It

We'll all float!

"I wasn't prepared for how good it really was" These words uttered by none other than Stephen King himself, where reason enough to persuade me into watching this remake (I have a strong policy against remakes in case you didn't notice) It is everything I wasn't expecting, a masterpiece, a horror movie the likes we haven't seen in more than 20 years, and I'm not exaggerating, I mean every word of it.  In addition, thinking a remake could outdo the original made for TV 1990 cult film everyone talked about for ages, was unforeseen and unexpected by every single film connoisseur from this world.

The brand new It movie (actually the first big screen adaptation of the film) is one incredible horror film, everybody involved should get a congratulatory pat on the back, definitely a huge upgrade from the '90s miniseries. This is by a long shot the best Stephen king adaptation to date. Even better than Brian De Palma's Carrie. 

The losers club. A triumph in casting!

You want your boat Georgie boy?

Directed by Andy Muschietti, based on Stephen King's timeless novel of the same name, IT is set around the mysterious disappearance of children in the small town of Derry (Maine), when a group of young kids will have to come face their biggest fears and square off against an eternal evil clown named Pennywise who comes around every 27 years to repeat his reign of terror.

It's no secret and it's not really a spoiler the fact that this story will be divided into two installments (just like the huge original book does), with the first focusing on the children and then chapter two showing their grown up selves once again battling Pennywise. So with this first chapter, I think the timing of its arrival couldn't be more perfect especially with hugely popular series, "Stranger Things" & "The Goldbergs" both based upon '80s childhood nostalgia. "IT" offers you that same vein and you're going to love that aspect about "IT." There's definitely a Stand By Me vibe to it as well, and the whole thing does feel episodic, at one point while screening it I didn't want it to end, it felt like I was binge-watching, it was so cool. Kudos to all the young actors featured in this film, they really hold their own and each of their characters' distinct personalities stand out, just like the original actors that portrayed the same characters 27 years ago. Their backstories and their process of slowly but surely coming together as some sort of a team is both honest and engaging. 

Together they will win.

Divided they will fall.

Now, considering the "IT" book is 1,138 pages long, I think the screenwriters of this new film did well in condensing the story to just the right amount of time that contains just the right mix of kids camaraderie and the horror fest that is Pennywise. And if you've watched the '90s miniseries, you'd recall how much that version held back plus the low quality practical effects that they had at the time. Well, I'm happy to tell you that this new "IT" doesn't hold back, this is Pennywise unleashed, it's practically proud of being R-rated, which is great because it allows for the scary parts to be really really scary and not second-guessing or pandering. However, if nostalgia is a thing for you, director Muschetti really knows how to connect the story to the 80's creating a setting that feels realistic and not a biased fantasy from someone that wasn't there. So, despite being a 2017 release, this new version easily connects with fans of the old film and 80's adventure films starred by kid wonders.

And if you have never liked clowns before, you're going to hate clowns even more because Bill Skarsgard's performance as the new Pennywise will haunt your dreams for the next few weeks after you've watched this movie. What I appreciate about Skarsgard is that he doesn't try too hard to emulate or imitate or channel Tim Curry (the original Pennywise in the 1990 TV movie), Skarsgard does his own take of creepy. And because Pennywise is pretty much invincible to a certain extent, you'll see him pop up in the most unlikeliest of places meaning when you least expect him, that's when he'll scare you to your core so brace yourselves for surprises around every corner. Another reason why the timing of this movie's arrival could not be more perfect is because today's visual effects compliment Pennywise's limitless abilities and so director Andy Muschietti and his crew have the creative freedom to not only realize some of the scare points in the book but they managed to also go beyond that. "IT" goes for massive, it goes for bold, it goes for bloody, not a single boring minute, it goes for the "Goonies" fan in all of us. You will laugh, you will scream, you will have nightmares, hands down one of the best horror movies ever made. 

The cast of incredibly young talented actors.

These kids are naturals.

Now, on the side of behind the scenes trivia (just to avoid spoilers from spoiling an excellent film) Let's take a look at the following IT facts:

 
-27 is a number that often becomes associated with this story. This movie is set to be released 27 years after the original television release. In the book, it is mentioned that "It" returns to Derry approximately every 27 years. Jonathan Brandis, who played young Bill in the original film, died at 27 years old. This movie released one month after Bill Skarsgard (Pennywise) 27th birthday. 

-About 6 months before the film was released, Stephen King (the author of the original novel) was shown a screening. Afterwards, he said that the film exceeded his expectations and that the producers had done "a wonderful job". 

-Andrés Muschietti kept Bill Skarsgård separate from the child actors up until they had to shoot scenes together. On the day of their first scenes together, the production staff warned the kids about how scary Skarsgård could be while in character. The kids brushed this off, claiming that they knew he was just an actor in a costume and that they were professionals and would be fine. However, when the time came for Skarsgård to be Pennywise for the scene, the kids were genuinely terrified. 

Do you want a balloon?

You will fear me!

-Contrary to the novel, in which the children's journey with Pennywise begins in 1958, the movie will begin to follow the loser club from around 1989 (four years after the final encounter between the loser club and Pennywise in the novel) and supposedly with the second clash in the mid-2010s. 

-The town of Derry is portrayed by Port Hope in Canada which as of April 2017 is the location of Turtle John's restaurant- the Turtle features heavily within the novel IT and The Dark Tower series. Across the way from Turtle John's is Beamish House and 12 beams link and hold together The Dark Tower and the Stephen King universe. 

-The trailer for this film enraged real-life professional clowns, who stated that the Pennywise character will encourage people to think of clowns as scary and murderous (though the filmmakers and actors have said, clearly, that Pennywise is not a clown at all, but a representation of IT's pure evil, who takes on the form out of a mix of sadism and childishness). Rallies to defend the good name in general of clowns in the U.S. are planned for next month. 

The bravest of the bunch.

Here we are now IT, entertain us!

Overall, IT is a fantastic true to the book new version of a character and story that since September 1986, has kept millions of readers across the globe praising the work of Stephen King as a cult horror author sensation. This is the ultimate horror movie you'll watch in 2017, and I'm absolutely sure this film is a strong candidate in everyone's top 5 2017 films. IT truly feels as quality film making, an excellent horror film made for opinionated people that can read. Possibly the best horror film ever made in more than 15 years. The Conjuring & Annabelle are worthless stinky pieces of shit for ignorant audiences, the likes of Fast & Furious retarded fans. If you're a connoisseur, which I'm sure you are, look no more, here's the revelation of the year: IT!

Here's the movie trailer: