It (2017) Movie Review

In the sleepy town of Derry, Maine, kids are disappearing at an alarming rate. When a 13-year-old's little brother turns up missing, he decides to take matters into his own hands and find the threat. The kid Bill and his friends, known as the Losers Club, come face-to-face with Pennywise, a terrifying clown with supernatural powers. Pennywise must be stopped or It will continue to feed on countless lives.

When newcomers to "The Walking Dead" ask me whether or not they should watch the show if they don't like zombies, my reply is always, "Watch it. It's not about the zombies." It mirrors that thought in the sense that the movie is not about the terrifying clown, but rather the relationship between the kids. The story centers completely around them and the horrors they deal with on an everyday basis which, in some cases, are worse than Pennywise. The film doesn't hold any punches in this aspect and it allowed me to give it the proper respect it deserved as a FILM, not just a mere horror movie. The kids and their stories were powerful, definitely a successful adaptation from the source material from acclaimed author Stephen King.

Of course character development means nothing without a good cast. It absolutely delivers in this respect. I was worried with the film talking place in the 80's that the kids would too closely resemble the cast of "Stranger Things", but the Losers Club hold their own as a distinct crew. Each and every one of the cast members nail their respective roles from a determined Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) to the loud-mouthed Richie (Finn Wolfhard). Even the minor roles, those of parents and school bullies, were done extremely well. Spectacular job all around.

Which leads me to the clown of the hour: Pennywise. While I mentioned the film may not revolve around him, it doesn't make him any less creepy. Bill Skarsgard plays the absolute heck out of the role, controlling the mood like a puppet master. Little twists of his face can make you cringe, but, strangely enough, he can also make you laugh in the same breath. The best part about his approach to the role was it felt extreme effortless. Not effortless in the sense that he didn't try, but moreso in the sense that he didn't have to. He didn't go out of his way to be terrifying as he knew his presence alone would be creepy enough. I honestly find it hard trying to imagine anyone else playing that role and doing it so flawlessly.

And here's what I didn't like about the movie: Pretty much nothing. I'm not saying the movie is perfect, but like Logan Lucky, it comes pretty darn close.

There is a scene in the beginning of the film where we first meet Pennywise in a drain pipe. As he is talking to a young kid who couldn't have been more than eight, you are immediately introduced to how creepy he is. You can sense the excitement in his voice as he speaks, see the spittle coming from his mouth as he tries to compose himself. He wants to eat this kid. And badly.

It is the beginning of what turns out to be a very wild ride. Masterful job. I give It a 98 and a very slight edge over Logan for the year's best film.

Movie Subscriptions and the Future

For all my movie lovers out there, I'm sure you may have heard of the new thing going around: Moviepass. 

Ok, so it's not new. Moviepass has actually been around for about seven years now. For those of you that don't know, Moviepass is a subscription service that gives moviegoers a chance to see one movie a day every single day for a monthly fee. Sound too good to be true? It may or may not be depending on who you are and what you like when it comes to movies. Whatever you decide after reading about my experience, for only $9.95 a month, it's definitely worth considering. I ordered my pass on August 15th, 2017, the day the major price drop was announced. I previously considered it a couple years ago when they offered it for $50/month but didn't think it lucrative enough or enticing enough for me to consider. $9.95, however, is cheaper than what I used to pay at Planet Fitness so I figured I had nothing to lose. It took my card awhile to get in my hands which, to be fair, Moviepass themselves warned me it would take longer due to the uptick in new memberships. I received it three weeks later on the 5th of September. 

Excited to get started, I decided to try it out the following day at the closest theater to me, an AMC theater. The first thing I had to do was check in to the theater via the Moviepass app once I got within 100 yards of the theater. Easy peezy. The app asked me to enter the last four digits of my Moviepass card they sent me (which is an average Mastercard) and that activated the card. Once you check into the theater and select which showing you want to view, the app tells you you have thirty minutes to purchase your ticket and the exact amount of the ticket is loaded onto your card. I was definitely skeptical of this, but gave it a shot. 

I walked up to a kiosk at the theater and swiped my Stubs card before swiping my Moviepass card. Presto! It worked! Not only did the Moviepass card work, but I got rewards points for the purchase. The ticket would have normally cost me $13.91 so I was already up $4! First purchase worked like a dream. 

The second purchase, however, was a little wonkier. You see, when you're using the Moviepass App, you have to have a decent enough internet connection in order to check in to the theater. This second theater didn't so I spent about five minutes trying to connect to a wifi. Once I did, I was able to check in just fine. The second issue came when the ticket price that Moviepass had on file was off by $0.02. This meant having to use my Moviepass card first then pulling out my debit card for the final two pennies. A little bit of a headache, but at this point I'm $26 ahead so I'll take it. 

For the third purchase, I had to get a little creative. 

I wanted to see It on opening weekend. Usually for a movie that I expect to be sold out, I buy tickets way in advance, but you can't do that with Moviepass. It has to be a day of purchase. So (again getting creative) I went to the theater at midnight when my day reset, checked in with the app (no problems here) and went to purchase my ticket. This time, the price was off by $0.21 so I had to pull out the debit card again for the change. Not ideal, but at this point I'm up almost $40 so I'm on cloud nine! My fourth purchase at yet another different theater went just as smoothly as the first so no complaints there. All this in mind, I spend $9.95 for movies that I would have normally dropped almost $50 on. 

AND I can still use my Stubs and Regal Rewards card! If you're seriously considering this, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. You can only use your Moviepass for one movie a day. Every single day. 365 days a year. No blackouts.

2. You have to purchase your ticket same day. At least that's what the company says. For $10/month, I have no intention of violating this rule and potentially getting my card revoked.

3. If your concern is cheating a theater, first off, stop it. These theaters make a killing in profit and it's not off of the ticket sales. It's off their concessions. So, really, you should only feel bad if you're sneaking food in. Besides, Moviepass pays full retail price on every single ticket you buy. You might not, but they most certainly do.

4. If you're thinking of sharing this pass with others, think again. Your card is linked directly to the app which is on your phone.

5. There isn't anything in place for couples (yet). If you and your boo are going to the movies and want to use Moviepass, both of you will have to have separate cards.

6. While you can go to the movies once a day, you can only see one movie one time. So, if you're thinking about going to see Thor: Ragnorak repeatedly with Moviepass, not gonna happen.

7. Moviepass is for plain jane 2D movies only. No 3D. No Dolby theaters or IMAX. 

8. If you're visiting a theater with a bad internet connection, you either have to connect to a local wifi or you're screwed. You can only check in on the app with a solid internet connection. Keep in mind, you only really need this connection for about thirty seconds and you just have to be within 100 yards of the theater to check in.

9. You have to be an adult to use Moviepass. 18 and up.

So, if I was scoring this like I was a reviewing a movie, I would give Moviepass a solid 81. 

Not only will it help me save a lot of money in the future, but it allows me to go see movies that I wouldn't have normally taken a chance on when paying out of pocket. This is great for all parties involved, including theaters. They're still getting normal ticket value AND people will now be more willing to spend money on your astronomical concession prices when they get in for free. Companies like Moviepass and Sinemia are the wave of the future.

The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017) Movie Review

Due to the underwhelming consensus from critics, I was going to pass on The Hitman's Bodyguard. Then a beautiful invention named Moviepass showed up and I decided to add this gem to my theater queue. The result? A wonderful moviegoing experience that I would have otherwise missed.

I'll put it simply: The film is just good fun. It will never blow you away or make you say, "Wow." Where it succeeds begins with the cast. Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds are a match made in heaven. Their comedic styles clash in the film throughout producing some awesome moments. Ryan Reynold's character Michael Bryce expresses himself through sheer frustration with the whole ordeal while Jackson's character Darius Kincaid will have you cracking up with his mastery of profanity. Personally, I thought both of their performances paled in comparison to the smaller role that Salma Hayek played as Sonia Kincaid. Every scene she appears in gives you another reason to burst into laughter. Her fire and pure rage is priceless.

Besides its comedy, the film is packed with action from beginning to end. Dead moments were rare which I appreciated. These scenes may not reinvent the wheel, but there are a couple moments that stand out above your typical action movie.

Yes, I read what the critics have been saying and some of it I agree with. The action, while awesome, is pretty formulaic. Don't expect a lot of surprises. The film is also a bit cheesy in spots. These are typically moments where I thought the dialogue between Jackson and Reynolds could have been a bit tighter. It is a film that is perfectly content with staying in its swim lane and I'm ok with that.

The plot is pretty straightforward. Darius Kincaid is a contract killer who is needed to testify in court against a major corrupt politician. Michael Bryce has been assigned with keeping him alive until his day in court.

What ensues is pure hilarity. Extremely happy that I gave this movie its fair shake. I give it a 91.