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The first thing you have to understand about IT (besides that it captures the spirit and tone of a Stephen King novel better than almost any previous attempt by Hollywood) is that this isn't a horror movie as we've come to know them in recent years. It's not Saw or the Ring or even The Babadook. It's not designed to keep you afraid and disturbed for the entire runtime. This is a monster movie, a nightmarish adventure story. And because of that it's massively enjoyable, fun, tense and yes, sometimes terrifying. The pacing is perfect, the story never once drags, and the acting is aces all the way around. I felt that, at most, one or two moments were a bit indulgent or cliche, but even these blips registered as fun, not distracting or tonally inconsistent. I'm not usually a fan of horror films, but I adored the creepy, shapeshifting hell out of this movie from the script to the lush cinematography of the fictional New England setting. The filmmakers earned every penny of the astoundingly great opening weekend they had, and I hope it continues to charge along into October. Happy Halloween, more than a month early!

It's a tough sell in a 2017 where everything is horrible and dark: highly liberal and fanciful science-fiction, earnestly goofy and achingly beautiful to look at, with very little cynicism outside the actions of the main antagonist. I'll make a prediction: if you like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you'll like this. If you're a die-hard DC grimdark fan, you'll hate it with a passion. And you know what? Great! Stay away, cruel hearted know-it-alls who insist that life is nothing but a game of one person screwing over another for the bigger bank account. This is a film for dreamers and lovers, and without them the world would be one dank place indeed. Are there flaws? Well, depends on what you consider flaws. The dialogue isn't generic American summer blockbuster-worthy, but neither is it Shakespeare. DeHaan won't win himself any fans, but he's at least interesting. Delevingne is the beating heart and razor wit of the show, and her Laureline is a joy to experience. I approached this film loving The Fifth Element and expecting something akin to that--and I was not disappointed. The opening 15 or so minutes alone are worth the price of admission. I sprang for the 3-D showing, and it's commendable, but I think it will play just as well in 2-D.

A day or so after my second screening of this film, an odd sensation registered within me: complete satisfaction. I was concerned, going in, that Gunn couldn't possibly bring the same level of heart, the same exuberantly colorful visuals, and the same character moments that made the first film such a lightning-in-a-bottle moment. I'm please report my fears were utterly unfounded. Volume Two is entirely satisfying on all fronts, and in fact, it's better than the original film on most fronts. Where sequels sometimes suffer from bloat, this movie felt like MORE without feeling like an unintelligible storm of narrative. Every character--from Yondu to Rocket, Mantis to Nebula--gets standout moments, genuine emotional touchpoints that bring us closer to them and their struggles. The Guardians as a franchise-within-a-franchise remains a visual treat, dynamic and free-spirited, and as one reviewer put it (allow me to paraphrase), they're more of a team than the Avengers have ever managed to be. I seriously cannot find fault with anything in this film: if you loved, really loved, the first GOTG, you're going to appreciate Volume Two immensely.

It was hard to know what to expect from this film--would it play as a sequel to "20,000 Days On Earth"? Would it appear like a narrative, the album in visual from start to finish? It's a bit of both, and more... deeply moving, haunting, and beautifully affecting in its portraiture of the artists on which it focuses, "One More Time With Feeling" does precisely what it sets out to do: renders a thousand interviews and questions moot, and gives the world as much insight as Cave and his wife are willing to share--and that, it turns out, is perhaps a mercy to us, for what they do say is staggering in its honesty. We could talk about aesthetics (the film is gorgeous, the black-and-white 3-D experience hypnotizes and lends weight and immediacy to the interview portions--and makes the musical performances soar) but at core this is a document of process and people, who are also very much in process themselves. How rare, and how rich for us, the fans and listeners, to have such access to these amazing folks, even in their sorrow. A friend and I braved torrential rains and flashing skies, arriving at the theater thoroughly soaked--yet the experience was well worth it, and I know I will be revisiting Cave's words (and this director's vision) for a long time. I heard a rumor there were extra showings being planned in the following days, and I hope it's true--should the opportunity arise, I strongly recommend viewing this film in its intended format. At the very least, the music is there for us all.

Less a reboot than a re-imagining, Ghostbusters works primarily because of the amazing chemistry of the four leads, who keep us invested (and laughing) from start to finish. While McKinnon does steal a couple scenes (and is on fire all over the internet because of it), all four of these new characters are given plenty of time to shine and endear themselves to us, and by the end I found myself eager to see them regrouped for a sequel. Admittedly, the film has a bit of a weak antagonist character, and the challenge our heroes face feels less weighty than ol' Gozer did back in 1984, even if its talked of in terms of cataclysmic importance. But the film makes no illusions: it happily leans far heavier on the jokes than the scares, and works beautifully as an establishing origin story.

This is a perfect film. Oh, it will not suit everyone's taste--the hopelessly jaded or fatally hip may sneer and snore--but make no mistake, this is cinematic lightning in a bottle. Those two actors, that screenplay, that director, that music, and that city in that year... everything interweaves exquisitely, not a single element could stand to be changed. It is the quietest moments that enrapture you, the 4:00 a.m. sleeplessness where everyone is slightly dazed and raw, the walls are down, and the soul is simply too tired to put on a false face... it is these two lost, imperfect human beings who have more in common than they have any right to, and the bond that forms as they take inspiration from each other. This is not a romance of any kind. But it is perhaps the most intimate relationship you will ever see on screen. Turn off your cell phone, turn off the lights, turn up your sound system, and be unguarded long enough to know the loneliness--and its antidote. Forget whatever you know about these actors today and just get to know Bob and Charlotte. Over a decade on, I am still unabashedly in love with them, and with this entire film.