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. 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. Based on the beloved children’s classic book.

What’s up with Jack Black and all these kid friendly films lately? (checking google) Oh, his kids are 10 and 12, so now he’s doing stuff that’s going to appeal to them too. That’s a thing I guess, it’s not like all his previous work was so raunchy that kids could never watch it. On to the film though:

It was fun. No one’s going to write a thousand word essay on how great it was, but it was a fun movie to watch, Jack Black was charming as always and Cate Blanchett was distressingly pretty and stole nearly every scene she was in. I see why she was chosen for the role, but it really felt like she was slumming it here.