Well, we are about to each the end of the 2010s, and what a decade it's been. Before we take a look at the best that this decade has had to offer, let's take a look at some of the best the year of 2019 had to offer first. 2019 was an interesting one in that it started off pretty good before meandering in the middle then blowing me out of the water by the end. As such, this was a pretty hard list to make. Reviews for the movies I've covered will be linked here, and be sure to check out my lists for the best movies of 2017 and 2018 in the links below:
For every 27 years, something comes to Derry. Something strange, something dark, something...evil. It can't be explained, and there's no way to prove what it truly looks like. It doesn't even have a real name, simply being known as IT. This creature can take many forms, but its preferred host is that of a clown known simply as Pennywise. Under this guise, IT begins to actively seek out children (its favorite food source) to frighten and feed upon, which says a lot about its character. First, that it is a sentient being who revels in causing as much pain and suffering as it can, and secondly, that it ironically is a ginormous coward that can only function when its victims are afraid. If they fight back, IT can be destroyed, which almost is the case when a young group of children known as the Losers' Club decide to fight back. Narrowly escaping death, IT goes back into hibernation and decides to seek revenge on the Losers once it awakens, leaving several bodies in its wake (including that of fellow Loser Eddie Kaspbrak) before the combined might of the Losers in their adult prime come together to destroy IT for good.
Pennywise/IT is for me one of, if the most, evil characters to ever grace the realm of fiction. It is as nightmarish as it is jovial, hilarious as it is sadistic. There is no shortage of horrors it can conjure up, and yet you'll find yourself laughing your head off at certain times because it is, at the end of the day, a clown after all.
For 27 years, I've dreamnt of you, I've craved you, I've missed you...
Every 27 years, IT comes to feed on the (preferably young) souls of Derry. In 2017, we saw the beginning of that take place. Now, two years later, that story has reached its conclusion. IT is one of, if not the all-time greatest, Stephen King story ever written, and its cinematic adaptation has done a mostly solid job of bringing that story to the silver screen. With that being said, reviews for the second outing have not been as strong as that of the first, so where do I stand? Well, I freaking loved it, and I personally found myself enjoying this one more than the first and think it's the best movie of the year so far. Here's why:
UPS
The Losers Club. It had to have been extremely challenging for the filmmakers to cast actors who could capture the essence of the perfectly depicted younger versions of these characters. The challenge proved to be a success, as these actors embody what it'd be like to see these characters grow up. Honestly, it's hard to pick standouts because they're all so perfect. Of course, if we're going to talk about the Losers, we naturally have to move onto...
Bill Skarsgaard's Pennywise. While not saying he wasn't terrific in Chapter One, there were issues I had with how they amped up the creepier aspects of the character and not have that balanced by the more cheerful and jovial side that would come with being, well, a clown. That all changed here, where we really see Skaarsgaard truly come into his own and express a wide range for the character. He's cracking more jokes, playing more innocent to those who aren't so easily fooled, and even sings a freaking song for crying out loud...all while reminding us that he is at the end of the day a ravenous monster with little to no semblance of humanity within his dark soul. Pennywise has become a staple icon in the horror genre, and although he may not match the icon status that Tim Curry has, Skaarsgaard's performance here comes very close.
That glorious cameo from Stephen King himself. Nuff said.
There were some pretty awesome references to other horror movies throughout the movie. In particular, there is one striking reference to John Carpenter's The Thing that will surely leave fans smiling when they see it.
The ending. While the final battle wasn't the best it could have been (which I'll get to in a bit,) it was still immensely satisfying to see Pennywise finally destroyed for good, emotional with Eddie's final moments, Stan's letter, and the truth about Richie's feelings for Eddie, and finally heartwarming in that everything finally seemed to work out in the end. Bill's a better writer, Mike leaves Derry, Ben and Beverly are together, and although he loses Eddie, Richie is at least comfortable with being himself and acknowledging the feelings he harbored for Eddie. Also, it seems that the Losers have kept in touch and are likely to remain friends for the rest of their lives. Overall, the ending brings everything full circle in an absolutely perfect way and is probably why I find myself liking this one more than Chapter One.
DOWNS
Henry Bowers! Going in, I was curious to know exactly what was gonna happen with the Losers' childhood nemesis, especially since Chapter One showed him falling to his apparent death. Let's just say that he really should've stayed dead. At the end of the day, Bowers' role was so small and minuscule that it proved an annoying distraction that could easily be cut and nothing would change.
It does feel too long at times. Of course, while I do find the time was allotted really well for the most part, I think it could've easily been trimmed down quite a bit. As much as I love them, I don't think we needed so many flashback scenes with the younger Losers and wouldn't be missing much if they were cut.
The final battle is a tad underwhelming. Yes, I loved Pennywise finally being defeated, and there were several great moments featured like Bill overcoming his guilt over Georgie's death and Ben finally professing his love to Beverly, but I guess my disappointment lies within the fact that we never got to actually see a real final showdown. It really only amounts to the Losers running around trying to hide from Pennywise, who doesn't even turn into a fully fledged spider here, something I was really looking forward to seeing.
OVERALL
I loved IT: Chapter Two. Like I said, the sense of finality along with a more fleshed out Pennywise and a great adult cast really elevated this one for me, so I can't see any reason to bash it.
And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more on the way and till then, take care :)
It's that time of the year again, folks. The time where werewolves howl at full moons, witches concoct magical spells, vampires feast on fresh blood, corpses walk the Earth, and most importantly, kids hunt for candy. Halloween is easily my favorite holiday of all time and part of that is the simple fact that I love horror movies. They ROCK!!! Now of course, which ones are my absolute favorite? Well today, on All Hallows Eve, it's time to find out. Let's begin with a little Nightmare Before Christmas:
10. The Babadook: Kicking off this list is a terrifying yet fascinating film. With its dark visuals and foreboding atmosphere, The Babadook keeps you on the edge of your seat as you sink further and further into a deep, dark abyss, and by the time you realized you fell in, it may already be too late. Spookiest Moment: "You can bring me the boy" 9. The Mist: One of three Stephen King adaptations to appear on this list, this movie just needs to be seen to be believed! But beware, for the ending will have you fucked up for a good long while if not the rest of your life! Spookiest Moment: The Pharmacy 8. Get Out: One of the more recent films on this list is also the funniest, but that doesn't stop it from being here due to how downright chilling its concept really is. The actors are great, the music is terrific, and Jordan Peele's direction allows the relevant social commentary to seep through in an incredibly clever way. And who doesn't love Rod :) Spookiest Moment: "No, No, No"
7. The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2: Yeah, they both share this spot on the list. Both movies are great in that they are quite touching while never failing to deliver on the scares. And they also contain the Warrens, who are, in my honest opinion, the greatest protagonists to exist in the realm of horror movies.
6. The Exorcist: Everyone knows this movie. It is called the scariest movie of all time. While I actually disagree with that statement, it is still a creepy movie nonetheless. The idea of a little girl being possessed by the freaking Devil is not a pleasant concept to think about. Add in phenomenal performances from all the cast members and William Freidkin's fantastic direction, this movie is one that you will never forget, whether it scares you or not. Spookiest Moment: "LET JESUS FUCK YOU!!!" 5. The Shining: It may not be the most faithful adaptation, and Stephen King himself may have expressed his dislike of the film, but this movie (as the poster there suggests) is a horror masterpiece. Jack Nicholson's performance is legendary, Stanley Kubrick's direction is top-notch, and it is very, very scary, more so than The Exorcist in my honest opinion. All in all, great movie, and would have been my favorite Stephen King-based movie if not for... Spookiest Moment: Room 237 4. IT: As much I love the original miniseries, it's simply decent and not very scary for the most part, and it is knocked out of the park by the new one, which pretty much elevates everything that made the original great (except Tim Curry of course.) This movie pulls no punches and makes the most of every scare (that isn't a jump-scare,),the kid actors who portray the Losers Club are outstanding, and while he may be no Tim Curry, Bill Skarsgaard is terrifically creepy as Pennywise. Now I could say more, but why don't you check out my review for that ;) Spookiest Moment: "Take it, Georgie" 3. Jaws: Duh Nun...Duh Nun...Duh Nun Duh Nun... They just really make the most of keeping the shark unseen for most of the movie, and the tension between each of its attacks is supremely effective. Steven Spielberg hit a home run with this movie, and till this day, that opening scene will always linger in my nightmares. For a while, I'll confess in saying that I found Jaws to be the scariest movie of all time...that was until I saw... Spookiest Moment: Chrissie's Last Swim 2. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark: Simply put, after watching this movie, you WILL be afraid of the dark!!!
Spookiest Moment: Really any scene involving those little bastards, but special mention goes to the ending
And my favorite horror movie of all time is...CUE THE MUSIC...
1. Halloween: What better way to end the list than to have a movie named after the holiday being at the top spot. There are no words to describe the love I have for this movie. It's not only my favorite horror movie, but one of my favorite movies period! It has a simple plot, but the execution is perfect. The atmosphere is chilling, the tension is high, and Michael Myers is quite possibly the best movie slasher ever! And that theme song is just...perfection! None of the sequels could compare to this one, and I don't think there is any other horror movie in general that can top it either. Spookiest Moment: "It was the boogeyman..."
And that is it for my list, guys! Keep tuning in for more posts and above all...
There are many writers in the world, but few have produced such a bizarre and terrifying vision as that of Stephen King, and one of his most cherished works is one with quite possibly the simplest title you could possibly come up with: IT. Now, just to get this out of the way, I have not read the novel (and quite frankly I tip my hat to anyone who has,) but I do have a decent grasp on the overall story and try to apply that to what I have seen. Back in 1990, IT was a two-part television miniseries that was mostly carried by the phenomenal Tim Curry's performance. For the most part, it was a decent movie that had occasionally terrifying moments, but it is clear that it's seen better days back then in terms of how it holds up nowadays. Of course, Pennywise the Dancing Clown had to shine on the big screen, and 27 years since the miniseries, that time has come. Now for the most part, I think they hit the mark quite well, and this was easily the best horror movie of the year so far. It has its flaws, and they will be addressed here. Now without further adieu, let's begin:
UPS
The child actors here are spectacular. I was truly impressed by just how damn good they were. Of course, the standouts here are Jaden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, and Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard, who provides the funniest moments in the whole movie. ROCK WAR!!!
He may be no Tim Curry, but Bill Skarsgaard is a terrific Pennywise nonetheless. For me, Pennywise is one of the most evil characters in all of fiction, and Skarsgaard captures that essence of pure evil perfectly. He is creepy, terrifying, and monstrous all at once, and I can't wait to see more of him in Chapter II.
All the other forms of IT are great as well. The headless boy, the disgusting Leper, and of course, Judith the Flute Lady, are all unique and terrifying creations that provide just as much of the horror as Pennywise does. All in all, they are freaky as shit.
The scares, that aren't jump scares at least, are quite effective. They provide enough tension and unease to make anyone beg for nothing to happen, even when it seems inevitable. And it's not just Pennywise delivering the scares either. The scenes with Henry Bowers (especially when he loses his mind) and Bevy's dad are also enough to make anyone shudder. How all these no-holds-barred scares were even allowed to happen was all thanks to...
The R-Rating. IT is a twisted novel, so it's quite nice that the R-Rating allows the crew to adapt that twisted nature as faithfully as possible (though thankfully not too faithful.) I could say more, but honestly, seeing the Georgie scene is enough to make that abundantly clear, but beware, for it is not for the squeamish or faint of heart, so view at your own risk.
DOWNS
As great as their actors are, Mike and Stan get the short end of the stick during this movie. Now while Stan has the honor of encountering Judith (which leads to a horrifying moment that will likely trigger an event in the future) and Mike has a tragic and seriously fucked up backstory that leads to intriguing character moments for him, they just aren't given much to do past that and really fall in the shadow of the others. Here's to hoping they get more to do in Chapter II, but that doesn't seem likely considering what happens to them :(
The jump scares, as usual in most horror movies these days, were overdone. Some were effective, like the projector scene and the ones featuring Judith (yes, she's that creepy,) but there were still too many and as a result it gets old, tiresome, and frustrating fast.
Some wonky CGI. CGI is a very common criticism nowadays; either you love it or you hate it. Now personally, I don't notice it that much, but hoo boy, it was glaring here. Trust me, you'll notice it when you see it. I really hope that the budget the producers gained will contribute to fixing this for Chapter II, because the final battle between the Losers and IT will not be a pretty sight to watch.
OVERALL
And that is it for this blog, guys. IT is definitely one of the best Stephen King adaptations to date. Coming up is a special list dedicated to all the movies that did their best to scare the bejeezus out of us, and that will be posted as my special Halloween post. Till then, take care.
10. 
9. Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood
8. 
7. 
6. Toy Story 4
5. 
4. Doctor Sleep
3. Marriage Story
2. The Irishman
1. Joker
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8. Get Out: One of the more recent films on this list is also the funniest, but that doesn't stop it from being here due to how downright chilling its concept really is. The actors are great, the music is terrific, and Jordan Peele's direction allows the relevant social commentary to seep through in an incredibly clever way. And who doesn't love 
5. The Shining: It may not be the most faithful adaptation, and Stephen King himself may have expressed his dislike of the film, but this movie (as the poster there suggests) is a horror masterpiece. Jack Nicholson's performance is legendary, Stanley Kubrick's direction is top-notch, and it is very, very scary, more so than The Exorcist in my honest opinion. All in all, great movie, and would have been my favorite Stephen King-based movie if not for..._poster.jpg)
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