The House With a Clock in Its Walls

I liked this movie.   This is a good one for adults to bring older children to.  The younger ones will find it spooky, and both adults and kids will find plenty to chuckle at.  The story centers on nerdish orphan Lewis Barnavelt (Owenn Vaccarro), who comes to live with his very eccentric Uncle Jonathan, played by Jack Black, and his uncle’s mysterious friend, Miss Zimmerman, played by Cate Blanchett.  They live in a deliciously creepy house full of furniture that moves, intriguing objects and secret rooms.  It turns out there is a mysterious clock hidden somewhere in the house, ticking away and counting down, which will cause the destruction of the human race if not found and stopped! Barnavelt discovers his uncle is a warlock and eventually talks him into letting him become an apprentice.  He hopes sorcery and magic will help him win friends. It doesn’t, but he unwittingly brings about impending doom by resurrecting a great evil.  However, his magical assistance to his uncle and his friend helps them face that evil. I loved the word play between Blanchett and Black, who clearly are having a good time making this movie.  Do not go if you are looking for true horror or a great script.  Do go if you want to watch an ambiable family friendly movie that has fun with the John Bellairs 1973 novel.