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It: Chapter Two (2019)
It: Chapter Two (2019)
2019 | Horror, Thriller
Pennywise Returns - Not As Scary As Chapter 1, But Still Great
It Chapter 2 is a 2019 supernatural/horror movie directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Gary Dauberman. It was produced by New Line Cinema, Double Dream, Vertigo Entertainment, and Rideback, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film stars Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, and Bill Skarsgard.


The evil clown Pennywise returns to terrorize the town of Derry, Maine after being defeated by the members of the Losers' Club 27 years ago. The childhood friends have long since gone their separate ways but are called home to keep their promise by Mike Harlon who never moved away. Not quite remembering everything from their past but each traumatized by their own scars, the Loser must conquer their fears and destroy Pennywise for good.


This movie was great. Personally, I think chapter 1 was better, but this film definitely didn't disappoint. Right from the beginning it set the tone with a opening scene of a gay couple being severely beaten. I really liked the casting and who they chose to portray the children of the Losers club, they did a great job. The acting from everyone was good, Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy and Bill Hader's performances were superb. I enjoyed how this movie expanded on the lore of Pennywise and his origin. Even with a long run time, it didn't feel like a super long movie. To me some of the most enjoyable parts were the flashbacks where you got to see the younger cast. It was good that they had a big part in this movie too. I give this movie an 8/10 and it also gets my "Must See Seal Of Approval".
  
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MissDeidre (2 KP) rated It (2017) in Movies

Apr 24, 2018  
It (2017)
It (2017)
2017 | Drama, Horror
7
7.9 (355 Ratings)
Movie Rating
High production values, good casting (0 more)
Not that scary (0 more)
Pretty good
Maybe I didn't find it scary because I already knew what was going to happen. This new Pennywise just wasn't as scary as the original. Tim Curry doesn't need CGI teeth to be terrifying. That being said, the overall quality of the movie is better than the mini series, but that's because they had more money to throw around.
  
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Chrissie-ann (78 KP) rated It (2017) in Movies

Jun 18, 2018  
It (2017)
It (2017)
2017 | Drama, Horror
8
7.9 (355 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Tim curry was hard to beat
I really enjoyed watching this, I has high hopes about this remake but never expected Tim Currys Pennywise to be topped. But I am willing to admit that is what happened. I felt unnerved throughout the whole movie. I found the acting to be convincing and I felt involved in the story and a connection to the characters. I look forward to the second.
  
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Milleen (47 KP) rated It in Books

Nov 14, 2018  
It
It
Stephen King | 1986 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror
8
8.8 (94 Ratings)
Book Rating
King is the master of phantasmagorical horror and his sales verify his number one place amongst authors of the genre. This is the story of a group of youngsters who each have an encounter with Pennywise the Clown, an evil, malevolent being that feeds on the fears of children. Their friendship pact brings them together thirty years later to confront their demons and end their battle with ‘IT’. A great read.
  
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pecotter (3 KP) rated It (2017) in Movies

Sep 19, 2017  
It (2017)
It (2017)
2017 | Drama, Horror
9
7.9 (355 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The friendships, the movie was creepy and disturbing. The way Pennywise moved and spoke. Felt very Stranger Things inspired. (0 more)
Wasn't as scary as I thought it would have been. (0 more)
I didn't want it to end
I love Horror so I was really excited for this to come out. I didn'y really know what to expect as I haven't watched the original 'IT' yet, or read the book by Stephen King, but I knew the basics of what this movie was about.
I loved the way this film makes you feel and the style of it, it's not like all other horror movies out there. There is a bit of a Stranger Things vibe to it, which I loved.
I absolutely adored Pennywise in this remake, I loved the way he moved his body, it added to the creepyness of the film.
I found it more creepy and a bit disturbing than I did scary, there was one jump scare that got me though.
  
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SunnyD (6 KP) rated It (2017) in Movies

Aug 26, 2018  
It (2017)
It (2017)
2017 | Drama, Horror
7
7.9 (355 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Creepier than the original (1 more)
Acting
Weird CGI (1 more)
Still not scary
Competes well with the original
I was a fan of the original despite the horror themes being laughable. It's a classic, you know? I had high hopes for this updated version. My biggest expection was that the producers make it actually scary, mainly making Pennywise scarier. I waited to see this because I was skeptical about this being achieved. Because I did wait till it was out on DVD/Blueray, I was influenced by the media's opinion of it. Needless to say, Kate McKinnon as Pennywise was hilarious. My hopes for this movie being scarier than it's original version were squashed, but I was now more motivated to see it. No, it isn't much scarier than the original, but it was really well done aside from some obviously CGIed moments. Superior cinematography did achieve a creepier movie. The acting was great. Overall, this was done much better than the original, actually.
  
It: Chapter Two (2019)
It: Chapter Two (2019)
2019 | Horror, Thriller
a bit long (0 more)
Contains spoilers, click to show
IT, Chapter two

The Losers are all grown up and living their own lives when they each receive a call to return to Derry, the town they all grew up in. The problem is none of them remember their childhoods or why they need to return.
IT Chapter Two picks up 27 years after the first film, the main cast have all moved on with their lives when Pennywise re-appears in Derry and so they all have to return to try to stop the creature once and for all.
There is a lot going on in the film, first off, it is a lot more like the original mini-series as it predominantly follows the losers as adults but also flashes back to them as children. The flashbacks show each of the young losers having separate meetings with Pennywise and none of these are shown in the first film. We also find out more about where Pennywise came from although the film does give us two possibilities’ (Kind of) although only one is real. There is also details of a group of native Americans who encountered and (Supposedly) defeated Pennywise, although he was not in clown form then. We also get more of a glimpse of Pennywise’s shape changing ability’s which include the spider form that is seen in the original mini-series.
IT Chapter two also plays homage to a lot of other films, the most obvious are the thing, the shining and poltergeist. There is also a recurring theme where it is mentioned by a number of different characters (one played by Stephen King) that Bill does not know how to finish a story, this is a complaint that Stephen King has received more than once, some people found a scene at the end of the IT novel wrong and a lot of people didn’t like the ending of the seventh and final (At the time) ‘Dark Tower’ book.
All of this leads to the film being just under three hours long, but honestly you don’t notice it.
  
It (2017)
It (2017)
2017 | Drama, Horror
9
7.9 (355 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Make sure you take a pillow
Horror buffs and Stephen King fans everywhere have been waiting for this moment since 2009. It is of course, a modern adaptation of the author’s novel, IT.

Plagued with production problems from the get-go, I see a pattern emerging here, IT has been in the hands of multiple directors with numerous actors in the running to play that iconic clown. I am of course, talking about Pennywise.

Fast forward to 2017, and with Mama Andy Muschietti taking over directorial duties and Bill Skarsgård hopping into that tight-fitting suit we finally have a finished product. But what is it like?Seven young outcasts in Derry, Maine, are about to face their worst nightmare — an ancient, shape-shifting evil that emerges from the sewer every 27 years to prey on the town’s children. Banding together over the course of one horrifying summer, the friends must overcome their own personal fears to battle the murderous, bloodthirsty clown known as Pennywise.

Let’s start off by saying this is much, much better than last month’s The Dark Tower. Stephen King adaptations can go one of two ways and it was feared that IT would follow in the aforementioned film’s footsteps. Thankfully, this isn’t the case.

IT is frankly, an incredible interpretation of King’s iconic novel filled with exceptional performances, stunning cinematography and an emotional heart not normally seen in the genre. It’s unlike anything you will have seen before.

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room, Pennywise. Tim Curry played the hell out of that character in the 1990 miniseries and it would be senseless for 27-year-old Bill Skarsgård to follow too closely in his footsteps. At 6ft 3”, Skarsgård is certainly an imposing presence and his Pennywise is much more menacing than Curry’s, but to compare them too much would be unfair to each.

Elsewhere, all the members of the Losers’ Club are brilliant. I have never seen this calibre of acting from such a young group. Jaeden Lieberher as Bill in particular is astonishing. The scenes in which they all work together without the threat of Pennywise are a treat and give the film an uncharacteristically poignant style.

Moreover, the shot choices that Muschietti uses are striking. He rightly stays away from confining the horror to dimly lit corridors and alleyways and whilst this does feature more towards the finale, Derry makes a fine location bathed for the most part in gorgeous sunlight.

Whilst not being completely faithful to King’s novel, Muschietti’s film features all of the iconic scenes that you would expect. The opening sequence from the book in which little Georgie is confronted by Pennywise in the storm drain is shockingly brutal and sets up the tone for the rest of the picture.

This is a truly frightening film, speckled with just enough gore to keep it realistic and whilst it’s true there are one-too-many jump scares, the brilliant source material stops them from feeling too cheap. In the back of your mind, you’re well aware that this is very similar to the book indeed.

Overall, IT is better than anyone could have hoped. It’s scary, deeply emotional, funny and beautifully filmed with an exquisite score by Benjamin Wallfisch. If you’re a horror fan you must watch. If you’re a film fan, you must watch – just take a pillow with you, for protection purposes of course.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2017/09/09/it-review-make-sure-you-take-a-pillow/
  
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LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated It: Chapter Two (2019) in Movies

Sep 15, 2019 (Updated Oct 25, 2019)  
It: Chapter Two (2019)
It: Chapter Two (2019)
2019 | Horror, Thriller
If it ain't broke
The second chapter of the extremely popular reboot of Stephen King's It is more of the same...and that's a good thing.
The first film feels like a ghost train, with creepy imagery, and well crafted jump scares that don't feel too cheap.
Chapter Two takes the same formula, and if anything, actually does more with it. Pennywise seams more brutal and unforgiving in his ways this time around.

Bill Skarsgård once again is great as Pennywise, sinister, whilst remaining weirdly charming, and sometimes sympathetic.
The fantastic child actors from the first film are present once again via flashbacks, and are just as likable, but as the bulk of Chapter Two is set 27 years later, these characters are now grown up and played by a whole host of incredibly well casted adults.
Bill Hader in particular is a highlight throughout. I always have time for James McAvoy as well, the guy is an hugely underrated actor.

The scares arrive thick and fast after a slow start where we're reintroduced to everyone - and they are mixed...some are genuinely unsettling (as is the tone for a lot of Chapter Two). The Paul Bunyun statue is a memorable moment, as is the creepy old lady scene from the trailers.
Some others are more tame, and some occasionally cartoony CGI take away from the scares themselves.

The climax of the film is pretty fun, as The Losers once again prepare to battle Pennywise, and it's once again, a truly memorable sequence.

The overall ending suffers slightly from Return of the King syndrome, and feels unessecarily drawn out at the end of an already lengthy film.
Another thing that didn't quite sit well with me was the opening scene - I understand that said scene is in the original novel, and it's a way of reintroducing us to Pennywise, but it felt out of place. Homophobia is still a huge issue in 2019, and there is nothing wrong with shouting about it. But the scene is cruel, and ultimately has no connection to the larger narrative.
Nevertheless, it's a very chilling and effective opening to the film.

The duo of new It films is modern horror done pretty well - unnerving and at times scary, whilst still being accessible to a wider audience.
Certainly worth watching them!
  
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Ross (3282 KP) rated It (2017) in Movies

Nov 7, 2017  
It (2017)
It (2017)
2017 | Drama, Horror
8
7.9 (355 Ratings)
Movie Rating
More horror than the original (0 more)
Such a tease (0 more)
I'm a massive fan of the (widely slated) original TV mini-series and can't see past Tim Curry as Pennywise. However I found this to be a good alternative version. I would say it is more of a horror movie than the original version, and probably closer to the book (though it has been some time since I read that) and there is a lot less of a Stand By Me feel about it. All the child actors are excellent in this, especially Stranger Things' superbly named Finn Wolfhand as (Beep beep) Ritchie who here gets to have a lot more fun than he seems to on Stranger Things.
Bill skarsgard plays Pennywise well, at times appearing childish and just wanting to be friends, and then quickly switches to a blank mental stare.
The decision to make this two films was a brave one, though the story does lend itself well to doing so. I much preferred the 80s setting for the film with the kids being the victims and am not exactly awaiting the adult follow up with anticipation.