In The Mind Of: Pennywise The Dancing Clown/IT (SPOILERS)

Time to Float...

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. 

IT: Chapter Two (SPOILERS)

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

1. 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...
2. 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. 
3. That glorious cameo from Stephen King himself. Nuff said.
4. 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. 
5. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 :)

Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood (SPOILERS)

Bring a little lovin'...

Quentin Tarantino is a household name in the Hollywood industry. Through his unique style of filmmaking, he has more than earned his place in cinema history, crafting several memorable hits such as Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, and Django Unchained. In this, his ninth feature film, Tarantino has taken a trip down memory lane and exposed audiences to the world of 1960s Hollywood through the lens of a washed up actor, his stuntdouble, and a hit actress whose life ended in horrific tragedy. Now personally, I have always been a huge fan of Tarantino, so where do I find myself when it comes to Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood? Well, while it's certainly not a bad movie, it's definitely for me one of Tarantino's weaker outings and one that I may not hold in such high regard as some of his other works. Let's get into why that be the case:

UPS

1. Brad Pitt steals the show, which is excellent given that he's opposite the always superb Leonardo DiCaprio. While the latter does pull off a great performance as leading man Rick Dalton, Cliff Booth is far more interesting to follow and Pitt portrays him with such charisma that you can't help but love him. 
2. The setting. The time between the 60s and 70s is such a glorious time for pop culture, and it's so cool and interesting to see Tarantino's interpretation of how that was like in the former. I'm sure many, such as my father, had heavy bouts of nostalgic joy. For me, the little voiceover of Batman and Robin that played over the credits was a nice touch.
3. THAT ENDING! Tarantino has a knack for providing an alternate take on how certain historical events play out (i.e. the ending of Inglorious Bastards.) In this case, it's the Manson Family's horrific murder of Sharon Tate. Nothing prepared me for what I saw, and that has to be one of the most insane endings to a movie I have ever seen, one that came completely out of nowhere, but in this case that's a good thing.

DOWNS

1. This movie takes a long time to really get going and becomes a little self-indulgent in its runtime, which wouldn't be bad if I didn't find myself getting so bored at times. While I already mentioned that Leo's acting was impeccable and there were a few solid scenes sprinkled throughout (such as the moments he shares with rising star Julia Butters,) Rick is easily the least interesting of the main leads involved and one who took up too much screentime while others such as Margot Robbie's Tate get the short end of the stick. All in all, if Tarantino trimmed down the runtime a bit and allotted time for each character's storyline better, the movie would have benefited tremendously.

OVERALL

While I can't say I'm the biggest fan of Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood, I do appreciate certain aspects and think it's still a movie that's worth a watch. 

And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more coming your way :)

Retro-Reviews: The Lion King (2019/SPOILERS)

Can you feel the love tonight?...

With Disney taking a trip down memory lane by remaking several of their old animated classics, it was inevitable that they'd tackle one of their most beloved and successful, The Lion King. With that being said, it seems like it'd be a daunting task to even try to recapture the magic of the original. Of course, I was cautiously optimistic when I saw the cast and learned that Jon Favreau would be taking over as director. Now that I have seen it twice, how does it hold up? With The Lion King being my all-time favorite Disney movie and possibly my favorite film period, I had many hopes and fears going into this. What I can say is that while it does at times feel like a dull, soulless cash grab of a remake without any of the heart and magic that the original had, my second viewing allowed me to take a step back and appreciate the things that were great about it. Now let's get into the good and bad of the 2019 re-imagining of The Lion King:

UPS

1. It is visually stunning. While there are problems with making the movie a photorealistic take, the visuals are still a sight to behold, with Mufasa in particular looking as majestic as he should. The African wild is a beautiful sight to behold, so it's nice to see that captured in this movie. 
2. The songs and most of the voice acting are great. The music has received an overall mixed reception from many, but I thought it was great for the most part. The score remains as powerful and moving as it was in the original and I like the new spin on the songs, even the shortened version of "Be Prepared." As for the voice acting, this may have been the hardest department for them to nail, but I think most of them were rock solid. Particular standouts are of course Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa, and though he had the challenge of filling in for Jeremy Irons, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar. Not every performance was the best it could be, but overall, we had some great stand-ins for the originals, who are practically iconic at this point. 

DOWNS

1. The lack of emotions in the animals. It's easy to say the movie went too far in making things realistic, as the animals barely show any feelings. Because of that, many of the more emotional scenes are somewhat awkward to watch because the vocal performance doesn't match the character's facial expressions...at all.
2. There were some choices made that left me scratching my head. Particular moments were having Beyonce's song "Spirit" play out during the sequence where Simba returns to Pride Rock (which made the moment feel like that of a music video more than an actual scene within the film,) scenes like Rafiki discovering Simba's mane being padded out, and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" being sung during the day, which I believe can speak for itself. These may feel like nitpicks, but still, they were strange things I noticed and couldn't help but question Favreau's reasoning for incorporating them into the final product. 

OVERALL

The Lion King (2019) is flawed and doesn't come close to the iconic status of the original. Still, it's nice to see this story done through a news lens. More could've definitely been done with it, but I did enjoy most of what I saw. Again, I can't say it's great nor can I say it's terrible. It's just there, and that's all I can really say.

And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more on the way and till then, take care :)

Spider-Man: Far From Home (SPOILERS)

I LOVE LED ZEPPELIN...

After the emotional roller coaster Infinity War and Endgame took us fans on over the course of 2018 and 2019, the MCU decided to press down on the break and takes things slow with a little adventure starring our friendly-neighborhood Spider-Man...or is he Iron Man? Anyway, with the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home, Tom Holland's tenure as the web-slinging superhero continues to grow. It's safe to say that he's here to stay, at least for now. That being said, how does his latest venture stack up? Surprisingly not that well if I'm going to be honest. While the film has received incredible praise elsewhere, I cannot find myself enjoying this film as much. Let's start with what I did like about and then get into why Spider-Man: Far From Home is one of the most disappointing films of the year and one of my least favorite Spider-Man films by far:

UPS

1. The cast is great, even if they're stuck with not so great material. Tom Holland remains as endearing as ever as the titular hero even if the movie fails to reward his efforts. Jacob Batalon may not have been given as much to do this time around, but he still remains just as lovable as he was in Homecoming. If I had to pick two real standouts aside from the one I'll mention in my next UP, I'd have to go with Zendaya as MJ and Tony Revolori as Flash. Zendaya really gets time to shine this time around, and the romance between MJ and Peter is easily far superior to the practically non-existent one between him and Liz. Flash really surprised me in the best possible way. As opposed to the stuck-up, one dimensional jackass he was in Homecoming, Far From Home dials back on his jerkiness to add more layers to his character, making him more likable and even sympathetic when you witness the little moments that detail the relationship with his parents. Now of course, there is one who stood above them all, and that's none other than...
2. Jake Gyllenhal as Mysterio. Going into the movie, the sole thing that absolutely sold me on this film was how Gyllenhal would portray this classic villain, and boy did he deliver. Despite the awkward reveal of his true nature and his rather lazy motivation, Gyllenhal's performance allows the character to really shine, making him charming and likable when he puts on the facade of a noble, charismatic hero then twisting it around to reveal the true slimeball he is at heart. Of course, the scene where he throws Peter into a whirlwind of mind-trip illusions is easily one of the most unique and inventive sequences in the entire MCU and he manages to do something no other villain has done in a Spider-Man film by revealing Peter's identity to the world! Yeah, Mysterio truly left his mark.
3. It is and forever will be a true, honest to God blessing to have J.K. Simmons back as J. Jonah Jameson. At the end of the day, he truly is irreplaceable.

DOWNS

1. This movie hasn't really changed Peter in my eyes. By the end, he still remains the same young, dorky, happy-go-lucky kid that he was back in Civil War. He hasn't matured, he hasn't felt the weight of consequence, and he certainly hasn't learned that with great power comes great responsibility, which is ridiculous since I felt Homecoming did such a great job in that regard. If I'm going to be frank, Mysterio was only delaying the inevitable by revealing his identity since Peter did such a terrible job keeping it a secret in the first place. All in all, this allows me to jump into my second point...
2. Not letting Spider-Man come into his own. It's nice to see him integrated into the MCU, but can't we have a movie that's just about Spider-Man and not feel the need to connect it to the overall universe. I mean, I like all the appearances from characters like Nick Fury or the Skrulls, but I came here to watch Spider-Man, not see set-up for the next string of movies coming in Phase Four. And finally, stop comparing him to Tony! When going into this, I was interested to see how Peter would process Tony's death and how that would affect his story going forward, but the direction the movie went with was not something I ended up being fond of. Again, it all comes down to the fact that the producers of this film don't seem to want to let Peter become a hero on his own, relying on the need to compare him to Tony and make it out like it's his destiny to take his place instead of being...well, you know, SPIDER-MAN! What's worst of all is that they seemed to get the memo and show a scene in which Peter and Happy have a heartfelt talk about how Peter should not get riled up over trying to live up to Tony and instead be his own hero. It was such a great scene and gave me hope that this would truly shape Peter into the hero he was always meant to be...and then Happy blasted AC/DC and it all flatlined again. 
3. It may just be me, but it seems like the characters were written to be quip machines. Of course, not every character is like that, but I found it very distracting that every single scene has a character saying or doing something that was meant to usher in laughter. Of course, this being the MCU, it was inevitable that we were going to be showered with a dose of humor, but still, for every joke and quip, I think there needed to be more room for more dramatic moments that allowed the characters to show off more facets to their personalities, and that simply wasn't there. 

OVERALL

Apologies for my mini rant of sorts. I just wasn't pleased with how this film turned out and feel that the MCU is taking Spidey in a direction that doesn't do him justice. With the bombshell the movie left us with in the first post-credit scene, I hope we can get a more personal and dramatic story that allows Tom Holland's acting chops to kick in full gear and give us all the heart and soul we have come to expect from a Spider-Man film because as of right now, I'm just not feeling it. 

And that's it for this post, guys. Tune in for more coming your way :)

In The Mind Of: Sheriff Woody Pride (SPOILERS)

Reach for the Sky...

We all have that one toy that holds a special place in our heart, so much so that we even consider it a living person that we can call a friend. For me, it's my camel. For Andy Davis, it's a cowboy doll with a snake in his boot. For as long he can remember, Woody has always been Andy's best friend, and they would always do everything together. For that reason, there is nothing he wouldn't do for Andy, even if it's not always the best course of action. When a new toy by the name of Buzz Lightyear arrives and becomes Andy's new go-to plaything, Woody's jealously gets the better of him, which in turn alienates him from his friends and puts him and Buzz in danger. Here, though, is where both he and Buzz come to realizations about themselves that allow them to grow and become friends. Together, they escape certain doom and return to Andy as partners who will look out for each other and share Andy's love equally.

Over the course of the Toy Story series, Woody has been in several situations where he questions his purpose in life. On one hand, his sense of loyalty makes him feel obligated to making a child, be it Andy or Bonnie, happy. On the other, he also wants to live a life outside of obligation, one where he can truly live of his own accord. Ultimately, once he is reunited with his old flame, Bo Peep, Woody discovers the life he has always wanted, only that it comes at a cost. Because he chooses to follow his own path, he has to leave his old friends behind, including Buzz. 

Woody is the heart of the Toy Story series. It was he who kept everything and everyone together, and through him the other toys have been able to find their own sense of belonging in the world. Woody himself grows from the experiences he shares with others as they do from him. By the end, he now can truly live life of his own accord. To Infinity...

And Beyond...