Review of The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018) by Savannah S — 04 Oct 2018

This review does little justice. As a pretty big nerd for films, this movie was utterly perfect. It had beautiful filming with angled shots and some of the best CGI I've seen in recent years. The CGI ranged from gorgeous images of galaxies and stars in the palm of the actors hands, to the horrifically creepy CGI of monster pumpkins and a particularly creepy effect on the villain of the story. The story itself is marvelous in its show-don't-tell details, allowing fashion choices and facial expressions to tell the story without the actors saying a word. I can't compare it to the book unfortunately, but I'm a strong believer that the books don't matter when it comes to film as it is a separate art form.

All in all, this movie has a perfect blend of horror and comedy. When the darkness of the film gets to be too much, the comedy shows up in perfect time to keep it from getting too dark, and when the comedy gets to be a little too cheesy, and element of horror and darkness hits to keep you in check. Absolutely see this movie if you love magic. If I had to say this were a combination of any other media, I would say take the first Harry Potter film, give it a bit of Tim Burton's humor, and a bit of Lemoney Snicket's, and then a dash of the acting talent of Jack Black and Cate Blanchett. Truly a delight, I'll be watching this movie over and over!