IT (2017)

As a horror fan, it is nice to see a buzz created within the genre. Hopefully, this attention leads to Hollywood taking some time and giving horror fans more movies, we can enjoy. With that buzz, I had to actually go see this one in the theater because the daughters have been yapping about it for a week. Last night I broke down and saw the 2017 Stephen King adaptation reboot of IT.

Plot/ In the Town of Derry, the local kids are disappearing one by one, leaving behind bloody remains. In a place known as The Barrens, a group of seven kids are united by their horrifying and strange encounters with an evil clown and their determination to kill IT.

Last night, I finally took the girls to see IT and was actually surprised by the overall experience. While this one was not as scary as I had heard (and would have liked), I thought it was an entertaining movie and one that was perfect for the daughters. The performances were solid and the actors and characters had great chemistry between them, the make-up was outstanding, and the cinematography, use of lighting, and overall visuals were tremendous. Even the scripting was able to create a somewhat darker atmosphere and keep the subtle comedic elements in play throughout. Unfortunately for me, the scares just weren’t there. Maybe it is because I have read the Stephen King classic or maybe because I consume horror movies all the time, but I found it a touch predictable. Plus, I am not a huge fan of CGI and there were some times where that process felt overused. In the end, I did thoroughly enjoy this movie. No, it wasn’t perfect or close to the best King adaptation, but it made for an entertaining evening and again proves why Clown Lives Matter. 

IT (1990)

As I prepare to go see the new blockbuster IT, I decided that I wanted to venture back into the mind of Stephen King for a few days this week. So I figured that there was no better way to end this week than a trip back to 1990 for the King classic IT!

Plot/ In 1960, seven pre-teen outcasts fight an evil demon who poses as a child-killing clown. Thirty years later, they reunite to stop the demon once and for all when it returns to their hometown.

As I prepared this week to go see IT, I don’t think it would be prudent to see the film unless I revisited the 1990 miniseries that made people fear clowns. First off, Tim Curry is amazing as Pennywise, interpreting the darkness of the evil clown perfectly. Based on a huge novel by Stephen King, the adaptation was sound; striking a nice balance between the materials from the novel that was necessary and unnecessary. Yes, some of it was a touch bizarre, but that fit the storyline. Other than that, the cast was interesting and because it was a made for television event the lack of gore and onscreen violence is to be expected. Unfortunately, the production values reek of lower quality television, the visuals are average at best do not capture the atmosphere in the way that it should, and the performances are a little flat. In fact, because of the run-time, it is debatable on whether or not the film is too long or short, an answer that even watching it again has me questioning. The worst part is the ending, which was somewhat of a letdown in comparison to the craziness from the source material. In the end, this was a fun and nostalgic look back at a miniseries that did leave an imprint on society. While it is rough in some spots, I feel that it is a great primer for the movie I am about to see. It may not be perfect, but if you haven’t seen it, give it a shot.

Clown (2016)

With all of the talk about clowns recently plaguing some areas in the South, I believe that it is quite fitting to spend some time in the world of the clowns. While I was not able to head out and see something at the drive-in, I was able to check out something new at Family Video, Eli Roth’s 2016 entry Clown.

Plot/ A little boy's birthday party is ruined when his clown cancels. His father finds a clown suit and becomes the new entertainment but something is weird about it, there is an evil curse and it won't come off and he specializes in eating little kids.

I know that the thought of clowns drive many people up a wall. To me, they are just part of life, and having dressed as a clown before, I know #ClownLivesMatter. Now this movie hats the clown to an all-new level, and I know that many will never look at them the same (much like It!). There is a lot to like in this one, with blood, murder, and mayhem. But, there is also some sound performances, an interesting storyline, decent cinematography, and the costuming is perfect for the storyline. Yes, some of the characterizations are off, many of the kills take place off screen, and there are many clichéd moments woven in that are noticeable. In the end, viewers will either love or hate this one (which is the case with many horror movies), although for me it was a perfect way to end a weekend. If you love horror or clowns, you should definitely give this one a shot. I loved it and highly recommend it.

Hotel Hell (2014)

Last night my plans to attend a softball game were rained out by the bipolar weather we are suffering through. Because of that, I was able to catch another no-budget anthology. Unfortunately, this one did not match the others from the week. What was it? 2014s Hotel Hell (AKA The Damned Thing).

Plot/ Three tales of horror are told from the narration of paranormal investigator Eddie Osborne to his newly hired videographer, as they document an abandoned hotel with supernatural occurrences.

If you are a reader of my blog, you know that I love the horror anthology and often give the benefit of the doubt to low budget indie flicks. Unfortunately, it is hard to even do that with this movie. Yes, some of the elements worked within the meager budget, but the storyline was so disconnected that I could not immerse myself into any part of it. This film suffered from clichéd dialog, uneven performances, awkward pacing, and too many subtle inconsistencies to make it entertaining. In the end, Hotel Hell should have kept its original title The Damned Thing, while that would have not improved any aspect of the film, it would have at least given the viewer more of an idea of what they were in for.