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6

TVJerrySep 27, 2018

A recently-orphaned boy goes to live with his uncle (Jack Black) in an enchanted mansion, where he learns about enchantments that lead to the inevitable threatening showdown. This adaptation of the children's book is a hybrid of many magicalA recently-orphaned boy goes to live with his uncle (Jack Black) in an enchanted mansion, where he learns about enchantments that lead to the inevitable threatening showdown. This adaptation of the children's book is a hybrid of many magical fantasies, so there must be something more than the plot to make it appealing. Director Eli Roth (best known for his violent horror films) is bringing his skills to the PG-genre and manages to create a few creepy moments. Even with all the fantastical effects (and Cate Blanchett's charms) there's a certain blandness that keeps it from ever being original or exciting. Still, for the youngsters it'll provide plenty of visual pop and mild thrills.… Expand

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5

BrianMcCriticSep 29, 2018

A film that never really catches on under that Amblin umbrella. It's not all bad and Jack Black and Cate Blanchett are giving it all they got, but poor scene structure and a plot that bored me for much of the first half makes this filmA film that never really catches on under that Amblin umbrella. It's not all bad and Jack Black and Cate Blanchett are giving it all they got, but poor scene structure and a plot that bored me for much of the first half makes this film unremarkable. Still probably Eli Roth's best movie though that's not saying much. Overall a middle to low 5 a C.… Expand

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9

DufreshestOct 7, 2018

Cinematography: 9.439/10 The trailer does not do The House with a Clock in Its Walls justice. The film flows a lot better in viewing and is not as corny as the trailer makes it seem (at least to me).

Costume Design: 8.974/10 I like theCinematography: 9.439/10 The trailer does not do The House with a Clock in Its Walls justice. The film flows a lot better in viewing and is not as corny as the trailer makes it seem (at least to me).

Costume Design: 8.974/10 I like the tie-ins with the wardrobes to a theme on being one's self throughout the film.

Film Editing: 9.543/10 Solid. Each scene is enough.

Make-up and Hair-styling: 8/10 Decent.

Sound Editing: 8.782/10 I wanted to hear the clock more.

Visual Effects: 8.732/10 Decent. I wanted to see more magic.

Story: 8.792/10 The story is the first surprise for me. I find myself enjoying The House with a Clock in Its Walls more as the film progresses. It's a fun simple film that gets its points across with just enough. There are some torturous (yes, torturous - I've seen people walk out of theaters or fall asleep torturous - films in general, but in this case - ) family films: this is not one of them.

Acting: 9.213/10 The acting is the second surprise for me. (I don't actively seek trailers, they show before the film I'm viewing, so sometimes it becomes a bit of a comparative-referential point). Plus, my interest in seeing Mid90s has grown even more watching Sunny Suljic and Owen Vaccarro acting together (that whole motley crew of kids is nice to see in The House with a Clock in Its Walls though).

Personal: I'm glad about the film's turnout. Bullying is really terrible. Playing is fun. It's good to be weird in good ways. The actual process of growing is fun especially with everything in order (cause not too many kids have to pay bills, it's sad about the ones that have to and had to at far too young an age - but, no one is ever too young to begin doing what they are good at - enjoy - and making money). A kid from a well off family once told me he felt like he was losing his imagination. I told him he has to continue working on his imagination to build it - stimulate it. I do know circumstances may affect individuals in varying ways. I think The House with a Clock in Its Walls does a great job of showing the importance of belief and imagination as well as the processes occurring from experiencing a loss - of grieving and recovering. Good creativity and the imagination are so important to life.

Overall: 8.934/10

-K.D.

If you're into Poetry and other bits of creativity, check out my Instagram: @Dufreshest.… Expand

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6

clarkaddisonSep 24, 2018

This film had two kids crying in my showing. It has the kid humor with some adult jokes for parents to get but at its core this film is just another kids book adapted into a mold for cinematic goers. Necromancy, demons, and holocaustThis film had two kids crying in my showing. It has the kid humor with some adult jokes for parents to get but at its core this film is just another kids book adapted into a mold for cinematic goers. Necromancy, demons, and holocaust references are a little too much for kids.… Expand

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8

Davrosdaleks1Sep 21, 2018

I'll be honest, I was a little worried about this considering that: a) This is the first children's film from torture porn horror director Eli Roth not to mention the first time he's helmed a film with an attempted big visual flair. b) TheI'll be honest, I was a little worried about this considering that: a) This is the first children's film from torture porn horror director Eli Roth not to mention the first time he's helmed a film with an attempted big visual flair. b) The film is more humorous than the book. I was afraid it might be too hard to be Goosebumps. Luckily, both my fears were abated.

Jack Black and Cate Blanchett have excellent chemistry together. They're both quite humorous, but they also nail the characters' more serious moments. It's weird that a trifecta of children's/family films has produced some of Jack Black's best roles. Although, you feel a bit more of the Jack Black personality here than in his other two roles, he does manifest the character of Uncle Jonathan, the fun uncle who also has a secret undertaken. Overall, all the characters are really well-fleshed out here.

Visually the film looks great from the 50s' setting to the entire look of the lavish house from the title, especially the scary visuals. Really, they rank with the likes of Tim Burton or Krampus. The film knows when to have fun, but it knows when to bring on the scares. As a child I preferred the original book and the other works of John Bellairs over Goosebumps, because the horror was played more directly and seriously, and this movie understands that. Cautious parents be aware that this is as scary as a PG movie can get. Well, maybe not as much as The Witches, but what is. This is definitely Coraline level.

The only downside is that at a running time of one hour and forty-four minutes, the second act, which is heavy on the character bits, drags a bit. Most of the action doesn't happen till the third act.

Roth surpassed my expectations here, and I hope he gets a chance at adapting the second book in the series.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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0

miamiprincess06Sep 26, 2018

This movie was being marketed to small children as an innocent, fun, magical adventure. It starts out with an intriguing story about a boy exploring his new life in his weird uncle's enchanted house. "Innocent" wizardry and magic isThis movie was being marketed to small children as an innocent, fun, magical adventure. It starts out with an intriguing story about a boy exploring his new life in his weird uncle's enchanted house. "Innocent" wizardry and magic is introduced, and very quickly the movie took a DARK, MENACING, and DEMONIC turn. Now the boy is bringing evil wizards back from the dead, facing walking devil dolls, and learning how the evil wizard got his power from a demon in a very graphic and gory visual. My girls were terrified of the movie, and the only reason we stayed is because they wanted to see good triumph the bad and make some sense of the whole debacle. I am furious that this movie has a PG rating. There is blood, gore, scary themes, witchcraft, dark magic, and much more that should have brought this to a PG-13 with cautionary warnings. As a parent, I should have done some very easy-to-find research on this movie, but as this was a spur-of-the-moment decision, I assumed that the trailer would be enough. How wrong I was. The trailer is light and whimsical compared to what was hidden inside this film. I will tell you what the critics will not... This is not a movie for children.… Expand

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4

TrevorsViewSep 27, 2018

In just one month, it will be time to hand candy out to kids at your door wearing cheap costumes. It will be time to pull out the Halloween classics: Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, just to name a few. Those seasonal favoritesIn just one month, it will be time to hand candy out to kids at your door wearing cheap costumes. It will be time to pull out the Halloween classics: Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, just to name a few. Those seasonal favorites are admittedly low in artistic quality, and The House with a Clock in Its Walls is no exception as it takes a similar tone to the numerous quirks of Halloween-ish children’s entertainment. Yet despite this completely ridiculous plot reliant on gags over sensical situations, a decade or two from now a cult following could very well be picked up amongst a full generation!

I was ready to hate this goofy family entertainment much like I did A Wrinkle in Time, but for some outlandish reason, I found a soft spot for this flawed motion picture despite the MANY unmotivated performances that lowered the quality. I somehow don’t mind the bad acting and dialogue, because the twistedly magical artistic scale so strongly amplifies the size of the orphan protagonist, Lewis’s new teeny tiny house. In his new home, he along with his uncle (Jack Black) and neighbor (Cate Blanchett) must embrace a common concept of being the family’s black swan, since they each share a weirdness outside their front porch adorned with jack-o-lanterns. With trusty goggles, Lewis takes on an indominable insect virtue, his little ant size made smaller by the mundane brown hues of his school. But that’s still quite tame compared to a climactic lunar eclipse that eventually casts a giant blood red tint across the screen to tear down all life.

It’s certainly a wicked sense of cinematic appeal, but this glamorous fantasy also beautifies witchcraft, even giving a tutorial of blood payment that shows young minds how cultic practices works. At a more personal level, some of the more tasteless jokes include lingering on one slow boy on crutches in gym class, who gets lightly mocked, “good hustle” by the coach. Thus, viewer discretion is advised.

But hey, at least it’s funny as expected, once Jack Black pulls out a saxophone solo, dogs start howling while his live griffin bush covers its ears. Then that griffin bush, as if it were the family cat, poops into the backyard pond against its master’s orders, which sounds gross, but personally got a decent laugh out of me. But this mock Addams Family also stays grounded into reality with the appropriate 1950s tunes, until the heartbeats behind the moonlit walls tick-tock to set off the inner adrenaline. It’s a nice balance between funny filler guaranteed to entertain kids, and fun unsettlement from the perspective of a poor little orphan.

Yet despite the frightening imagery, it’s very unlikely that kids will relate to this style over substance experience. The boys have Lewis to connect with, who doesn’t have that much of a personality anyway, but the girls have no characters to relate to except one pointless girl from Lewis’ school who is around for approximately three scenes. She’s also one of the worst actors in the film, almost like they brought out a crew member’s daughter last minute. The adults are not out of the clear in being easily relatable either, as none of the veteran actors receive proper direction to be anything but doofuses. Case in point: there is a montage that forces Jack Black to levitate, which is admittedly a funny scene, but the wires he dangles on are obvious to notice, much like Winona Ryder “levitating” at the very end of Beetlejuice.

The cast members simply can’t enlighten the awful screenplay, since when the writing doesn’t abuse plot driven exposition through film reels, it implants bothersome name-calling between Jack and Cate that concludes its arc with a tossed around sense of heart. Now Cate, I particularly detested in this feature, she is supposedly written to be a “new” mother figure to Lewis but can’t generate sincere drama with a voice of reason. However, Cate still doesn’t annoy as much as Owen Vaccaro as Lewis, who overacts to force everyone’s attention on him, screaming loud enough to crack cement. He doesn’t even give a hint of emotion to hearing that this new uncle he’s living with has complete freedom of house rules. These visions he has at night of his dead mother are particularly hard to watch, as the actress playing her just stares at what seems like a total stranger, not who is supposedly her own son. Yeah, unfortunately, aside from Jack Black (who even then is mediocre at best), I have virtually nothing nice to say about any of the actors or actresses in this entire feature.

Despite the fun I had while watching this, understand that it’s still my job to discuss the negative qualities of every film I review. So odds are, you aren’t missing anything with The House with a Clock in Its Walls, but if you’re willing to take a chance, it could very well be the perfect jumpstart to your Halloween!… Expand

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9

Megajohn85Sep 21, 2018

Mix Crimson Peak with Goosebumps and throw in a dash of Harry Potter and you get a film that’s surprisingly fun for all ages

3 of 8 users found this helpful35

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9

manningn15Sep 25, 2018

The casts performances were stupendous especially Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, and Owen Vaccaro. The banter between Jack Black and Cate Blanchett's characters was hilarious. The visual effects and set designs were spectacular. The story andThe casts performances were stupendous especially Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, and Owen Vaccaro. The banter between Jack Black and Cate Blanchett's characters was hilarious. The visual effects and set designs were spectacular. The story and screenplay were fantastic. I also thought the film score was well done.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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0

RidrimeSep 25, 2018

Caution to Parents! This movie and rating is a ruse. This should have been PG-13 at best. Not suited for young children,Christians or anybody with any sense. It is all about Witchcraft and satanic rituals. This is where Hollyweird is goingCaution to Parents! This movie and rating is a ruse. This should have been PG-13 at best. Not suited for young children,Christians or anybody with any sense. It is all about Witchcraft and satanic rituals. This is where Hollyweird is going and we need to resist it.… Expand

2 of 11 users found this helpful29

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3

duanewilliamsSep 24, 2018

I thought it was rather boring, compared to the Harry Potter Series. Perhaps it would have been better if there had been a serious background story, which was a strong feature of Harry Potter. Of course, if there had been a seriousI thought it was rather boring, compared to the Harry Potter Series. Perhaps it would have been better if there had been a serious background story, which was a strong feature of Harry Potter. Of course, if there had been a serious background story, then this movie would have been entirely different!… Expand

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7

Jim222001Jan 30, 2019

A bit too fast paced but fun. The kind of family film we haven’t had much of since the 90’s. Think Addams Family and Casper, While Jack Black and Cate Blanchett make a great combination start to finish. They charm throughout.

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8

NolanLundgaardSep 23, 2018

“House” was a pretty good movie. The beginning and climax of the story were SO good (10/10 worthy), I just wish I could say the same about the ending. This part of the story relied too much on CGI. While I don’t mind a little bit of it used“House” was a pretty good movie. The beginning and climax of the story were SO good (10/10 worthy), I just wish I could say the same about the ending. This part of the story relied too much on CGI. While I don’t mind a little bit of it used now and then, I felt a little hit over the head with it. I also would have appreciated less “bush-lion” poop jokes about using the litter box instead of blasting people with leaves (poop?). Besides that, I had a great experience with House, and I would recommend it to people who enjoyed the Harry Potter films, Doctor Strange, and the Goosebumps movie.… Expand

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2

Moviebuff63Sep 21, 2018

I went to see "The House With A Clock In Its Walls" not with high hopes but expecting to find it entertaining, fun and energetic. As a fan of both Jack Black and Cate Blanchett I expected it to be at least good. Both Blanchett and Black doI went to see "The House With A Clock In Its Walls" not with high hopes but expecting to find it entertaining, fun and energetic. As a fan of both Jack Black and Cate Blanchett I expected it to be at least good. Both Blanchett and Black do their best with the material provided and do elevate the movie frequently. The young actor portraying Black's character's 10 year old orphaned nephew is played by Owen Vaccaro. He shines throughout. His character's desire for childhood friendship and acceptance is genuine and heartfelt. It's the writing and plot that sinks this movie. I'm not sure who the target audience is for this movie. Although it aims clearly for a "Harry Potter" and "Goosebumps" audience it misses the mark wildly. It tries to be fun and occasionally is but then turns very dark. Occult and demonic themes do not cater to young audiences. It tries to be whimsical at times and at times succeeds at whimsy but this movie is ALL over the place. Teens seem bored with the movie as I witnessed a number of walkouts during the movie. It's too dark for small children. Speaking for adults, I found it tries too hard to be too many things and target wide audiences, clearly aiming for fans of the Harry Potter and Goosebumps franchises.… Expand

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8

CityOfGeekDec 9, 2018

At first glance, Eli Roth may be considered an odd choice to direct the adaptation of The House with a Clock in Its Walls, from the book by John Bellairs (with illustrations by Edward Gorey – hell yeah!). Roth, after all, is most famous forAt first glance, Eli Roth may be considered an odd choice to direct the adaptation of The House with a Clock in Its Walls, from the book by John Bellairs (with illustrations by Edward Gorey – hell yeah!). Roth, after all, is most famous for the the gory and violent Hostel and Cabin Fever series. For feature completion, we also have the Italian jungle cannibal throwback Green Inferno and the remakes of Knock Knock and Death Wish. None of these are particularly good, although I enjoy the majority of his films on an entertainment level; I note here I’ve not seen his take on Death Wish, or any of the original series. Much of that enjoyment comes from how obvious it is Roth loves the horror genre. This is likely why Spielberg himself reached out to Roth to direct the Amblin produced A House with A Clock in its Walls. Apparently he told Roth he wanted to scare the hell out of the kids. While I wouldn’t describe the movie as scary, it sure reached in and grabbed my horror-loving heart. It’s not perfect, but Roth made a damned good film.

Roth imbues this adaptation, it was adapted once before for a Vincent Price hosted anthology show (note to self: seek this out), with a love of the family-friendly horror of the past. Yes, it’s based on Bellairs book; but I haven’t read it, so my memories went to Bradbury and the feels of his October Country. Set in 1955, the story finds young and recently orphaned Lewis Barnevelt moving to a small town in Michigan to live with his eccentric uncle Jonathan. Jonathan (Jack Black) is a warlock, living in a deceased warlocks house, a house full of magical and sentient objects, along with that pesky clock in the walls counting down to…. Something. Next door is a witch played in purple by Cate Blanchett. This house is awesome. Production design – hell yeah! Sure, most of it is made by CGI, but it’s good CG – mostly. Some shots don’t seem done but for the majority, seamless. I want to go to there. I want to live there. I want to explore it. So long as I can burn the room with the dozen automatons, please.

Getting a director like Roth on board, and being told to scare the kids, was a great choice for the film. I don’t know how much comes from the book, or its eleven sequels, but I was glad with the places it went to. Too many people think kids can’t handle horror and certain levels of it. House went into darker territory than expected. Necromancy and blood majick places. In not holding back, it also doesn’t hold the audience’s hand. There is no talking down the expected audience, thus making the film just as entertaining for adults to watch without children (like my wife and me). Lewis is as precocious as many of his lead-kid brethren, but not annoyingly so. He love his dictionary and learning new words. He’s well played by Owen Vaccaro from Daddy’s Home; although most of what he has to do react to everything. The times where it moves to him to carry emotional weight there is something lost – especially as his fake crying is pretty awful. But when you’re competing for attention from Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, and Kyle McLaughlin, it’s hard not to get lost. Black and Blanchett are wonderful, with more chemistry than most romantic comedy partners. In a refreshing change from most movies, they are a platonic couple – just friends who love to jab at each other. Blanchett delivers every line with relish and has a surprisingly emotional backstory as well. Black is more Jables than he was in the more restrained R L Stine in the surprisingly good Goosebumps from a few years ago (here’s to the sequel next week). On the not so good side is almost-friend/bully Sunny Suljic. Kid was bland and bored here; he’s the leading Mid90s; here’s to him being better there. Ultimately, his part could and should have been cut. Biggest issue with the film is the school subplot is distracting and useless; a quick rewrite would have gone around this. While I’m talking negative – dammit fart/pee jokes. You don’t’ fit here and took me out of the film.

A House with a Clock in its Walls is a real treat for horror loving families. With strong chemistry in its leads, a Bradbury/Spielberg feel, and allowed to go where it needs for the story, the film is a lovely throwback that should appeal to any horror person who will allow themselves to be a young person looking at the genre.

A-… Expand

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6

Voodoo123Aug 15, 2019

+Beautiful 4K hdr presentation
+Great cast
+Excellent production value visual effects/sound/sets -Lacklustre screenplay Some odd pacing choices in combination with the well produced visual designs result in a film that seems unable to commit+Beautiful 4K hdr presentation
+Great cast
+Excellent production value visual effects/sound/sets
-Lacklustre screenplay

Some odd pacing choices in combination with the well produced visual designs result in a film that seems unable to commit to a particular genre... As a result the interesting story fell flat for me... The House With A Clock In Its Walls Looks beautiful though!… Expand