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It 2017 Movie Review: Stephen King’s It 2017 Remake #ITMovie @StephenKing

I have so much to say about Stephen King’s It 2017 movie. To be honest with you, I’ve been waiting for ‘It’ to release since I heard they were remaking it. I’m not going to lie, I was so disappointed by Stephen King’s decision, but after seeing the movie, I understand why he did it. The man doesn’t need the money, that’s not what it was about. It was about bringing Pennywise to a new generation and Stephen King’s It 2017 did just that. 

It 2017 Movie Review: Stephen King’s It 2017 RemakeIt 2017 Movie Review: Stephen King's It 2017 Remake

Stephen King’s It 2017 Movie Review: Stephen King’s Remake

When I was 12, the original IT hit the small screen. It was something like I had never seen before and I was a girl embedded in a horror-loving family. We watched it all. Freddy, Jason, Michael… all the male names you can come up with. We would watch them as marathons and not blink an eye. I LOVED horror – from the start. Don’t ask me HOW or WHY? People are wired differently and I enjoy the rush that a good scare gives me. But ‘It’ was different. ‘It’ was something more….

It 2017 Movie Review: Stephen King's It 2017 Remake

I slept with my mother for a few weeks after seeing that movie. I remember that. I was terrified. We didn’t have what we have today with all the CGI and the twisted screenplays. Jigsaw did not exist back then. We are numb these days because horror is taken to the extremes – to the unthinkable. I mean, there are seasons of ‘American Horror Story’ that I TURN OFF because they just become too gross. It’s not horror… it’s gratuitous violence and I’m not into that. It’s not about seeing people get ripped apart… it’s about the suspense for me.

So, picture the 90s. Our movies were much different. The original Pennywise did me IN and even though the graphics are much better NOW, I still found the original to be creepier. BUT – for this generation, this is a better movie. If they ever watched the 1990 version, they would probably fall asleep. Kids these days (and teens and adults) are conditioned to want more – as we should! I’m not saying we should go back. Believe me!! But I was never more scared than after watching the original IT and I cannot say the same happened after watching the newer version.

Now that I got that out of the way – I want to talk about all the things I truly enjoyed. You should absolutely go see the new IT. Stephen King’s It 2017 was something entirely new. It’s a good horror movie and worth your ticket of admission. There were a few scenes that made me want to look away – which was a good thing! Stephen King’s It 2017 surprised me! 

Here’s Why You Should See The New It – Stephen King’s It 2017:

(There might be some spoilers regarding Stephen King’s It 2017 – I will try to keep it to a minimum.)

It Stephen King Remake - Pennywise Home

I only read a portion of the book. I started it on vacation last year and never picked it up again once we came home. The new IT takes into account some scenes that the old movie did NOT. I really liked that. For example, when the bully carved the letter H onto the chest of one of the losers. That was actually in the book. Crazy, right? What a scene!

I remember reading the book and thinking it was much, much darker as it touched upon some deep-seeded society issues.

The book has a huge string of homophobia weaved into it. It was actually shocking to me as I read through the first hundred or so pages. I didn’t realize that Stephen King included this type of hate in the book because it wasn’t present in the movie. Racism as well. While the homophobia didn’t make it into the new version, there are sprinkles of different kinds of evil in the new IT.

A child who is being sexually abused by her father.

An African American boy who is told to get out of town by a bully – leaning on the notion that he doesn’t belong because of who he is.

A bully who is abused by his father.

Real issues. And we all know these just don’t exist in the fake town of Derry.

All of these issues are why I will never let my children see this movie, though. I know you are wondering WHY I WOULD EVER WANT TO SHOW THEM THIS MOVIE – but I was actually going to. When the girl’s father grabbed her legs and jumped on top of her, I decided that this wasn’t a movie for my kids. Not because of the clown. Not because of the blood. But because I’m not ready to have them understand that things like that can actually happen. They are shielded – I’m going to keep it that way for as long as possible. In some ways, I wonder if Stephen King started to write It thinking about all the terrible things that existed in our world… maybe Pennywise is just a sum of all those parts?

DIFFERENCES Between The Old And New Movie (Stephen King’s It 2017) 

Now, like I said, I didn’t read the whole book! So, I don’t know if the story completely follows suit. Did the children fight Pennywise in his house in the book? I can’t personally say. But I liked that this newer version was a bit different than the old one. Made me feel like I was watching a new movie in some way. When it’s too close to the original, it feels too forced and I find myself comparing instead of enjoying. So, that was appreciated.

THE CAST Of Stephen King’s It 2017

The kids of the loser’s club make this movie. I can’t say it loud enough. They were all amazing. This film could become a cult classic if it wasn’t so … rated R. It felt very “Goonies” to me. There were moments in this movie that I felt were almost iconic. Screengrabs that I could pull that I thought would be referenced in twenty years. This group won. Hands down. Each member brought in a different spin – all witty, the timing was simply SPOT ON. I wasn’t even sure if they were improving at times – that’s how natural they were. I felt like everything was truly happening to these kids. Talk about great acting!

I wanted to be friends with them. I wanted to be a loser. Maybe I was. Maybe that’s why I love movies that portray friendships like this so much. It’s not just about this horror flick. It’s about so much more for me.

It 2017 Movie Review: Stephen King's Remake Pennywise Original
It 2017 Movie Review: New Pennywise Clown Face

PENNYWISE – The Old Vs. The New Clown

If I am being TOTALLY honest with you, I didn’t TOTALLY LOVE Pennywise in Stephen King’s It 2017 because he was too young for me. What can I say? I like my men a little mature. No, in all seriousness – let’s dissect the clown.

Tim Curry had more shit happen to him in his life. I don’t know how else to say it. He had a little evil in him… maybe even depression. I don’t know? SOMETHING!  When he got angry and when he got a little twisted, I believed it. I also felt like he would overpower me because he was so much bigger than me. I was 12, but even today at 39, Tim would have been bigger than me. While CGI makes sure that Bill Skarsgard is larger and deadlier than the kids (and I guess me), I still feel like I could bench press the dude if I really needed to. He’s so… skinny. I don’t know. If it was his brother, maybe I would have felt more intimidated (or sexually attracted whatever – semantics), but I just knew this clown was so THIN. Is that wrong of me? I don’t know??I just don’t KNOW.

(PS I didn’t mean to suggest that Tim had depression – I was just pointing out that he lived more and it showed)

However, there were many things that Bill did that I enjoyed – small acting skills that he brought to the table that really made his character. I LOVED when he would sort of space out and forget that he was a clown. Then he would jump back into clown mode. I also loved how his eyes would start to wander – because the clown costume was all a facade. They made that very obvious in this film and I REALLY enjoyed that. Thought it was a great cinematic touch.

I also loved his accent – it was faint – but the truth is that if he’s been around for hundreds of years, he wouldn’t sound like a traditional Maine local. It would come through every so often and I loved that. I look for little things that maybe other people don’t – this is who I am.

I didn’t get the white lights in his mouth.

I didn’t get why the kids weren’t all eaten up to pieces when they found them. I thought the whole point of IT was to eat children? Why were they whole? In some small way, I wanted them to all be alive. Not possible – I know.

I also LOVED LOVED LOVED the scene where Georgie said, “What took you so long?” I started to tear up actually. That was sick. Talk about playing with the devil. That was a great scene. I knew he was going to kill him, but still.

And while we are talking about the scene, I LOVED that the gun still worked on Pennywise even though it didn’t have any bullets. It’s because he believed it would. That’s similar to the original movie where the asthma pump worked even though it was just water and air. You just have to believe, right? The power of believing in yourself.

My God and I still writing? I can’t help it I am sorry. I have so much to say about Stephen King’s It 2017. 

It 2017 Movie Review: New Pennywise Clown Face

Few more things and then I am going to stop.

TIMING Of The Movie

I felt like this movie was a little rushed when we were getting through all of the kids’ fears. It was like we were popping from one to the next to the next to the next. Not enough build up for me, but that’s not their fault because they only had so much time on the screen. I DID enjoy how Pennywise kept creeping up on the kids and then hiding away. I did jump a few times during Stephen King’s It 2017. I like to jump — worth the ticket price, like I said.

Pennywise is a good evil character. Pennywise will scare kids if they see this movie. Not sure they should, but he definitely will.  Are clowns overdone?  Maybe. But Pennywise doesn’t count because he is an icon. Is Stephen King’s It 2017 scary enough for me to tell you to go and see it? Yeah. Will it be the scariest movie you have ever seen? Nah. But I will tell you this — I made my husband go into the basement when I got home from the theatre to get me something because I was not about to walk into the pits of hell for some makeup wipes. My husband could float his way down and get me some – thank you very much!!

It 2017 Movie Kid Casting

Is Stephen King’s It 2017 better than the original?

I know you want me to say yes. I know you do.  The newer movie has better graphics. I don’t know if it has a better cast of kids – I am leaning towards a yes even though I really did love the original cast so much. This newer lot was just so SPOT ON – I can’t reiterate that. Ok, I will give it to them. Better cast of kids this time around. The dude from Stranger Things and the kid with the asthma pump were both FREAKING AWESOME. Everyone was – the whole crew.

Pennywise the Clown and Georgie

Is Pennywise a better version in Stephen King’s It 2017? People who didn’t grow up with the original will say YES because he did so much more in this film thanks to CGI. But I don’t know -I just can’t say that I enjoyed him more. One scene was off the hook though. Look out for it –> Georgie in the basement in water with Pennywise next to him. I think I did the sign of the cross after that scene. My GOD.  Bill had his moments. He owned the role. He truly did. My hat is off to him. If this movie lived on his own, I would have absolutely loved him. There is a bias in me that I can’t get rid of because this remake is messing with my childhood. I mean, it is literally messing with my childhood.

By the way, when Goonies comes out as a remake I am going to cut a bitch.

Was Bill better than Tim?

Bill skarsgård had his moments. He certainly owned the role of Pennywise The Dancing Clown. I’m saying that he had his moments where I thought he was better than Tim as Pennywise. There were parts in the horror film where this 80s child felt conflicted. I have to reiterate, the CGI will M-A-K-E this film for new fans. You just can’t compare the two movies taking that into effect. But I will never, ever, forget how I felt as a tween watching the original. To be honest with you, I’ve never felt that same way again.

I’ve mentioned before that The Conjuring series is my current favorite scary movie series – specifically Conjuring 2. Unbeatable for me at the moment. This did not surpass that movie for me. But It brought fear and excitement and joy and a great night out with my cousin.

Go see it. If you loved the 90s version, you will still enjoy this one.

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