, but the fact remains that this is the very first time the 'It' story has been made for the big screen). Could 'It' hold up to or surpass my expectations?
In 'It', an ancient evil that prefers to take the form of a clown named Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) is killing children in Derry, Maine. When Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher) loses his younger brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) to Pennywise, he gathers his group of friends together to hunt down and put an end to Pennywise's terror once and for all.
The group of friends in 'It' collectively refer to themselves as The Losers Club. The members are Bill Denbrough, Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer), Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs), and Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff). The young actors chosen for the leads are all great (With the standouts being Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, and Jaeden Lieberher). These are a group of kids that have met when each is just starting to go thru puberty (a big theme of the novel is the transition from child to adult, this is focused on a small bit here), and they find the strength they need in each other and eventually, themselves. They share a great deal of chemistry and work very well together. There are some moments of "child" acting, but each actor performs their roles pretty perfectly for the most part (Each of their characters and the way the actors perform them are very similar to the way their characters are in the novel). I was also relieved to see that Bill still had his stutter. It wasn't present in any of the ads, but it's an important part of Bill's character (to the point where one of his nicknames is Stuttering Bill). 'It' is most definitely a horror film, but it also has a coming-of-age tale woven into it's fabric.
Another character worth mention in 'It' is Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton), the bully who consistently taunts and threatens The Losers Club. Nicholas Hamilton nails his role pretty well, but we don't spend a lot of time with Bowers and his big finale is disappointing (Though somewhat accurate to the novel). Many have seen and fallen in love with the 3 hour tv miniseries version of 'It'. Unfortunately, while Tim Curry is endlessly delightful as Pennywise, the miniseries wasn't very faithful to its source material (For one, Richie isn't a coward in the novel). It got the bare-bones right, but not much else. Tim Curry's performance as Pennywise is definitely iconic....but I'd argue that Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise is much closer to the Pennywise found in the novel. There are still fun moments involving Pennywise here, but he is more feral, animalistic, and beastly than anything else. 'It' perfectly captures the powers and personality of Pennywise. Skarsgard is clearly relishing his role and manages to be very entertaining but still terrifying, freaky and creepy. I'd easily place his performance right next to Curry's.
I also have to commend the film for is it's set design, specifically that of the sewers and the house on Neibolt Street. The sewers are a dark, creepy place that twists and turns (and it's where our grand finale takes place). The House on Neibolt Street is old, decrepit, dark, creepy and has a serious haunted mansion type vibe. The house on Neibolt didn't have much of a presence in the miniseries, but luckily 'It" rights this wrong (as it does many others) and Neibolt is featured prominently in the film. The cinematography by Chung-hoon Chung is superb as well.
I've seen many Stephen King films, and not all of them stuck particularly close to his novels. I was relieved to find how close 'It' stuck to the source material. I'd say 'It' is about 80% - 90% faithful to the source material, and is definitely one of the closest I've seen a film come to staying true to King's novels (There are moments where it felt like I was reading the book again). Some things are changed (Some are changed to be more generic or conventional. There were a few changes I found to be genuinely frustrating.) and others are left out, but it's never anything big or drastic. Some of the Pennywise scenes have been altered or changed from the novel (I'd say his scenes always wind up being effective, though), some iconic scenes from the novel are intensified, there are many references to things that are in the novel but don't really appear here, etc. I'd say that, besides 'Maximum Overdrive' (which Stephen King directed), 'It' may be the closest a theatrical film has gotten to being a true Stephen King movie.
'It' is by no means a perfect film. I loved the hell out of 'It', but 'It' does slip up in a few places. 'It' can be a bit generic or conventional at times, some parts feel a bit rushed or condensed, and some of the scares can border on being silly. That said, Andres Muschietti (director), Gary Dauberman (co-scriptwriter), Cary Fukunaga (co-scriptwriter) and Chase Palmer (co-scriptwriter) are clearly crazy about Stephen King and worked their butts off to ensure 'It' would do his horror epic justice. 'It' is scary, 'It' is creepy, 'It' is mad entertaining, 'I't will stay with you, and if you are at all a fan of horror or Stephen King, then 'It' is a must-see. I foresee 'It' becoming very well regarded and beloved. This could be one we end up talking about for years to come, in other words: A modern horror classic. BRING ON CHAPTER 2!
4.5 STARS
I figured there is no better way to start my Fright Fest this year than with a brand spankin' new Stephen King film, based upon one of his most beloved novels (That also just happens to be one of his best novels, and one of his thickest too at over 1,000 pages). That's right, Fright Fest commences with a visit from 'It'. I have been looking forward to this film for quite some time, I even read the source material and watched the tv mini-series from the 90's to prepare (Some may see this newest iteration of the story as a re-make, but the fact remains that this is the very first time the 'It' story has been made for the big screen). Could 'It' hold up to or surpass my expectations?
In 'It', an ancient evil that prefers to take the form of a clown named Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) is killing children in Derry, Maine. When Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher) loses his younger brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) to Pennywise, he gathers his group of friends together to hunt down and put an end to Pennywise's terror once and for all.
The group of friends in 'It' collectively refer to themselves as The Losers Club. The members are Bill Denbrough, Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer), Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs), and Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff). The young actors chosen for the leads are all great (With the standouts being Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, and Jaeden Lieberher). These are a group of kids that have met when each is just starting to go thru puberty (a big theme of the novel is the transition from child to adult, this is focused on a small bit here), and they find the strength they need in each other and eventually, themselves. They share a great deal of chemistry and work very well together. There are some moments of "child" acting, but each actor performs their roles pretty perfectly for the most part (Each of their characters and the way the actors perform them are very similar to the way their characters are in the novel). I was also relieved to see that Bill still had his stutter. It wasn't present in any of the ads, but it's an important part of Bill's character (to the point where one of his nicknames is Stuttering Bill). 'It' is most definitely a horror film, but it also has a coming-of-age tale woven into it's fabric.
Another character worth mention in 'It' is Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton), the bully who consistently taunts and threatens The Losers Club. Nicholas Hamilton nails his role pretty well, but we don't spend a lot of time with Bowers and his big finale is disappointing (Though somewhat accurate to the novel). Many have seen and fallen in love with the 3 hour tv miniseries version of 'It'. Unfortunately, while Tim Curry is endlessly delightful as Pennywise, the miniseries wasn't very faithful to its source material (For one, Richie isn't a coward in the novel). It got the bare-bones right, but not much else. Tim Curry's performance as Pennywise is definitely iconic....but I'd argue that Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise is much closer to the Pennywise found in the novel. There are still fun moments involving Pennywise here, but he is more feral, animalistic, and beastly than anything else. 'It' perfectly captures the powers and personality of Pennywise. Skarsgard is clearly relishing his role and manages to be very entertaining but still terrifying, freaky and creepy. I'd easily place his performance right next to Curry's.
I also have to commend the film for is it's set design, specifically that of the sewers and the house on Neibolt Street. The sewers are a dark, creepy place that twists and turns (and it's where our grand finale takes place). The House on Neibolt Street is old, decrepit, dark, creepy and has a serious haunted mansion type vibe. The house on Neibolt didn't have much of a presence in the miniseries, but luckily 'It" rights this wrong (as it does many others) and Neibolt is featured prominently in the film. The cinematography by Chung-hoon Chung is superb as well.
I've seen many Stephen King films, and not all of them stuck particularly close to his novels. I was relieved to find how close 'It' stuck to the source material. I'd say 'It' is about 80% - 90% faithful to the source material, and is definitely one of the closest I've seen a film come to staying true to King's novels (There are moments where it felt like I was reading the book again). Some things are changed (Some are changed to be more generic or conventional. There were a few changes I found to be genuinely frustrating.) and others are left out, but it's never anything big or drastic. Some of the Pennywise scenes have been altered or changed from the novel (I'd say his scenes always wind up being effective, though), some iconic scenes from the novel are intensified, there are many references to things that are in the novel but don't really appear here, etc. I'd say that, besides 'Maximum Overdrive' (which Stephen King directed), 'It' may be the closest a theatrical film has gotten to being a true Stephen King movie.
'It' is by no means a perfect film. I loved the hell out of 'It', but 'It' does slip up in a few places. 'It' can be a bit generic or conventional at times, some parts feel a bit rushed or condensed, and some of the scares can border on being silly. That said, Andres Muschietti (director), Gary Dauberman (co-scriptwriter), Cary Fukunaga (co-scriptwriter) and Chase Palmer (co-scriptwriter) are clearly crazy about Stephen King and worked their butts off to ensure 'It' would do his horror epic justice. 'It' is scary, 'It' is creepy, 'It' is mad entertaining, 'I't will stay with you, and if you are at all a fan of horror or Stephen King, then 'It' is a must-see. I foresee 'It' becoming very well regarded and beloved. This could be one we end up talking about for years to come, in other words: A modern horror classic. BRING ON CHAPTER 2!
4.5 STARS
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