The House with a Clock in its Walls (2018)
When a strange little orphan boy, Owen Vaccaro, goes to live with his uncle, Jack Black, his entire world and reality changes. With a hilarious start to the movie, he reads a letter issuing the invitation, and in the final lines, his uncle apologizes for the chocolate stain on the page; he was eating a chocolate cookie at the time. Chocolate cookies are a big deal in his uncle’s house – as are the lack of rules. No bedtime, no curfew, no requirement of vegetables for dinner. It’s every kid’s dream! Plus, it turns out, his uncle is a powerful wizard with enchanted furniture and a wacky witch pal living next door. Wouldn’t it be fun to live there?
Jack Black and Cate Blanchett steal the show. They have an adorable chemistry and rattle off insults as easily as breathing. Cate looks very pretty in a classy gray wig and purple costume scheme. Everything she wears is lovely, fighting for attention from her gorgeous ornate surroundings. Why do these mysterious gothic movies always have breathtaking houses and interior decorations? I’d love to live in Jack Black’s house, if only to stare at the wallpaper and furniture all day long. He’s also extremely fun, and even though he’s given an eccentric role, he still manages to act; others might have just chalked this up to “another Goosebumps movie” and mugged their way through.
The fly in the ointment is the scariness as the movie progresses. The beginning is a fascinating study of the new surroundings, slowly introducing mystery and magic. Soon, the plot takes a very dark turn, as the untimely demise of Jack’s friend and fellow wizard Kyle MacLachlan is revealed. The scenes got scarier and scarier, until finally, I had to hide behind a pillow and ask the others to tell me when it was all over! I wanted to catch this movie in the theaters, but now that I know how scary it is, I’m glad I missed it. On the big screen, I might have had to leave.
I have a feeling the book series would be more entertaining and less frightening. As a child, you can read about a scary situation with monsters and magic and imagine the voices and images. If it’s too much, you can take a break and close the book. The movie doesn’t let up, but instead shows one frightening sequence after another; and I’m sure each is scarier than most children could have imagined.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to scary scenes involving a child, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There are a few camera swirls and intense lightening flashes that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Cate Blanchett movies here!
Jack Black and Cate Blanchett steal the show. They have an adorable chemistry and rattle off insults as easily as breathing. Cate looks very pretty in a classy gray wig and purple costume scheme. Everything she wears is lovely, fighting for attention from her gorgeous ornate surroundings. Why do these mysterious gothic movies always have breathtaking houses and interior decorations? I’d love to live in Jack Black’s house, if only to stare at the wallpaper and furniture all day long. He’s also extremely fun, and even though he’s given an eccentric role, he still manages to act; others might have just chalked this up to “another Goosebumps movie” and mugged their way through.
The fly in the ointment is the scariness as the movie progresses. The beginning is a fascinating study of the new surroundings, slowly introducing mystery and magic. Soon, the plot takes a very dark turn, as the untimely demise of Jack’s friend and fellow wizard Kyle MacLachlan is revealed. The scenes got scarier and scarier, until finally, I had to hide behind a pillow and ask the others to tell me when it was all over! I wanted to catch this movie in the theaters, but now that I know how scary it is, I’m glad I missed it. On the big screen, I might have had to leave.
I have a feeling the book series would be more entertaining and less frightening. As a child, you can read about a scary situation with monsters and magic and imagine the voices and images. If it’s too much, you can take a break and close the book. The movie doesn’t let up, but instead shows one frightening sequence after another; and I’m sure each is scarier than most children could have imagined.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to scary scenes involving a child, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There are a few camera swirls and intense lightening flashes that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Cate Blanchett movies here!