Critics look to ‘It Chapter 2’ and ‘Brittany Runs a Marathon’

Listen to the Podcast Episode Midday Edition launches a new monthly segment, Midday Movies with Beth Accomando and Moviewallas' Yazdi Pithavala. Aired: September 6, 2019 | Transcript

In order to cover more film in San Diego, from new releases to film festivals to looking at genres and social issues in cinema, Midday Edition is launching a new monthly segment and podcast called Midday Movies featuring host Jade Hindmon along with Moviewallas' film critic Yazdi Pithavala and yours truly: Beth Accomando.

I am excited to be able to cover more film and in greater depth and with a fellow film critic who is thoughtful and often not of the same opinion as I am.

This week we will look to a pair of new films. "It Chapter 2" concludes the Stephen King saga of two years ago. The first film set up the groundwork as a group of "loser" kids bond together to try and cope with real world horrors of bullies and abusive parents. If those real world terrors weren't bad enough, the kids also have to fight a shape-shifting monster that prefers to appear as a clown called Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård). In King's book, you could consider Pennywise as a manifestation of the real world horrors but that has been somewhat lost as the book became a mini-series in 1990 and then a pair of feature films.

"It" (2017) laid out the groundwork of the childhood friends who fight Pennywise and make a pact to come back to their hometown of Derry if the evil clown reappears. Of course, 27 years later he does and they are forced to come home and face forgotten fears.

The second film is "Brittany Runs a Marathon" about a young woman (Jillian Bell) who, after a doctor's visit, is encouraged to drop a significant amount of weight to improve her health. Her lack of funds prompts her to just start running around the block and eventually she's inspired to run in the New York City Marathon.

Be listening Friday for our reviews and our picks for the best back-to-school films to enjoy in September.

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