The House With a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

IMDb plot summary: A young orphan named Lewis Barnavelt aids his magical uncle in locating a clock with the power to bring about the end of the world.

Directed by Eli Roth. Starring Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, and Owen Vaccaro.

The House With a Clock in Its Walls is a fantastical children's movie about a young boy who goes to live with his mysterious wizard uncle, played by Jack Black, after his parents’ death. He struggles to make friends in school, however, and ultimately he makes some decisions in search of popularity that cause some serious magical chaos. I'm a little surprised it didn't take off more than it did. Yes, it's a little similar to other magical wizard children's stories, but it's heartfelt and charming, even if it does have a clear children's veneer of hopefulness and cuteness. Kyle McLaughlin is the big bad is an absolute delight, and the cast as a whole isn't afraid to let this be the lighthearted cute kids movie that it is. It's not the best kids movie, but it’s certainly enjoyable enough.

How it entered my Flickchart:

The House With a Clock in Its Walls > The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The House With a Clock in Its Walls < Dark Passage

The House With a Clock in Its Walls < Nobody’s Fool

The House With a Clock in Its Walls < The Glass Menagerie (1973)

The House With a Clock in Its Walls < 12 Angry Men (1997)

The House With a Clock in Its Walls > The Lair of the White Worm

The House With a Clock in Its Walls > The Cable Guy

The House With a Clock in Its Walls < The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

The House With a Clock in Its Walls > Gold Diggers of 1933

The House With a Clock in Its Walls > Jeff, Who Lives At Home

The House With a Clock in Its Walls > The Mummy (1999)

The House With a Clock in Its Walls > The Wrestler

Final spot: #1821 out of 3852, or 53%.