Starring: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Kyle MacLachlan and Renee Elise Goldsberry
Running Time: 1 Hour and 45 Minutes
This movie is based on John Bellairs 1970's children's book, "The House With The Clock In Its Walls". He has also written many other scary children's books. (I bet if this movie is successful, they will make more of his books into movies too).
When young Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro) suddenly finds himself an orphan after a tragic car crash kills both of his parents, he is whisked off on a bus by himself to live with his next of kin. He is sent to live with his fathers brother, Johnathon Barnavelt (Jack Black). Uncle Johnathon is not someone that young Lewis is familiar with. Johnathon's unconventional lifestyle is weird and quirky and he lives in a very old and what seems to be haunted house!
There are all kinds of weird goings on at the house and it makes Lewis very uneasy and just plain scared!
Johnathon has absolutely no idea how to be a parent and allows Lewis to do and eat anything and everything that his heart desires. Johnathon has an unusual friendship with a unique woman named Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett). She is very kind and understanding to the young and bewildered Lewis.
Lewis walks himself off to his new school all alone to register and finds he doesn't really fit in with the student-body. He feels like a misfit both at school and at his new place of residence.
As time goes by he is finding more and more creepy goings on at the house! He finds out that Uncle Johnathon is actually a Warlock and that he performs magic in the house too! A clock is constantly ticking but at night, it gets especially loud and no one can seem to find out where the mystery clock really is.
There are many haunted and magical things going on all of the time!
Lewis grows to like both Uncle Johnathon and Florence. He becomes a little more comfortable in the unusual surroundings and also starts to do better at school.
This movie is an intense movie. It has many scary and unusual special effects. I also thought a lot of it was very clever, especially if your are looking for a new and surprising Halloween movie.
Parents be advised: This movie is only rated PG. I honestly believe it should be rated PG-13. I would not recommend it for children under the age of 13. It has some very intense and dark scary scenes. The special effects are realistic and might be too much for young children! I think it could cause them to be uneasy and have nightmares! There was also some mild profanity and a lot of unnecessary bathroom humor. It kind of has the feel of an old-fashioned horror movie complete with sound effects and organ music. Great for teenagers and adults alike. .
I am giving "The House With A Clock In Its Walls" two and a half bags of popcorn.
