Loaded with terrific performances, beautifully rendered CGI creatures, and directed with finesse by Mark Waters (Mean Girls), The Spiderwick Chronicles is a hugely entertaining fantasy film for the whole family (except maybe those under 5 who may be scared silly by Nick Nolte and/or the hideous ogre he plays). While some fantasy films overwhelm the actors with their extensive use of computer generated imagery - the CGI work can overpower the flesh and blood actors, no matter how powerful or engaging the performances - The Spiderwick Chronicles manages to work the CGI creatures seamlessly into the film. The special effects, which are as good as any we’ve seen, never eclipse the film’s human actors. Director Waters and screenwriters Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum, and John Sayles have created a movie that’s very much grounded in reality, as strange as that sounds, even though half of its inhabitants are mythical creatures.

The Story

Fairies, goblins, griffins, and assorted beasties do exist according to the world of The Spiderwick Chronicles. Twins Jared and Simon along with sister Mallory (a whiz with a sword) find out things that go bump in the night can actually do harm when they move into the creaky old house once occupied by their great-great uncle Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn) and his daughter (Joan Plowright).

Arthur Spiderwick spent his adult life investigating and documenting the strange creatures most people have no idea exist. All of his research and hard work is contained in a journal he called Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Jared, the twin who’s always in some kind of trouble, finds the book hidden away in an old trunk while chasing down a noise in the wall. The noise turns out to be a house brownie named Thimbletack (voiced by Martin Short). The honey-loving creature tells Jared to stay away from the book, but his words fall on deaf ears. Although there’s a warning attached to the book, Jared breaks open the sealed volume and dives in, reading the text throughout the night.

This book is so valuable that Arthur was abducted by creatures and kept in a state of suspended animation for decades in order to keep him away from evil goblins, led by the horrible Mulgarath (Nick Nolte), who want to possess its knowledge. If Mulgarath gets his hands on the book, he’ll be able to destroy all the fairies and other extraordinary critters.

The book itself is safe as long as it remains within the protective circle which surrounds the Spiderwick estate. But after Jared’s curiosity gets the best of him, Mulgarath quickly learns Arthur isn’t the only one with complete knowledge of his secret world. Unwittingly, Jared puts his entire family at risk and it’s up to the three Grace kids to outsmart an age-old ogre and restore order to the fairy universe.

The Cast

Freddie Highmore plays both twins and while it must have been a schizophrenic experience figuring out who to be and where to look during filming, the fact it’s the same actor in both roles is, thankfully, in no way distracting. Jared and Simon are the main characters and one or both are on the screen for the majority of the film, and if Highmore pulling double duty was either confusing or too gimmicky, Spiderwick Chronicles would have been just another poor film adaptation of a best-selling book series. But Highmore’s got the talent to make it work and he does so while pulling off a decent American accent.

Highmore’s main support onscreen comes in the form of Sarah Bolger who really brings the put-upon older sister part to life (Bolger has mastered the irritated glare). Strathairn, Plowright, Nolte, and Weeds star Mary-Louise Parker as the mom are all strong in supporting roles. Add in voice work by Martin Short as the honey-chugging angry little Thimbletack and Seth Rogen as Hogsqueal the bird-eating beastie and it’s impossible to find a weak link in the entire group.

The Bottom Line

Family issues such as dealing with divorce and sibling rivalry are just as important to the Spiderwick Chronicles story as the battle between the Grace kids and Mulgarath and his legion of goblins. There are plenty of action sequences to keep the story speeding along, but time’s also taken to develop the characters into real children facing real problems. While real kids don’t have to worry about an ogre breaking into their home or learn how to ride a griffin in order to rescue a long-lost family member, there’s a lot to relate to with the three Grace kids.

Tasked to condense The Spiderwick Chronicles book series into one film, screenwriters Kirkpatrick, Berenbaum, and Sayles were able to remain true to the spirit of Tony DiTerlizzi’s and Holly Black’s kid-friendly books. The movie version of The Spiderwick Chronicles is an engaging, adventurous tale filled with all sorts of intriguing and entertaining characters. It’s one film the entire family can take in together and that’s something you can’t often say. Even those that are supposedly family-friendly productions often play out over the heads of the younger audience or bore adults to tears. Fortunately, The Spiderwick Chronicles does neither.

Rebecca Murray
Hollywood Movies Guide

A young British girl born and reared in India loses her neglectful parents in an earthquake. She is returned to England to live at her uncle’s castle. Her uncle is very distant due to the loss of his wife ten years before. Neglected once again, she begins exploring the estate and discovers a garden that has been locked and neglected. Aided by one of the servants’ boys, she begins restoring the garden, and eventually discovers some other secrets of the manor. Written by Ed Sutton {esutton@mindspring.com}

(more…)

Based on the classic novel by ‘CS Lewis’ . Four London children are sent to a professor’s country home in order for protection during World War II. There they find a magic wardrobe which leads to a mystical land called Narnia, which is being ruled by an evil witch. To defeat the witch, they must join forces with Aslan, the lion God of Narnia. Written by Brett Walter {StreepFan126@cs.com}

(more…)

Centuries ago, in the land of Prydain, a young man named, Taran is given the task of protecting Hen Wen, a magical oracular pig, who knows the location of the mystical black cauldron. This is not an easy task fot The Evil Horned King will stop at nothing to get the cauldron. Written by Kelly

(more…)

Adaptation of the fairy tale of the same name. Princess Aurora is cursed by the evil witch Maleficent - who declares that before Aurora reaches her 16th birthday she will die by a poisoned spinning-wheel. To try to prevent this, the king places her into hiding, in the care of three goodnatured - but not too bright - fairies. Written by Tim Pickett {quetzal@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au}

(more…)

The movie combines a diverting story, songs, color and sequences of live action blended with the movements of animated figures. Mary Poppins is a kind of Super-nanny who flies in with her umbrella in response to the request of the Banks children and proceeds to put things right with the aid of her rather extraordinary magical powers before flying off again. Written by alfiehitchie

Having to leave Melbourne in a hurry to avoid various marriage proposals, two song-and-dance men sign on for work as divers. This takes them to an idyllic island on the way to Bali where they vie with each other for the favours of Princess Lala. The hazardous dive produces a chest of priceless jewels which arouses the less romantic interest of some shady locals. Written by Jeremy Perkins {jwp@aber.ac.uk}

Dr. Stephen Strange embarks on a wondrous journey to the heights of a Tibetan mountain, where he seeks healing at the feet of the mysterious Ancient One. But before his wounds can mend, Strange must first let go of his painful past and awaken a gift granted to very few. The gift of magic. Empowered as the new Sorcerer Supreme, Dr. Strange now tests his limits, rising up against monsters that push at the gates, facing the most terrifying entity humankind has ever known. Written by Marvel Entertainment

(more…)

The story is set in 1890s Siam. Jone Bang Fai (the Fireball Bandit) is a young Muay Thai warrior and rocketry expert who steals back water buffalo taken from poor Isan farmers by unscrupulous cattle raiders. He is also searching for a man with a tattoo who killed his parents.

Meanwhile, a local nobleman, Lord Waeng, wants to create a market for the steam tractors he’s selling. So he hires a hulking convict, “The Thief”, to kill all the cattle traders and round up all the water buffalo for slaughter, depriving farmers of the draft animals they need to cultivate rice. Lord Waeng’s men are eventually pitted against Nai Hoi Sing, a cattle trader with supernatural martial arts powers and a tattoo on his chest. The tattoo gets Jone Bang Fai’s attention, and while the Thief is trying to steal Sing’s cattle herd, Jone Bang Fai tries to attack Sing, but is repelled.

Lord Waeng then enlists Jone Bang Fai in a scheme to defeat Sing. To do so, they also need the help of the Black Wizard, who was once cursed by Sing so that he cannot withstand sunlight. The Black Wizard says the only way to defeat Sing and reverse his spells is to use the menstrual blood of a virgin – the Black Wizard’s daughter, E’Sao.

Arthur and his two children, Kathy and Bobby, inherit his Uncle Cyrus’s estate: a glass house that serves as a prison to 12 ghosts. When the family, accompanied by Bobby’s Nanny and an attorney, enter the house they find themselves trapped inside an evil machine “designed by the devil and powered by the dead” to open the Eye of Hell. Aided by Dennis, a ghost hunter, and his rival Kalina, a ghost rights activist out to set the ghosts free, the group must do what they can to get out of the house alive. Written by RuffJai