Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

With Halloween approaching in just a few days, it’s hard to do the spooky season justice without getting cozy and enjoying a bone-chilling horror/thriller film. The coziness and comfort won’t last long if the movie does its job well Everyone has something that gets under their skin and makes them cringe – a phenomenon all-too-familiar with the outcasts and outsiders of Derry’s ‘Loser’s Club’ of Andrés Muschietti’s box office hit, “It.”

Generating over $117 million in funds over opening weekend last September (and managing to steal about $40 out of my wallet), “It” appeals to a wide and diverse audience. From newbies to the horror genre to tough-as-nails veterans, there’s something for everyone to love about this feature film.

Setting the mood with a suburban town housed in Maine in the late 1980s, we see The Loser’s Club brought together to face a horror with no name leaving its mark with ghastly intentions. ‘It’ takes the form of the children’s worst fears, going from a dancing clown right to a malformed and diseased man in a moment’s notice. Children are falling victim to the terror’s influence and going missing while the adults stand idly to the side, oblivious to the crisis clouding the town. The Loser’s Club is brought together with the eventual common goal of preventing ‘It’ from capturing any more children in Derry before it’s too late.

“It” does so many things right with the way the film is executed while straying away from Stephen King’s original narrative. The script feels like common and natural dialogue between characters and features some of the best acting I’ve seen from child actors on the big screen. The actors nail their roles and wear them proud. The movie is filled with a healthy mix of humor and eerie discomfort that brings the audience closer to the wonderful cast. “It” is as much of a “coming of age” film as it is a horror film, doing both genres justice.

If you’re looking for a refreshing new take on the horror movie formula, definitely give “It” a chance. Before its debut, I don’t think I’ve ever been so pumped to see a movie, let alone a horror movie release. Not only did it win my heart on opening night, it also encouraged me to go to two other showings. Take it from me, there is no better way to experience this year’s Halloween season than making the time to go to a night time showing of “It;” I can guarantee that you’ll leave the cinema shivering with delight, wondering what ‘It’ really is and how the story will be resolved in the sequel set to release late 2019.

Happy Halloween, everyone!