Ah, spooky season. The best time of the year. (Fight me, Christmas.)  One of the reasons October is the best month of the year is the surplus of horror movies. You can’t change the channel without seeing a grisly murder or demonic possession, and it’s beautiful.

We all know those old classics: Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist, all those overblown 80s creations that all have a gazillion sequels and remakes. With this list, and in no particular order, I’m choosing movies exclusively from the year 2000 or later, and none of them are remakes. (Well, one of them is an Americanised remake of a Japanese classic, but that’s it.)

Get Out

I’m writing this before watching Antebellum, so I can’t form an opinion on that particular Jordan Peele film. However, Get Out will always be one of my favourite horror movies.

If you’ve somehow managed to avoid hearing about it, Get Out is the story of a Black man going to visit his White girlfriend’s parents for the first time. Turns out, they plan to harvest his body. The whole thing is a commentary on race in America and the insidious nature of White moderates, and it’s got a whole creepy factor that gets under your skin. 

The Cabin in the Woods

A horror movie that makes fun of horror movies, written by the guy who wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with Sigourney Weaver as the villain. There is nothing I don’t love here. This is one of those films that you either put on your Top 10 Modern Horror Movies list or think it’s the dumbest thing ever. There is no in-between, like with pineapple on pizza.  

The basic premise is that five twenty-somethings go to a Cabin in the Woods, where a group of government-type people send zombified monsters to kill them. Except the “villains” are a lot more morally complex than we’re initially led to believe—and hilarious. Think of those goofballs who work at the office, constantly making jokes and having fun, except their office environment includes brutally murdering the guy who plays Thor.

It

I never read the book. Or any of Stephen King’s classic horror books. Don’t judge. I personally preferred Part One over Part Two, although they were both great. I can’t tell who’s scarier: Pennywise the clown, or the creepy abusive adults.

Both? Both. Both. 

Before I Wake

An eight-year-old boy’s dreams—and nightmares—become reality.

The boy is an orphan and gets taken in by a foster family, two parents whose own son drowned. At first, when they realise the boy’s gift, they use him to try to get their own son back (the dreamer sees a picture of the dead son, dreams of the dead son; the dreamer watches a video of a past Christmas, and the dead son can now talk), but they quickly realise that that’s A Bit Not Good, right around the time the dreamer has a nightmare.

This movie is genuinely creepy, building dread and suspense until the boy’s personal monster comes to life and starts killing people. But it’s also weirdly uplifting, with a hopeful ending. 

Resident Evil

The first rated R movie I’ve ever seen. Good times. Based on the video game, Resident Evil is a zombie action franchise. We follow Alice as she unravels the secrets of the Umbrella Corporation. In the first movie, she and a SWAT team of sorts go into the Umbrella Corporation’s underground lab, where the computer program murdered everyone after they were exposed to a virus. Turns out, this virus brings them back to life as zombies.

In the sequel, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, the zombies have escaped the lab and gotten into Racoon City, where officials desperately try to keep it contained. In the next movies…you don’t have to watch the next movies. Let’s just pretend there are only two.

The Ring

An American remake of a Japanese classic, The Ring is about a haunted videotape that kills people in seven days. Our main character is a reporter who catches wind of this, watches the tape, and then spends the next seven days unraveling its secrets.

Unlike most horror movies, this one is rated PG-13. Meaning it doesn’t rely on blood and gore for horror effects. It uses suspense and dread to rachet up the tension until the true horror is revealed.

A Quiet Place

Some sort of aliens/monsters that hunt by sound show up and kill any humans they find. The story follows a small family as they struggle to survive in this post-apocalypse, made complicated by the fact that the mom is pregnant, the eldest daughter is deaf, and everyone’s blaming themselves for the death of the youngest child in the opener.

Fun fact: the deaf daughter is played by an actually deaf actress. Which is great, because Hollywood has a hard time hiring actors with disabilities, even if they’re portraying those actual disabilities on screen.

Train to Busan

A 2016 Korean zombie movie about family and fatherhood. A zombie outbreak in Korea prompts the government to herd the refugees to a train leading to the fortified city of Busan. Except the zombies get on the train, so the refugees struggle to survive as they creep from car to car. It doesn’t help that a lot of the refugees are self-centered assholes who are happy to sacrifice their fellow humans for a slightly greater chance of survival.

It’s one of those “humans are the real monsters” metaphor, but also highlights some of our greater qualities, too. 

Ready or Not

This one’s a horror comedy about a bride who marries into a…very unusual, rich family. This family has achieved great fortune through a deal with a demonic figure. Every time someone else marries into the family, they have to play a game on their wedding night. Most of them are harmless. But if the game is Hide and Seek, that’s the cue for the family to kill them. If the family doesn’t kill the bride before sunrise, they all die.

The family is totally dysfunctional, and darkly funny. Think Cabin in the Woods, but without the explicit commentary on horror movies. 

The Boy

An American woman takes a nannying job in England, where she’s told she’ll be taking care of a porcelain doll. At first, she thinks it’s a joke, and then after some Paranormal Activity-style shenanigans, quickly realises that this is a deadly situation.

What’s interesting here (other than the third-act twist) is that the woman is a domestic abuse survivor. That’s the whole reason she’s in England in the first place: she’s running from her ex. Once she realises the danger of the haunted doll, she immediately switches to survival mode, creating stark parallels between the story and domestic violence.

(So, uh, trigger warning for that.)

Know any other great modern horror movies? Let us know in the comments!

The post 10 Modern Horror Movies For You To Enjoy This Halloween appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Former American President, Woodrow T. Wilson, once said that: “Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” This quote does well in successfully capturing and highlighting the importance of friendship as a concept. which exists both in reality and in the fictional worlds which are created.

Within the world of fiction, the theme of friendship is perhaps just as crucial as the plot of the story is in the telling of the tales which we are told. The characters who we are introduced to in the stories we read, face not only the trials of the journey ahead but the joys and difficulties that come with interacting with other characters who they are introduced to, as well as the impact which these interactions have upon the evolution of their characters in turn.

Just as they do in reality, friendships in fiction spark and evolve in a variety of ways and this makes for an intriguing sight to bear witness to whether it’s on page or on screen. Some friendships are already or easily established between characters, whilst others take some time for the bond between the characters to form. No matter how the friendship came about, the trials which the friends face over the course of their journey acts not only as an obstacle to the individual(s), but to the friendships made between them. These challenges which the friends face are much like the challenges faced by friends in real life in that they – no matter how fantastical they are – help to either strengthen the bonds between them or, unfortunately, succeed in driving or tearing them apart… And so, from the undying loyalty shown by Samwise Gamgee to Frodo Baggins in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series to the deterioration of the friendship between Guinevere and Morgana in the BBC TV show Merlin, this exploration of a few popular fictional friendships sets to highlight just why they are in fact the most memorable.

Much like Frodo and Sam’s friendship, another dynamic duo which exists in fiction is none other than Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski from MTV’s Teen Wolf, these two partners-in-crime are inseparable for the most part of the six seasons of the show.

Throughout the show, Scott and Stiles experience various trials and tribulations which lead to disputes of varied consequences. However, these two may not be brothers in blood but they have a connection that is impossible to miss throughout the show as they continuously resolve their differences and manage to come together again to prove that the power which the bond of friendship holds is strong enough to overcome the deadliest of obstacles.

Indeed one of the most memorable friendships from fiction known for their undying loyalty to one another during times of hardship is the friendship which exists between three iconic characters: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley.

Known as the ‘Golden Trio’, what makes this friendship work – oddly enough – is not the similarities between these three friends, but the differences. They balance one another perfectly and are the ‘ultimate friendship goals’ both for readers of the series and even the characters, as shown in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child when Draco Malfoy, Harry’s very own school nemesis, recalls how he felt about the trio’s friendship:

Of course, when it comes to friendship, if you think three is a crowd then what about the groups who share that friendly bond in fiction? Whilst it is often portrayed on page and screen, one would think that the clash of so many personalities coming together to form a group of friends may make the strength of the bond between them weaker… how wrong that belief would be.

Take for example the Losers Club – the given name which this band of misfits adopted as their own in Stephen King’s novel IT.

If you’ve read Stephen King’s IT then you’ll know that whilst it is a horror novel telling the events surrounding the killer supernatural being known as IT, it is also a tale of friendship and strength, which bonds the characters and allows for them to overcome the most deadly of adversaries. The seven of them create a force to be reckoned with and even in adulthood, it is their friendship which shines through most of all as they return to their childhood town to battle their foe once more together.

And it’s not just the Losers Club who recognise the power which their friendship holds…

From the duo friendship of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes to the unbreakable bonds formed between each of the Avengers’, Marvel is a fandom which explores a variety of friendships in many forms! The comic books and movies alike explore the individual characters flaws and strengths and how this in turn reflects on their interaction with those around them – particularly how friendships are formed, challenged, and even broken… One thing that Marvel does well at is also showing how those broken friendships can also be mended.

After all, friendships are no fragile thing and more often than not the people who come into the lives of the characters we read about in books and watch on screen often do for a reason and are most likely there to stay, much like the friendships formed in our reality.

Do you have a favourite fictional friendship? Tell us in the comments below!

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With the recent release of IT Chapter 2, which graced our cinema screens last month, we decided to take a look at the memorable moments from both films, and explore what it is that makes these scenes so particularly impossible to forget.

Please Note: The following article does contain spoilers for Chapter 2, for those who haven’t yet witnessed the final part in the story.

1. Georgie Meets Pennywise (IT: Chapter 1, 2017)

His beloved boat, the SS Georgie, which big brother Bill made for him, is carried down into the sewers by a stream of rainwater. Georgie’s failed attempt at catching the boat before it’s lost brings him face-to-face with Pennywise the Clown in a terrifying scene which definitely had viewers sitting on the edge of their seats.

“What’s so terrifying about it?” You may ask? Well, whilst there are no jumpscares or gory scenes until the moment in which Georgie is attacked, this scene proves just how manipulative Pennywise truly is and Bill Skarsgard’s acting skills play a vital part in showing how creepy this clown can be even when he is just talking!

2. Rock War! (IT: Chapter 1, 2017)

One of the more comedic moments in the movie, the rock war, which plays out between the Losers’ Club and the Bower’s Gang, plays a much more pivotal part in the movie than some may initially think. As Henry Bowers appears to be preparing to stone Mike to death, he is hit on the head by a rock thrown by no other than Beverly Marsh and all hell breaks loose! This scene not only shows how the Losers’ saved Mike’s life but also how they manage to overcome (for the time being) their first obstacle in the form of the bullies as they band together. It is from here on out that they adopt the given name “Losers’ Club” and the six become the “Lucky Seven”.

3. Project Pennywise (IT: Chapter 1, 2017)

Following Ben’s impressive recital of the knowledge he has learned regarding Derry’s unfortunate past events, the Losers’ come to the conclusion that IT occurs every 27 years. This prompts the Losers’ to investigate further and the seven of them end up in Bill’s garage where they discover that “everywhere IT happens, it’s all connected by the sewers” and those lines all lead to the House on Neibolt Street – formerly known as the Wellhouse. Their revelation is followed by one of the most nail-biting and tension filled moments of the movie as the projector appears to be working on its own accord and IT appears to them through a warped image of Bill’s Mother before jumping out of the projector and pursuing the children. There is no denying that IT exists now, as Stan was trying to do before now, and the events which occur in this scene are just a taster of what’s to come…

4. The House On Neibolt Street (IT: Chapter 1, 2017)

As young Bill Denbrough ventures off to face-off against IT alone, true friendship is shown as the other six Losers’ follow him to the place where they have deemed IT lives. The entirety of the events which occur inside the house on Neibolt Street emphasise the true importance of friendship and how crafty IT is in the power of illusions which he uses to manipulate Richie Tozier, Bill Denbrough, and Eddie Kaspbrak. From Richie’s panic at finding his own MISSING poster to Pennywise’s playful mocking and taunting of Eddie, the entire scene definitely sticks in the minds of the viewers.

5. “Welcome To The Losers’ Club, Asshole!” (IT: Chapter 1, 2017)

Amidst the final stand-off between the Lucky Seven and Pennywise down in the sewers, all hope seems lost when Pennywise gains the upper hand and has Bill Denbrough in his grasp. He then offers the Losers’ the opportunity to leave and live, so long as he gets to take Bill:

“I’ll take him. I’ll take all of you. And I’ll feast on your flesh as I feed on your fear… Or, you’ll just leave us be. I will take him, only him and then I will have my long rest and you will all live to grow and thrive and lead happy lives until old age takes you back to the weeds.”

Bill offers to sacrifice himself for the sake of the others, apologising for dragging the others into all of this and tells them to leave. Whilst the others look hesitant, and Beverly tells them they can’t as Richie gets to his feet:

“I told you, Bill. I fucking told you. I don’t want to die. It’s your fault. You punched me in the face. You made me walk through shitty water. You brought me to a fucking crackhead house. And now… I’m gonna have to kill this fucking clown. Welcome to the Losers’ Club, Asshole!”

This small speech from Richie acts as a red herring, making the viewers believe that IT’s influence and powers of manipulation over the Losers’ Club has won out until the power of friendship shines through yet again and proves stronger than the power of fear which Pennywise instils in its victims.

6. Adrian Mellon’s Death (IT: Chapter 2, 2019)

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments from the two movies combined is the death of Adrian Mellon. The entire scene proves that not much has changed when it comes to the homophobic views of the townspeople of Derry, even 27 years later. One of the most difficult scenes to watch from IT: Chapter 2, the scene shows couple Adrian Mellon and Don Hagarty pursued by a group of young men similar to the well-known Bowers gang from the first movie. They then proceed to attack Adrian and Don in a brutal retaliation to Adrian’s earlier mouthing-off after the couple were insulted for their sexuality, which results in Adrian Melon being thrown over the bridge and into the river… As Don runs down to the banks in an attempt to chase after Adrian, he witnesses his partner being pulled from the river by an eerily familiar face to the viewers: Pennywise the Clown. Adrian’s death at the hands – or teeth – of Pennywise draws out adult Mike Hanlon (the only Loser to have stayed in Derry) who comes across a sinister message written in Adrian’s blood from IT which is no doubt directed at the Losers’ commanding them to COME HOME.

7. The Reunion (IT: Chapter 2, 2019)

The nostalgia which occurs at seeing the reunion of the Losers’ Club makes for one of the most heart-warming, memorable, scenes viewers can witness in IT: Chapter 2. Following the call from Mike telling them to come back to Derry, five of the six Losers’ who left Derry begin to remember their childhood and their dinner party is filled with laughter and light-hearted bickering between Richie Tolzier and Eddie Kaspbrak. The gang truly is back together, almost, so it’s only right that IT chooses now to continue his torment of the now adult Loser Club members. In this scene, the Loser’s receive another haunting message from Pennywise through the fortune cookies which, when their individual fortunes are lined up together say: “Guess Stanley Couldn’t Cut It” – to which they find out later that their absent friend committed suicide after receiving the call from Mike telling him he promised to return should IT ever come back.

8. Dean’s Death (IT: Chapter 2, 2019)

The parallel between Dean and Georgie is something which Pennywise makes a point in highlighting to Bill Denbrough who encounters the young boy briefly before his death and learns that not only does he live in Bill’s childhood home but also hears voices sometimes coming from the shower drain. After receiving a taunting message from Pennywise on the underside of a skateboard (which Dean was previously seen riding) reading: “Won’t be there for him either”, Bill comes to the realisation that Pennywise is going after Dean. Arriving at the carnival, Bill chases Dean into the hall of mirrors but is unfortunately unable to save Dean and is forced to watch as he is brutally devoured by Pennywise. The failure at saving Dean/Georgie 2.0 is a punch in the gut for Bill and is ultimately what leads to him returning to the house on Neibolt Street to face IT yet again.

9. “My Heart Burns There Too!” (IT: Chapter 2, 2019)

One memorable scene which may be a favourite among all those romantics who went along to see IT: Chapter 2 occurs during the Losers’ final stand-off against Pennywise the Clown. After being separated, Ben and Beverly are thrown into their own personal hell which sees Ben almost being buried alive in the Clubhouse and Beverly drowning in a sea of blood in the old toilet stall she used to hide in during her school days. As the two are almost completely submerged in dirt and blood, Ben begins to shout out the poem which he had given to Beverly anonymously, also yelling out that he loves her, and Beverly regains the will to fight. The two are able to reunite, escaping the illusion and Beverly realises that Ben is the one who had written her the poem after thinking (much like she had when she was younger) that it had been Bill.

10. Stan’s Letter (IT: Chapter 2, 2019)

One of the most heart-warming, yet heart-breaking moments, in the two IT movies combined is the Chapter 2 ending. Following the victorious defeat of IT, made bittersweet with the loss of Eddie, each of the remaining Losers’ receive a letter from Stan Uris, their friend who had committed suicide after receiving the call from Mike that instructed him to come back to Derry at the beginning of the movie. Stan’s narration of his letter reveals that he knew that his fear of IT would hold back the others and ultimately be their downfall. To ensure that his childhood friends had the best chances of survival and had greater odds of defeating Pennywise, Stan made the ultimate sacrifice and took himself “off the board”.

What’s your favourite moment? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 10 Memorable Moments From Stephen King’s ‘IT’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

After Andy Muschietti’s IT adaptation was met with wide critical acclaim back in 2017, it’s no surprise that the second chapter of the reimagining of Stephan King’s classic horror has been one of the most highly anticipated films of the year.

While Chapter One was seeped against the nostalgic backdrop of a childhood summer, being lead by talented young actors (namely, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Wyatt Oleff, and Chosen Jacobs), Chapter Two allows for a fresh adult cast to take centre stage with James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, and Isaiah Mustafa, and, of course Bill Skarsgard reprising his bone-chilling take on Pennywise the dancing clown.

Set 27 years after the events of the first film, IT: Chapter Two follows the losers club as they return to Derry and reunite for one last stand against the diabolical Pennywise. The cosmic beings sinister return is quickly established in the film’s opening minutes with an intense sequence that’s been adapted straight from the pages of King’s book. Upon realising IT has returned, an adult Mike Hanlon (the only loser to have stayed in Derry) reaches out to his childhood friends and reminds them of the vow they once made that ‘if it ever comes back, we will too.’

One of the best aspects that made Chapter One so enticing was the sheer chemistry between the young losers and thankfully, that chemistry remains when the old friends are reunited over dinner in a scene that begins with charm and humour before descending into darker territory as everyone’s memories flood back and the severity of their circumstances sink in. The past and present are intertwined brilliantly throughout the film as we first catch previously unseen memories of that summer including each kids unsettling encounter with Pennywise in the wake of their first battle at Neibolt. These flashbacks not only allow for additional insight into the kids fears (Richie’s in particular paves the way for a powerful subplot), but also give fans a chance to see more of the beloved young cast without simply rehashing old footage.

The adult losers all play their parts well, but it’s Bill Hader that steals the show with a standout performance. Without delving into spoilers, Richie goes through a character arc that carries a lot of emotional weight and results in some of Chapter Two’s most heart wrenching moments. Coming from a comedy background, it was clear that he would bring the funny side of Richie to life, as Finn Wolfhard did in Chapter One, but seeing his dramatic abilities only further cement his acting skills and if any cast member were to take away an ‘MVP’ title for Chapter Two it would certainly be Hader.

It was promised the scares would be pushed further in the sequel and all blood and gore is definitely amped up. However, there’s a big reliance on CGI and jump scares that, as the film goes on, ultimately become repetitive and all too predictable. Fortunately despite scares falling flat, Bill Skarsgard continues to deliver a heart stopping portrayal of Pennywise that will undoubtedly send shivers down your spine.

Chapter Two may not work wonders as a standalone film (nor is it really supposed to), a back to back viewing alongside Chapter One will take audiences on a scary, very satisfying journey. Ultimately, what makes IT strike such a powerful chord is how trauma is represented in the losers fears. The subjects of abuse, survivor’s guilt, bullying, and racism are all highlighted in Chapter One, and, in Chapter Two the struggle of confronting childhood trauma becomes the true central focus of the story. Ultimately, with brilliantly balanced horror and humour, some absolutely perfect casting, Andy Muschietti has crafted a stunning piece of cinema with IT Chapter Two, that ensures the losers club will stay in audiences hearts for many years to come.

What did you think? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Movie Review: IT Chapter 2  appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The first chapter of Andy Muschietti’s retelling of Stephan King’s eponymous epic IT was a massive success upon release in September 2017. With a charismatic young cast of heroes (consisting of Jaeden Lieberher, Wyatt Oleff, Finn Wolfhard, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Chosen Jacobs) and, Bill Skarsgard’s bone chilling take on the ever terrifying Pennywise the clown, it’s no wonder the horror flick received worldwide critical acclaim. Two years on and the long-awaited sequel (simply deemed ‘IT Chapter Two’) is just around the corner. A final trailer was debuted recently at San Diego Comic-Con last month and we’ve got the breakdown for you.

As well as role reprisals from Skarsgard and the young losers, Chapter 2 introduces a new adult cast where James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Jay Ryan, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, James Ransone, and Andy Bean step into the limelight. Taking place 27 years after the events of the first film, IT Chapter 2 sees the losers club reunited in Derry, Maine after a devastating event and a final standoff to once and for all defeat Pennywise ensues.

The trailer begins with the adult Mike Hanlon recounting the fact that once you leave the town of Derry ‘the farther away, the hazier it all gets.’ Hanlon himself however, is the only member of the losers to have remained in Derry for the last 27 years and subsequently remembers every detail about his last encounter with IT. A quick shot of some missing person’s posters then allude to a fresh series of unexplained murders, much akin to the opening events of the first film.

Dark menacing shots of the water filled sewers where Pennywise was first defeated, accompanied by a brooding musical score confirm the clown’s return in a scene adapted straight from King’s book: after a gay man, Adrian Mellon, is the victim of a homophobic attack, he is thrown into Derry’s canal and is soon discovered by Pennywise. This is followed by the losers reunion dinner, interspersed with flashbacks from Chapter 1 of the kids swearing an oath that if ‘IT’ ever returns to Derry, they will too. It’s here that we get our first clear look at the new adult cast and their young counterparts.

The scene soon moves to a shot of Derry town fair, as Pennywise pursues a child through a mirrored fun house as Bill attempts to rescue him. Ultimately becoming trapped on the wrong side of the glass and coming face to face with his foe, Bill appears more defeated than anything, pleading with the clown to spare the kid before the gruesome situation deteriorates.

In case the absence of red balloons so far was beginning to worry you, we soon catch our first glimpse of one. The losers former tormentor, Henry Bowers, seemingly met his end after plummeting down the Neibolt house well in chapter one. However, when Teach Grant was cast as adult Henry it was clear that the psycho somehow survived and he’s revealed to be scrambling around a hospital ward, captivated as a red balloon floats past the window.

Things only gets more hectic as the seconds tick by, as the adults return to the infamous 29 Neibolt Street house and the sewer system while Pennywise sinisterly states ‘for 27 years I dreamt of you, I craved you. I’ve missed you.’ While the past haunts all the losers, its particularly poignant for Bill who likely still harbours feelings of survivors guilt regarding the death of his younger brother. Pennywise is yet again able to exploit this guilt with young star, Jackson Robert Scott, reprising his role as Georgie. We see adult Bill revisit his childhood basement where his sibling stands, clad in his iconic yellow raincoat, and taunts ‘You lied and I died.’ We then see a harrowing shot of Beverley covered in gallons of blood, alluding back to her first encounter with IT 27 years ago. Confirming that Pennywise remains intent on having the losers revisit their long lasting fears.

The trailer’s final shot sees Pennywise with the majority of his clown getup stripped away as streams of blood pour from around his eyes replacing the trademark makeup. It’s certainly unnerving to say the least. This depiction could relate back to the initial Chapter 2 teaser, where a secondary form of IT, the elderly Mrs. Kersh (who now resides in Beverly’s old home) tells a tale of her father joining the circus. It could also be a look into Pennywise’s past and origins in Derry, first establishing the dancing clown persona. Whatever IT is, it’s sure to be terrifying.

In a recent digital featurette ‘IT Chapter Two – Come Home’, King mentioned how upon the first film ending, audiences applauded at the site of the message ‘the end of chapter one.’ Making it clear that they wanted more and next month more is exactly what we’re going to get. IT Chapter 2 is set to hit cinemas worldwide on September 6th with a stellar runtime off 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Are you ready for the end of IT? Tell us in the comments below!

The post ‘I’ve Missed You’: IT Chapter 2 Trailer Breakdown appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Every single person in the world is interesting – they’re a walking story.

Does this face look familiar to you? I bet it does. Some of you may know him from your childhood, some from a historical movie, while others will recognise him from action movies or one of his more violent roles. No matter which character he is portraying, he sure leaves a mark on his audience with his brilliant acting. Please, let me introduce you to one of my favourite actors: James McAvoy.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, on April 21, 1979, he went to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and made his acting debut in 1995 as a teenager in “The Near Room”. For the first couple of years he was mostly seen in TV productions and in several West End productions, such as West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet. Hoping from small to big roles, from TV to movie to stage productions, he makes sure to always challenge himself with the roles he accepts.

After following his career for about 15 years, he never ceases to amaze me with his acting. He steps into his characters’ mind that somehow I forget that he is an actor, especially when he is playing a scary person who I wish to never meet on the street. Some actors are only good in one specific genre and they never leave it. McAvoy is the opposite.

In 2005, the movie in which McAvoy not only climbs his way up to the big screen productions, he also played his way into every child’s heart. McAvoy portrays the faun Mr. Tumnus in the movie adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and it marked the first movie I saw him in. Narnia tells the story of four siblings who are sent away from London to the countryside during the Second World War. While playing hide and seek, the youngest of them, Lucy, hides in a wardrobe and discovers Narnia by accident, which called to her because it is seeking help to defeat the white witch.

His role is not a big one, but the scenes Mr. Tumnus has with Lucy, who he becomes friend with when she first went through the wardrobe, are one of my most beloved memories.

In 2006, McAvoy took a role which was completely different from Mr. Tumnus when he played Dr. Nicholas Garrigan in the historical drama The Last King of Scotland where he becomes the personal doctor of the brutal president of Uganda played by Forest Whitaker. He then starred in the fantasy romantic comedy next to Christina Ricci in Penelope. Cursed by a witch because of revenge, the next daughter born to the Wilhern family will be born with the face of a pig. As every good love story goes, only true love can lift the curse, which happens to be McAvoy’s character, Max. If you have not seen this movie by now, I highly recommend it, because it has a great cast and the story is really adorableand will give you all the Happily Ever After feelings.

In 2007, he starred alongside Anne Hathaway in Becoming Jane, which was followed by the book adaptation of Ian McEwan’s Atonement, which also starred Keira Knightly and he won the British Academy Scotland Award in the category Best Actor in Film. Taking place during the Second World War, the movie tells the story of love and how a little lie can ruin more than just one live.

That’s the main thing that attracts me – characters who have big journeys. I like playing those people.

After watching so many movies with him, I can tell you that it seem to be his thing to go from one extreme to another. From the heart breaker to the action packed to the brutal lead role.

In 2008, he starred next to Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie in Wanted, which tells the story of Wesley, a very frustrated account manager, who discovers that he is the son of a professional assassin and decided to join the secret organisation to become one as well. Be aware, this movie is not for people who have problem with brutality and an insane amount of blood. Still, it is one of my favourite movies because of the fact that you cannot take it seriously and the acting and actions scenes are just awesome.

Another pattern of his is to squeeze in a historical movie ever once in a while. In 2009, he played in the biopic of Leo Tolstoy next to Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer in The Last Station before playing the lawyer of Mary Surrat, the only female conspirator charged in the Abraham Lincoln assassination and the first woman to be executed by the US government, Frederick Aiken in The Conspirator.

In 2010, not only was his son born, he also took on his first voice role in the animation movie Gnomeo & Juliet, which is just a sort of Romeo & Juliet reimagining for kids.

The role which brought him back in front of the camera is at the same time the one which, for me, established him completely in the movie business. Stepping in the footsteps of Sir Patrick Stewart, McAvoy shaved his head and took on the professorship as young Charles Xavier in the prequel movie X-Men: First Class in 2011.

Before returning for the sequel, to which we will come to in just a second, he put the wheelchair into the storeroom to play in two action packed movies, Welcome to the Punch next to Mark Strong and the psychosocial thriller Trance alongside Rosario Dawson, in 2013. Maybe because I saw them one after the other, for me they are quite similar so if I have to recommend you one of them, I would recommend Welcome to the Punch.

Until this very day I am confused about the splitting into Him, Her, and Them with the collective title known as The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, starring also Jessica Chastain. Him and Her were the work-in-progress title of the not finished movie shown at the Toronto International Film Festival 2013, while Them, the finished movie, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. The movie shows a couple’s marriage from the three mentioned angles with all their ups and downs.

Taking a break from acting, he voiced the lead role in the BBC radio play adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s book Neverwhere. I highly recommend it to everyone who likes audiobooks or if you just want to listen to Benedict Cumberbatch or Natalie Dormer’s voice next to McAvoy’s. You can listen to it on YouTube or buy your copy on Amazon.

For me the most awful role, which he still portrayed fabulous, he has every played so far is in the movie adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel Filth. He plays a manipulative Detective Sergeant in Edingburgh, Scotland, who loves to bully and spends all his free time-consuming alcohol and drugs. I preferred him more as Dr Victor Frankenstein in Victor Frankenstein where he and Daniel Radcliffe re-tell the story of the famous doctor who wants to raise the death.

Thank goodness for 2014 and 2016 when he returned to portray Charles Xavier in X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse. If you happen to know me, you will know that Charles Xavier is one of my favourite fictional characters. Watching Stewart and McAvoy playing the same character next to each other only for a few minutes is everything I wished for.

When M. Night Shyamalan decided to make a sequel to his 2000 superhero thriller Unbreakable, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis, called Split in 2016, he cast McAvoy to portray the leading role who is split into 23 different personalities. While Jackson and Willis played the stereotypes of hero and villain, McAvoy is both trapped in one person. 22 of his personalities live side by side in fear of the 23rd, which they call the Beast, and kidnap three teenage girls for him as a sacrifice.

In 2017 he stepped into the sidekick position next to Charlize Theron in the spy movie Atomic Blonde taking place in Berlin, Germany, around the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, before playing James More in the same year in Submergence, of which you can read more about in my movie review here.

2018 saw McAvoy take up two voicing roles where he reprised his role as Gnomeo in Sherlock Gnomes and lends his voice to Hazel in the British-Irish-American animated television miniseries based on the novel by Richard Adams Watership Down, which aired on December 22nd in the UK and then released on Netflix internationally.

Now, let’s have a look on the near future. So far, four productions will be released in 2019. In January the sequel to Split came into our cinemas. Glass combines Unbreakable with Split and brings back Jackson and Willis into their iconic roles next to McAvoy’s Beast.

Marvel fans will be – hopefully – pleased to watch the forth prequel movie in the young X-Men Generation in X-Men: Dark Phoenix and those of you who are fans of Stephen King and horror movies will have the pleasure to see him in IT 2 as one of the grown up kids, Bill Denbrough. Then there’s also the TV show adaptation of Philipp Pullman’s books His Dark Materials where he will play Lord Asriel.

What is your favourite James McAvoy film? Tell us in the comments below!

The post The Many Roles Played By James McAvoy appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Disney will be leaving a mark this year with Dumbo, Aladdin, Toy Story 4, The Lion King, and Frozen 2 all being released over the course of 2019, so both the young and young at heart are incredibly excited to see these movies!

But if superheroes are more your speed, never fear because like every other year, they are here to save the day. This year sees Brie Larson assuming the role of Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel, while Zachary Levi will be in Shazam!, Tom Holland is back as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and of course, almost everybody starring in Avengers: Endgame, which is the final instalment in the Avengers franchise. There’s also Stranger Things star David Harbour taking on the role of Hellboy and two mutant-filled movies—New Mutants and Dark Phoenix.

Need a little romance or a good rom-com? Rebel Wilson stars in Isn’t It Romantic about a woman trapped in a romantic comedy, Riverdale‘s Cole Sprouse stars in the film adaptation of Five Feet Apart, another YA adaptation coming to our screens is The Sun Is Also A Star, and a gender-swapped version of What Men Want starring the hilarious Taraji P. Henson.

Other highly anticipated and intriguing movies include M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass, Ryan Reynolds voicing Pikachu in Detective Pikachu, Taron Egerton playing the infamous Elton John in Rocketman,  Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson donning suits in Men In Black International, a star-studded cast in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and a Downton Abbey movie.

Read on to discover some of 2019’s movies coming out this year and tell us in the comments below which ones you are most excited for!

JANUARY – MARCH

Glass

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part | Trailer

What Men Want | Trailer

A gender-swapped take on the Mel Gibson comedy What Women Want sees Taraji P. Henson playing a sports agent who can hear what the men in her industry are thinking. And, we suspect, she won’t take no s–t from any of them. Starring Taraji P. Henson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Max Greenfield.

Alita: Battle Angel | Trailer

An action-packed story of one young woman’s journey to discover the truth of who she is and her fight to change the world. Starring Jennifer Connelly, Eiza González, Rosa Salazar, and Mahershala Ali.

Isn’t It Romantic | Trailer

How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World | Trailer

As Hiccup fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia, Toothless’ discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. When danger mounts at home and Hiccup’s reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind. Voiced by Jay Baruchel, America Fererra, Cate Blanchett, Kit Harington, and Kristen Wiig.

Captain Marvel

Us

Five Feet Apart | Trailer

Where’d You Go, Bernadette | Trailer

Chaos Walking

A dystopian world where there are no women and all living creatures can hear each others’ thoughts in a stream of images, words, and sounds called Noise. Starring Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley, Mads Mikkelsen, and Nick Jonas.

Dumbo

The Dirt

APRIL – JUNE

Shazam!

Hellboy | Trailer

Avengers: Endgame | Trailer

Brightburn | Trailer

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

The Sun Is Also A Star

Aladdin | Trailer

Aladdin is an upcoming American musical romantic fantasy adventure film directed by Guy Ritchie, from the screenplay co-written with John August and Vanessa Taylor, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Starring Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Nasim Pedrad, and Mena Massoud.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters | Trailer

John Wick: Chapter 3

This movie picks up right where Chapter 2 left off, as John must survive the bounty on his head without the aid of the larger criminal underworld. Starring Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, and Anjelica Huston.

Rocketman

Dark Phoenix | Trailer

Men In Black International | Trailer

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Long, long ago, the film fanatics and horror movie lovers heard rumours about a remake of one of Stephen King’s hit horror novels, It. One month later, the film has made $558 million USD worldwide with many reliving the horror of Pennywise the Clown. So what did I do the other weekend? I went and saw It.

It is about a kid named Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) who loses his brother after he went missing when playing outside in the rain. What Bill didn’t know was that his brother was killed by Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgård). When more and more kids start to go missing, the Loser Club is on the case.

Now, I have never seen the original and I know I seem like a ‘fake fan’ in a way for not seeing before the remake, but it’s not like needing to read the book before the movie—which I also didn’t do because that book is over 1000 pages, however, I did buy it! Prior to seeing the film, we were discussing at school when someone said, “you can take the movie in two very different ways: either a comedy or as a genuine horror film”.

I was quite excited to see it as it had been getting nothing but good reviews from every film critic I subscribe to on YouTube. When we came out of the movie theatre, I was scared just a bit, however, my roommate was laughing, which goes to show that it can be seen both ways.

It can be a comedy because of just a few characters, Richie (Finn Wolfhard, Stranger Things) and Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer, Scales: Mermaids Are Real). The way the dialogue just rolls off their tongues like it is natural to them and not scripted is fantastic. The chemistry between all of the characters, not including Pennywise, is amazing and they were honestly #squadgoals.

It can then be viewed as a horror movie because of the fears that each of the Loser Group has. Bill is losing his little brother, Richie with clowns, and Beverly (Sophia Lillis) with her abusive father. Each character gets its own time with their fears individually and each of them is placed in the movie at appropriate times, such as when the gang talks with Beverly followed by her returning home to her father and goes into that fear simulation in a way.

Also, Pennywise. The clown is beyond freaky in its own way and unlike anything else. Pennywise the Clown (Skarsgård, Atomic Blonde) was just brilliant. Skarsgård did a fabulous job on playing him and the way he portrayed him, especially his smile. In any lighting, setting, or just about anything makes him so scary. If you just see the trailer or clips of him talking, I don’t know about you, but I get chills.

The movie itself had some plot holes, which a few have noticed, such as the lady who was looking at Ben creepily in the library. The movie has already committed to a sequel, or ‘Chapter 2’, where it takes place 27 years after the events of this film.

I honestly would give this a 10/10, but that is the horror fan in me freaking out. It was very enjoyable and it’ll be interesting to see if you go with others and you end up with differing reactions!

Did you enjoy the film? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Review: IT (2017) appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

First up is yet another Stephen King creation, as he has had two television adaptions, a film adaption, and a new book out all in the past three months. Then there’s a new twisted creation from Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky, a Tom Cruise film, and the surprising sequel to the outrageous Kingsman: The Secret Service film (2014).

If action or thrillers aren’t your speed, catch Emma Stone and Steve Carrell in a tennis match, or a single mother (played by Reese Witherspoon) living with three young males.

But if you do desire the aforementioned genres, then the fast pace American Assassin film will definitely get your blood pumping, or if you prefer something a little flatter, give Flatliners a go because they love to stop hearts.

Read on to discover what’s coming to theatres near you and tell us in the comments below what you will be watching this month!

IT

Based on the hugely popular Stephen King novel of the same name, children begin to disappear in the town of Derry, Maine. A group of young kids are faced with their biggest fears when they square off against an evil clown named Pennywise, whose history of murder and violence dates back for centuries.

Starring Bill Skarsgård (Hemlock Grove), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), Jaeden Lieberher (The Book of Henry), Jeremy Ray Taylor, Wyatt Oleff (Guardians of the Galaxy), Nicholas Hamilton (The Dark Tower), and Sophia Lillis.

mother! | Trailer

From filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan), a couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.

Starring Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games), Javier Barden (Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge), Ed Harris (Westworld), Michelle Pfeiffer (Hairspray), Domhnall Gleeson (The Revenant), Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids), and Stephen McHattie (Orphan Black).

American Made | Trailer

This international escapade based on the outrageous (and real) exploits of a hustler and pilot unexpectedly recruited by the CIA to run one of the biggest covert operations in U.S. history.

Starring Tom Cruise (Mission Impossible), Sarah Wright (21 & Over), Domhnall Gleeson (The Revenant), Caleb Landry Jones (X-Men: First Class), Jayma Mays (Glee), and Lola Kirke (Mozart in the Jungle).

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, their journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US called Statesman, dating back to the day they were both founded. In a new adventure that tests their agents’ strength and wits to the limit, these two elite secret organizations band together to defeat a ruthless common enemy, in order to save the world, something that’s becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy…

Starring Kingsman alums Taron Egerton, Colin Firth & Mark Strong, along with Channing Tatum (Magic Mike), Halle Berry (X-Men), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Jeff Bridges (True Grit), and Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones).

Battle of the Sexes | Trailer

The true story of the 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs.

Starring Emma Stone (La La Land), Steve Carrell (The Office), Elisabeth Shue (CSI), Alan Cumming (The Good Wife), and Sarah Silverman (Masters of Sex).

American Assassin

Follows the rise of Mitch Rapp, a CIA black ops recruit under the instruction of Cold War veteran Stan Hurley. The pair is then enlisted by CIA Deputy Director Irene Kennedy to investigate a wave of apparently random attacks on both military and civilian targets. Together the three discover a pattern in the violence leading them to a joint mission with a lethal Turkish agent to stop a mysterious operative intent on starting a World War in the Middle East.

Starring Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf), Taylor Kitsch (John Carter), Michael Keaton (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Scott Adkins (Doctor Strange), and Sanaa Lathan (Shots Fired).

Home Again | Trailer

Life for a single mom in Los Angeles takes an unexpected turn when she allows three young guys to move in with her.

Starring Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies), Nat Wolff (Death Note), Lake Bell (No Strings Attached), Michael Sheen (Masters of Sex).

Flatliners

Five medical students, obsessed by what lies beyond the confines of life, embark on a daring experiment: by stopping their hearts for short periods, each triggers a near-death experience – giving them a firsthand account of the afterlife.

Starring Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), Ellen Page (Inception), Diego Luna (Rogue One), Kiefer Sutherland (Designated Survivor), Kiersey Clemons (Extant), Beau Mirchoff (Awkward), and Steve Byers (Reign).

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