The House with a Clock in Its Walls

[Brian in Mesa]

The House with a Clock in Its Walls

Release date: September 21, 2018
Studio: Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
Director: Eli Roth
MPAA Rating: PG (for thematic elements including sorcery, some action, scary images, rude humor and language)
Screenwriter: Eric Kripke
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery, Suspense
Website: HousewithaClock.com| Facebook| Twitter| Instagram

Starring: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Kyle MacLachlan, Colleen Camp, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Vanessa Anne Williams, Lorenza Izzo, Sunny Suljic

Plot Summary: In the tradition of Amblin classics where fantastical events occur in the most unexpected places, Jack Black and two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett star in "The House with a Clock in Its Walls," from Amblin Entertainment. The magical adventure tells the spine-tingling tale of 10-year-old Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) who goes to live with his uncle in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking heart. But his new town’s sleepy façade jolts to life with a secret world of warlocks and witches when Lewis accidentally awakens the dead.

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[Chaplin]

Eli Roth? What? I mean... Eli Roth?

I was really looking forward to this movie, but...

Eli Roth??

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Yeah, that took me by surprise as well. We're still going to see it tonight (less than an hour).

Hoping Kripke's screenplay is strong and Roth doesn't mess it up much.

 

[Shaggy]

Yeah, that took me by surprise as well. We're still going to see it tonight (less than an hour).

Hoping Kripke's screenplay is strong and Roth doesn't mess it up much.

How was it?

 

[Chaplin]

I thought it was entertaining. One of those family-friendly Goosebumps type of movies. But maybe a bit too intense in some places, so younger kids won’t like it. That’s the Eli Roth touch.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I thought it was entertaining. One of those family-friendly Goosebumps type of movies. But maybe a bit too intense in some places, so younger kids won’t like it. That’s the Eli Roth touch.

Totally agree. We really liked it. Great banter between Black and Blanchett. Nothing groundbreaking but a really entertaining tale.

I watched some reviews and it seemed that every reviewer was fixated on comparing it to Harry Potter. What ever happened to letting a film stand on its own? The source material is from 1973 and predates anything HP. The House with a Clock in its Walls (1973) was the first in a series of twelve novels featuring Lewis Barnavelt.

 

[Chaplin]

Totally agree. We really liked it. Great banter between Black and Blanchett. Nothing groundbreaking but a really entertaining tale.

I watched some reviews and it seemed that every reviewer was fixated on comparing it to Harry Potter. What ever happened to letting a film stand on its own? The source material is from 1973 and predates anything HP. The House with a Clock in its Walls (1973) was the first in a series of twelve novels featuring Lewis Barnavelt.

They weren't comparing the books, they were comparing movies. And I'm pretty confident in saying that there hasn't been anything as successful and well-received than the Harry Potter movies in the years since Deathly Hallows part 2.

This absolutely tried to reclaim that magic. I don't think it worked, but it still is decent nonetheless. Nothing spectacular though. Basically my same thoughts about the new Fantastic Creatures movies.