The House with a Clock in Its Walls This movie is very entertaining. The camera work is brilliant and the sets are beautifully decorated to give a very homely feeling. Mythological horror aspects like pumpkin ghosts and general superstitions are very effectively portrayed in the sense that they contribute to a great deal of humor as well as horror. Jack Black is brilliant - you can see how seasoned he is by how well he plays the role of Uncle Jonathan. Cate Blanchett is also brilliant and captured my eye from the first moment I saw her in the movie. Her character is one that really stands out. The boy, Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) can be a bit annoying sometimes. It felt to me that I could feel sympathy for him and his situation, yet he occasionally delivers an annoying factor to the mix of characters in the sense that he whines about certain things.
Having studied mythology and symbolism myself, I must say that the use of occult symbols in this movie might seem a bit over the top. The hexagram (one of the oldest occult symbols in history) with the eye of providence situated within it is blatantly portrayed, as well as pentagrams, inverted crosses and other occult related symbols. I'm not a person who sees the devil behind every rock, but I know enough about symbolism to know that any symbol resonates a certain energy field. This energy field can contribute negative energy to its viewer which can lead to the person feeling uncomfortable. I think that the use of these occult symbols can effect children very negatively, since the movie gives the idea from the very beginning that it is a fantasy movie for children. Then again: it depends on what you as the viewer make of it.
I enjoyed this movie - it is very entertaining and has some good humor, but is dangerous is a certain sense. A children's movie that is not suitable for children.