It – Film Review

Cast: Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Bill Skarsgård

Director: Andy Muschietti

Synopsis: After a number of children go missing in the town of Derry, a group of young outcasts get together to fight the mysterious entity that’s terrorising their town…

Review: Let’s be honest, even if you like them, there’s always been something mildly/extremely terrifying about clowns. Designed to be entertainers, bringing nothing but joy, more often than not, they make people want to run away in fear. Stephen King’s 1986 novel It certainly perpetuated that fear and equally, with the adaptation of the aforementioned novel back in 1990. Though this didn’t really float with viewers, Stephen King’s work has once again been brought to the big screen to remind us all why clowns are the terrifying entities many of us perceive them to be.

It is 1989 and in the town of Derry, Maine, an alarming number of children who have disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again. One of these victims is Georgie, the younger brother of Bill (Martell), who becomes determined to find out what really happened to his brother. He’s joined on his quest by his friends Richie, Eddie and Stan (Wolfhard, Grazer and Oleff) who are all the targets of the unpleasant bullies at their school. Recruiting Beverly (Lillis), Ben (Taylor) and Mike (Jacobs) and going under the name of the Losers Club, these seven misfits band together in a bid to defeat this dastardly clown and put an end to the nightmare that he’s inflicting on their town.

Run away, run away, run away, run away, run away…..

The chemistry between the members of the Losers’s Club is ultimately the core component of this story and though some performances are stronger than others, each member of the club brings something to the table. Being the one who has the significant emotional investment in this investigation, Jaeden Martell gives the strongest performance. Though he may stutter in his speech, but he poses a steely determination not to be unnerved by the sinister events that are occurring, though each member has their moment to shine. Yet being at the centre of this nightmare, Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise delivers a performance that’s profoundly creepy and unsettling. Though this is in no small part due to the excellent costume and make-up design, it’s almost a certainty that clowns, or certainly Pennywise at least, will be continuing to haunt nightmares for many years to come.

The early stages of the film chooses to use it as an opportunity to flesh out each member of the Loser’s Club lives, which while important to the story as these are the film’s protagonists, it means the pacing is a little rough. As before any showdowns with that ominous clown, they have to deal with the horrible bullies at their school, as well as in some cases, in their own homes. Though it can be a bit of a chore to get through, it’s necessary set up, for these characters. However, once we have arrived at the film’s climatic third act, is when the film merges its coming-of-age and horror elements of the film combine. Bolstered by Andy Muschietti’s excellent direction, and excellent production design, all of the above ensure that Pennywise’s dwellings have an extremely ominous feel to them.

Jump scares are not anything new when it comes to scaring the audience, indeed when used poorly and frequently, they often become ineffective and lazy film-making tropes. However, Muschietti utilises them effectively, as they help to build and maintain the tension and dread in this climatic showdown. A showdown that is merely at the halfway point, because as we know, the Losers Club have some unfinished business.

A little sluggish in its opening stages, but the film truly floats once it finds its greatest strength: the strong relationships between the members of the Losers Club.

The Shawshank Redemption – Film Review

Cast: Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins, Bob Gunton, William Sadler

Director: Frank Darabont

Synopsis: When a banker (Robbins) is sent to prison for two brutal murders of his wife and new lover, he learns the true meaning of redemption whilst bonding with a fellow inmate (Freeman)

Review: When having a discussion about the greatest film of all time, you will undoubtedly have many outstanding pieces of entertainment thrown into the conversation. Masterpieces such as The Godfather, Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction and Lord of the Rings may come to mind. Yet for many lovers of film, one title that is almost always mentioned is the adaption of the Stephen King novel Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, appropriately named: The Shawshank Redemption.

Written and directed by Frank Darabont in what was his first major motion picture, upon its release in 1994, the film suffered at the Box Office, returning only $28 million from a budget of $25.3 million. The year of 1994 was one that was stacked with great films like Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump, and when it came to the Academy Awards, it won a grand total of no awards. The low box office numbers is a subject that could well be covered by an undergraduate dissertation and yet it is a mystery that is more than likely never going to be solved. But what has been solved, and is very clear to millions of people, is the brilliance of this film has not been lost in the two decades since its release, in fact it has over time firmly established itself as a classic.

The film charts the journey of banker Andy Dufresne who is sent to the harsh environment of the Shawshank Penitentiary after he is convicted of the double murder of his somewhat unfaithful wife and her mystery new lover. He remains adamant he is innocent of the crime is convicted of, something that the other inmates all scorn at. “Send you here for life, and that’s exactly what they take,” utters one melancholic inmate. A brutal hell on Earth that can easily break a man at the first sign of wilting and weakness. Whilst inside he befriends the prison’s smuggler Ellis “Red” Redding (Freeman) whom procures a number of items for Andy whilst they serve their respective jail sentences.

Through their time together, they form a close and unbreakable friendship that teaches both men the real value of friendship. Throughout his time, Dufresne clings on to the notion of hope, hope that they will escape the hell on earth that they’re living in. “Fear can hold you prisoner, but hope can set you free” reads the tagline on the poster. The key theme of the movie is hope and while Red dismisses this notion as dangerous, it does not faze Andy who harbours an unbreakable determination to escape the doldrums of Shawshank.

Any number of superlatives may be used to describe the performances of the leading men, and just about any and every one would be appropriate. Both of their performances are tremendously powerful. You feel their emotions with every word that comes out of their mouths and for Dufresene in particular, no matter how many years of his life are lost in the pit of hell that is Shawshank prison, he WILL get out eventually. Freeman, with his usual sooth, calming voice that’s perfect for narration, guides the viewer from his perspective.

The story itself, while it does have its sad parts, is on the whole extremely inspiring and moving throughout. Any one who sits down to watch this masterpiece, be it for their very first time, tenth time, hundredth time or however many times, should always be uplifted whenever the movie stops playing. The film provides one of the most satisfying and heart warming endings ever put to screen and reminds the viewer that no matter what your circumstances in life, hope is something you must always cling on to and never let go.