Line #26 Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS10E22


1	'''Release Date:''' Oct 10, 2017
2
3	'''Film:''' ''Film/{{It 2017}}''
4
5	'''Tagline:''' The cinematic smash that scared millions. Is it as good as people say... or... at least better than the original?
6
7	!This review contains examples of:
8	* ActingForTwo: Doug does triple duty as the Critic as well as both the Creator/TimCurry and Creator/BillSkarsgard versions of Pennywise. Malcolm plays both Mike and a member of the Bowers' Gang, and holds "himself" down before the Rock War.
9	-->'''Malcolm''': This feels [[LiteralMetaphor self-defeating]].
10	* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Curry!Pennywise does the "Wa-ha! Wa-ha! Wa-ha!" yelling in front of the Critic to show up Skarsgård!Pennywise. The Critic responds with, "It's not funny. OK, it's pretty funny."
11	* AnythingButThat: They wonder if they'll be faithful to the ending of the kid's story from the book. Their reaction to what happens in the book:
12	-->'''Aiyanna!Bev:''' Oh, yeah, no, I'm not doing that!
13	* AxCrazy: Positively notes that Henry Bowers' psychotic behavior is treated as such by the film rather than simple bullying, which makes it more believable and intimidating.
14	* BewareTheSillyOnes: Discussed. The Critic notes that one of the things that made Curry!Pennywise so effective was that he was a ''legitimately good clown'', which made it easier to lure kids into his evil traps, by entertaining them and making himself look harmless.
15	* TheBully: A staple of Stephen King's works. The Critic actually praises the movie for making the Bowers Gang legitimately intimidating, and notes that Henry's behavior is treated as genuinely psychotic rather than just simple bullying, while his two lackeys are so unnerved that they hold Jason!Ben down for Henry just to use him as a HumanShield.
16	* CallBack:
17	** At the opening PublicServiceAnnouncement, Hyper Fangirl recounts that the Critic's [[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS3E40 first review]] of Creator/StephenKing films was that for ''Film/It1990'' back in 2010, which despite the mixed reaction, nevertheless became a much-requested annual tradition. Later, when the Critic was asked by Curry!Pennywise for other good elements in his film, he claims having a hazy recollection due to having challenged himself to a DrinkingGame.
18	** The Critic initially refers to The Losers' Club as [[Film/TheMonsterSquad the]] [[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS7E21 Token Troop]]. He then decides to call them [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs The Token Club]].
19	** The scene where the Losers Club split up is revealed to be the handiwork of the Analysts, who reuse the "Heroes pussy out" cliche first seen in the ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'' [[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS10E10 review]].
20	* ClipShow: {{Inverted\|Trope}}--continuing the tradition of recreating films still in theaters with the Channel Awesome cast, this in particular stars Doug as the Creator/BillSkarsgard version of Pennywise, Malcolm as Mike, Tamara as Eddie, Walter Banasiak as Bill, Aiyanna Wade as Bev, Jason Laws as Ben, Trevor Mueller as Stan, Heather Reusz as Richie, and Bryan Porter as Henry. In addition, Tamara also plays Georgie, Jim as Bev's dad, and Malcolm and Jim as two of the Bowers kids. Finally, within the FramingDevice itself, Malcolm also plays as [[Series/TheITCrowd Maurice Moss]], Doug as both the Critic and the Creator/TimCurry version of Pennywise, and Rob as the voice of ComicBook/TheJoker.
21	* ClicheStorm: This being {{downplayed\|trope}} regarding tropes concerning TheEighties is one of [[InUniverse the Critic's]] praises for the movie. For example, when Aiyanna!Bev and Jason!Ben complain that the latter listens to the quintessentially 80's Music/NewKidsOnTheBlock, the Critic retorts that it's still better than forcing them to play stock cliches about their period (e.g., weird visors, colorful wigs, and boxes of 80's films and ''Franchise/GarbagePailKids'' cards pasted all over their bodies). He also liked how the portly Ben isn't always depicted as a BigEater.
22	* EnsembleDarkhorse: [[InUniverse The Critic]] claims Richie is the best kid in the film, because he is both the geekiest and coolest of the Losers Club.
23	* EvenEvilHasStandards: Even Curry!Pennywise balks at the Analysts' "Heroes pussy out" scheme.
24	* {{Foreshadowing}}: In the opening scene what cards are both versions of Pennywise holding? Aces and Jokers. An obvious nod to Ace Chemicals, where the Joker was "born". And guess who shows up in the end?
25	* FreezeFrameBonus: A paper boat used to transition between a conversation between Walter!Bill and Tamara!Georgie and the latter entering a dark basement reads "[[DeathFlag S.S. Deadmeat]]" on the side.
26	* GrandfatherClause: Despite the abuse of the FiveManBand in various films, the Critic grants some exception to the Losers Club because they are among the earliest to fall into the aforementioned trope.
27	* HypocriticalHumor: During the pre-review PublicServiceAnnouncement, Hyper Fangirl asks the audience for calm and respectful exchange of opinions. When she gets pelted with boos, however, she whips out a {{BFG}} from her fiancee Devil Boner and mows down the audience.
28	-->'''Hyper Fangirl:''' "''Any o' you crybabies shit-pants got a problem with that?! '''You can talk it up with me!!!'''''"
29	* MemeticMutation: InUniverse, the scene of Skarsgård!Pennywise's dance before Aiyanna!Bev is so unintentionally funny it was captioned "MEME ME!"
30	* MonsterClown: Discussed at length, with neither version of Pennywise really living up in the Critic's eyes; Curry!Pennywise is goofy and enjoyable like a real clown, but his scares aren't always effective, while Skarsgård!Pennywise is much creepier and more monstrous, but isn't that convincing as a clown. Doug!Joker states that they should try to be both scary ''and'' funny, offering himself as a prime example.
31	* {{Narm}}: [[InUniverse The Critic]] berates the film for the inconsistent setup of its scary scenes, with some even becoming unintentionally funny. For example, the ridiculousness of Eddie's encounter with Pennywise's leper form is lampooned by replacing the latter with Chester A. Bum.
32	* NewMediaAreEvil: Curry!Pennywise explains that the success of films were measured by their ratings before Creator/{{Netflix}} came out.
33	* ObviouslyEvil: One of Doug's problems with Skarsgård!Pennywise is that his design is too blatantly scary to work as an effective way to lure children in so he can kill them. In particular, he notes that, realistically, Georgie would've run off after taking one look at him.
34	* OutOfFocus: Trevor!Stan is frequently left out in several scenes. While the rest of the Losers Club think he was being discriminated against because he's Jewish, the latter doesn't mind at all, given the numerous characters in the film.
35	* PublicServiceAnnouncement: Given that the review is initially screened at a movie theater, it begins with Hyper Fangirl asking the audience not to get too triggered.
36	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: See "Obviously Evil", above
37	-->'''Skarsgård!Pennywise''': ''[pops up in the sewer]'' Hiya, Georgie!\
38	'''Tamara!Georgie''': Nope! ''[runs away]''\
39	'''Skarsgård!Pennywise''': Hey, wait, where you going?!
40	* ShoutOut:
41	** The Nostalgia-ween 2017 opening theme is Channel Awesome's spin on that of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''' "Treehouse of Horrors" series, complete with GraveHumor and CouchGag.
42	** The FramingDevice is a homage to the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE46AlmostGotIm Almost Got 'Im"]], with Curry!Pennywise and Skarsgård!Pennywise playing poker and arguing over who was the better version between them. TheReveal at the end that one character isn't who they say they are is also quite similar.
43	** The third person at the table is [[Series/TheITCrowd Maurice Moss]] (Malcolm), who is playing ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' instead of poker.
44	** Jason!Ben is shown listening to Music/NewKidsOnTheBlock, a quintessentially 80s band.
45	** Skarsgård!Pennywise references some of Tim Curry's previous roles in some of his jabs against Curry!Pennywise, namely "[=FernGully=]: The Last Rainforest" ("Go back to haunting [=FernGully=], this is scary!"), and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" ("Take that, Ronald Horror Picture Show!").
46	** Skarsgård!Pennywise (in his Headless Boy guise) chasing after Eddie is so unintentionally funny the Critic plays "Yakety Sax" from ''Series/TheBennyHillShow''.
47	** Malcolm!Mike's interview to join the Losers Club references Winston's interview with Jeanine from ''Film/Ghostbusters1984''.
48	** The Critic plays [[Characters/SouthParkEricCartman Eric Cartman]]'s [[Recap/SouthParkS2E14ChefAid German Dance song]] over Pennywise dancing.
49	** The WhosOnFirst routine at the end references not only ''It'', but also ''Film/{{Them}}'' and ''[[Film/TheThing1982 The Thing]]''.
50	* SincerityMode:
51	** The Critic thinks Stan's introductory scene is actually scary, and gives some applause to the film.
52	** He admits the new film actually ''did'' successfully make balloons genuinely scary.
53	* SoOkayItsAverage: [[InUniverse The Critic's]] final verdict on the film, though he also considers it a bit of a step up from the 1990 version, later listing it as one of his [[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS11E38 Top 11 Stephen King Movies]].
54	* SoundtrackDissonance: One of the flaws the Critic finds with the film is the over-the-top soundtrack, such as whimsical for light-hearted moments and intense for scary moments. He specifically puts Mike's introductory scene as an example of the latter, while demonstrating that it could be more effective if the music is remade to heighten suspense.
55	* {{Squick}}: While trying to find some closure on their awkward LoveTriangle, [[InUniverse Aiyanna!Bev, Jason!Ben and Walter!Bill]] consult the book, only to be revolted at the infamous sewer orgy scene. They decide to end the film by blowing kisses to each other instead.
56	* TakeThat:
57	** The GraveHumor in the intro has "''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' after Season 6", "Creator/JoelSchumacher Cinematic Universe", "Good ''Film/{{Transformers\|FilmSeries}}'' Movies" and "Creator/NicolasCage Saying "No"" among the gravestones.
58	** The Critic claims Skarsgård!Pennywise's attempts to lure in victims wouldn't lure in awkward fanart to Website/{{Tumblr}}.
59	** When Skarsgård!Pennywise scares Billy with his dead brother, he says "[[EvilLaugh Hahahaha!]] Look! I'm Creator/JeffDunham if he was ever funny! Hahahaha!"
60	** Curry!Pennywise finds Skarsgård!Pennywise (as the Headless Boy) chasing after Eddie so awkward he compares him to a possessed [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Olaf]].
61	** When Skarsgård!Pennywise tries to scare the Losers Club one last time, one of the forms he takes is Creator/TommyWiseau.
62	** At the end of the review, when Rob!Joker asks the Pennywises what the best versions of him all have in common, Skarsgård!Pennywise answers that they aren't like the infamous Creator/JaredLeto version from ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'', with Rob!Joker agreeing, even as he grumbles at the thought.
63	* WhosOnFirst: The closing credits features the Analysts offscreen discussing ''It'' in various, punny ways.

Context Recap / TheNostalgiaCriticS10E22