Bumblebee’s on a mission to protect Earth and its people in the new official trailer for the Transformers spinoff. Paramount Pictures’ full trailer shows a teenager (played by Hailee Steinfeld) learning about the true nature of a rundown Volkswagen bug. The latest trailer also provides a glimpse at the action, the effects, and first time live-action feature film director Travis Knight’s vision for what a Michael Bay-less Transformers film will look like.
Knight’s the CEO of Laika Entertainment and is best known for directing the critically acclaimed animated film, Kubo and the Two Strings, which was nominated for two Oscars (Best Achievement in Visual Effects, Best Animated Feature Film of the Year). Bumblebee marks the first film of the Transformers franchise not directed by Michael Bay, however he remained involved as a producer. Lorenzo di Bonaventura also served as a producer, with Steven Spielberg, Brian Goldner, Chris Brigham, and Mark Vahradian executive producing.
The cast includes Hailee Steinfeld (Edge of Seventeen), Pamela Adlon (Better Things), John Cena (Trainwreck), Stephen Schneider (Broad City), and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (Spider-Man: Homecoming). Jason Drucker (Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul), John Ortiz (The Cloverfield Paradox), Kenneth Choi (American Crime Story), Ricardo Hoyos (DeGrassi: Next Class), Abby Quinn (The Sisterhood of the Night), Rachel Crow (Deidra & Laney Rob a Train), and Grace Dzienny (Zoo) also star in the 2018 big-budget action film inspired by the popular transforming Hasbro toys.
Paramount Pictures has set a December 21, 2018 theatrical release date.
The Bumblebee Plot:
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.
Syfy’s popular reimagining of the Van Helsing legend returns for its third season on Sunday, October 5, 2018 at 10pm. Van Helsing stars Kelly Overton as Vanessa Van Helsing, a descendant of the vampire slayer and the one person who may be able to stop the vampires from completely annihilating all humans.
Season two revealed the blood of “the first” flows through Vanessa and her sister Scarlett’s veins. When Vanessa is revived by an elder, she wakes and her eyes glow crimson. What will that mean for season three? Van Helsing star Kelly Overton discussed what’s in store for the new season while at the San Diego Comic Con.
How do think the tone compares to the previous two seasons? Is it going to get darker?
Kelly Overton: “Definitely darker. I think the show thrives on being dark. There’s so much to explore going darker and darker, not just as the show in general, but when we kind of delve more into different kinds of vampires. Which you see a lot more this year. We introduce vampires that my character especially gets to interact with, more with the vampires than with the humans, which was very interesting. And for my character in particular, yeah, things get dark. […] She starts really struggling with the transformation inside with the blood lust.”
Did you know all along that this was going to be the end game, that your character would have that transformation?
Kelly Overton: “No. I mean, I wondered. I thought, ‘Where can they take my character?’ I think everybody fears being a vampire at some point. Like season one, it was like no one wants to go through all that makeup, right? And then everybody who’s actually done it says it was so worth it and amazing to be able to play that kind of character. So, I always wondered how much I would start to dabble and where they would take me with that.”
Does it tap into her darker side?
Kelly Overton:“Definitely, yeah.”
Not that she was a light character in the first place.
Kelly Overton: “No, no. She’s written pretty dark, you know? That being said, I’ve always tried to bring the humanity to her because it is a very dark show. It’s a genre show and she’s written so dark. I always wanted to seem real.”
What do you want people who haven’t caught on to Van Helsing to know about the series?
Kelly Overton: “I think we’re doing something really cool for the genre that hasn’t been done before that’s worth tuning in and watching. There’s a lot of content out there right now of strong female-led shows. This one in particular I think deals with some…I think it’s different and interesting because it deals with a lot of pain and loss and grief and darkness. And my character, the main character, is really flawed.
I just think it’s a really cool kick-ass show. And if you like to see women kick ass and you like the genre, then it’s the show for you.”
Kelly Overton as Vanessa Van Helsing in ‘Van Helsing’ season 3 episode 1 (Photo by: Dan Power/Nomadic Pictures Inc./SYFY)
What’s it going to be like for your character when she’s reunited with her crew?
Kelly Overton: “She’s not reunited with everybody, so I’ll say that. I would love for her to be reunited with everybody! I’m like, ‘Can’t I go back to the hospital?’ I love the hospital. But, the show is going in some really cool directions.
What’s it going to be like when she’s reunited with Scarlett? That relationship takes some really interesting turns. Yeah, it’s trying to figure out how…I’m trying not to give away spoilers but we do end up together again for a while. We have to really face our past together.”
You missed Comic Con last year and you were pregnant but you shot some scenes from season two. How was that?
Kelly Overton: “I shot a lot of scenes.”
Was it the majority of the season?
Kelly Overton: “Oh yeah. When we started shooting I was five months pregnant and I shot through five, six, and seven. It was amazing. You know, I’ve been physically fit my whole life and so when you become pregnant, you don’t have to stop doing what you normally do. So, I was able to box. I mean, safely, and still work out. I was able to do a lot of the action and fights. I obviously had to use a stunt double for some stuff and they had to get creative with my wardrobe and how they shot.
I felt actually really empowered. Being the star of a strong female-empowered show and being pregnant, I almost wish they would have written it in. I tried. I tried so hard! It would be so bad-ass having me with guns and a belly.”
Who would you have wanted the father to be?
Kelly Overton: “It could have been who knows? Did they impregnate her? Is it the next savior or is it the destroyer? Do we kill it? What do we do?
Anyway, but yeah, so I was pregnant but I did do a lot. It was an amazing experience working pregnant. Challenging, no doubt. Someone mentioned how nasty we get and there’s so much mud in season two, a ton of rain, cold, but all that stuff – it just works. You’re in hard circumstances as the characters and it just works. And then with the death of Dylan in season two and being pregnant – that’s when I had that big scream, that big grief scream when she died. I was pregnant during that and it was amazing. Being pregnant just really enriched everything for me. (Laughing) I recommend it.”
The CW’s Riverdale season two put Archie and his friends through hell, and season three will most likely be just as trauma-inducing for the show’s characters. Season three episode one will premiere on October 10, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT. The first episode’s titled “Labor Day” and is directed by Kevin Sullivan from a script by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.
The cast of season three includes KJ Apa as Archie Andrews, Lili Reinhart as Betty Cooper, Camila Mendes as Veronica Lodge, and Cole Sprouse as Jughead Jones. Madelaine Petsch is Cheryl Blossom, Marisol Nichols is Hermione Lodge, Mӓdchen Amick is Alice Cooper, and Luke Perry is Fred Andrews. The third season also stars Ashleigh Murray as Josie McCoy, Casey Cott as Kevin Keller, Mark Consuelos as Hiram Lodge, Skeet Ulrich as FP Jones,Charles Melton as Reggie Mantle, and Vanessa Morgan as Toni Topaz.
The “Chapter Thirty-Six: Labor Day” Plot: AND THE VERDICT IS… — As the jury begins deliberations in his murder trial, Archie (Apa) makes a surprising request about how he wants to spend his final days of summer. Betty (Reinhart) is forced to deal with her problems head-on after a heated confrontation with Alice (Amick) and Polly (guest star Tiera Skovbye) brings up some dark secrets she’s kept hidden. Veronica (Mendes) pleads with Hiram (Consuelos) to step in and help Archie before a verdict is announced. Finally, Jughead (Sprouse) leads the Serpents against the Ghoulies latest attack.
Garret Dillahunt as John Dorie and Colman Domingo as Victor Strand in ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ season 4 episode 15 (Photo Credit: Ryan Green/AMC)
AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead season four episode 14 left off with Jim (Aaron Stanford) bit and Morgan (Lennie James) questioning his own judgement and ability to lead. Elsewhere, Charlie (Alexa Nisenson) and Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) stumbled upon the flooded road by John and Strand on their search for a beach.
Season four episode 15 begins with Sarah (Mo Collins), Wendell (Daryl Mitchell), Luciana (Danay Garcia), Jim, Morgan, and June (Jenna Elfman) stuck on the roof of the hospital. June tries to raise Al on the radio but she’s not responding. Jim’s his normal negative self and the group seems ready for him to turn into a walker so that they don’t have to listen to him whine anymore.
Morgan refuses to lead the group and June gets frustrated.
Charlie and Alicia call out to John (Garret Dillahunt) and Strand (Colman Domingo) who are stunned they’ve been found. Alicia’s all smiles as she looks across the flooded road, and then she too is stunned when she hears June’s voice calling out for Al over the radio. Alicia tells June she and Charlie have found John and Strand, and June is rendered speechless.
Morgan takes over the radio, informing her he got the group stuck on the top of a hospital. Alicia promises she’s going to get John and Strand to safety and then she’ll mount a rescue. Morgan has a renewed sense of purpose and thinks he knows how to get off the roof.
Meanwhile, John doesn’t think Charlie and Alicia are coming back. He doesn’t believe they can find a way to cross the river. Strand, however, is optimistic. Strand points out that Alicia seems to have forgiven Charlie since they’re out there working together, and that’s a good sign that anything is possible.
Back at the hospital Jim stands on the edge of the roof and Morgan thinks he’s going to jump. He’s not. He’s on the edge so that he can piss on the walkers down below. Morgan explains they’re going to try to get to Al who’s trapped in the hospital. He needs Jim’s help but it doesn’t sound like he’s going to get it.
Sarah wants Jim’s beer recipe, acknowledging that he’s a jerk but that his beer is exceptionally good. Jim admits his beer is what this world needs, but he doesn’t hand over the recipe.
Alicia and Charlie look through the town for a boat. They find a canoe but fail to see an injured Martha (Tonya Pinkins) stumbling toward them. She fires a shot but, fortunately, it misses. Charlie and Alicia duck for cover as Martha rails against them for helping Morgan’s group. Alicia offers to help her, but Martha claims she doesn’t need help. She falls over in mid-sentence, unconscious, disproving her claim. Alicia and Charlie realize she’s the woman from the walkie-talkie.
Lennie James, Danay Garcia, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, Mo Collins, and Jenna Elfman in ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ season 4 episode 15 (Photo Credit: Ryan Green/AMC)
Morgan’s gang makes it down to Al’s floor in the elevator. The walkers seem to have disappeared and the group solidifies their plan to find Al and head back to the elevator. They discover part of the ceiling came down on the batch of walkers on that floor. They then discover other walkers who Al must have taken out.
They enter the room with the generators, but Al doesn’t respond when they call out. Instead, she left behind a message. Her walkie died and she’s heading to the freight elevator. If she dies, she wants them to make copies of her tapes. She also wants them to kill Martha if they find her. (Al obviously hasn’t gotten over Martha stealing her van.)
John and Strand hear something big heading their way and it turns out Alicia and Charlie have taken over Al’s van. They’re able to easily make it through the flooded road, and even the newly pessimistic John manages a smile.
Martha’s in the back of the van, still unconscious.
Back at the hospital, Morgan discovers another route to the freight elevator. Morgan tells his group to go, but he’s going to stay behind to create a distraction so they can escape. He believes he got them into this predicament and owes it to them to get them out of it. They reluctantly agree to leave him behind.
Morgan makes it back up to the roof, dragging a walker. Jim makes a snide comment and Morgan tries to enlist him to help with the distraction. He declines, again.
John calls for Morgan but June responds. John assures her he’s good now that he’s heard her voice, and he’s overcome with emotion. June smiles as they talk, explaining her situation. John lets June know they’re on their way.
June’s group makes it to the street where walkers eagerly await their next meal right outside the hospital gate. Morgan radios them that he needs a minute to create the distraction.
Martha wakes up, angry they helped her. She wanted to be left behind. (They should have granted her wish.)
Morgan dangles the walker over the edge of the roof and then tosses him onto a vehicle parked below. The car alarm sounds and the walkers stumble off to check it out. He then radios his group to get going. June doesn’t want to leave without him, but he explains the power’s out and he can’t make it down. He confesses he has things to make up for and if he gets her back to John, that’s making up for something.
The siren winds down and the walkers are right on the ambulance the group escapes into when June is forced to get inside the vehicle and leave with the group.
It’s just Morgan and Jim now, and Jim thinks Morgan’s taken the easy way out by remaining behind. “Death is a certainty. Getting out from under the sh*t you’ve done isn’t,” says Jim.
Jim asks Morgan to kill him before he turns. Morgan agrees, and then he and Jim hear a noise from down below. The gang’s returned and June radios they’re not leaving him behind. Morgan responds by telling them to get to safety. John speaks up and confirms to Morgan there’s no way he’s going to leave him high and dry.
John explains he was trapped on an island by a massive alligator, drove there in a SWAT van, and stitched up a woman who tried to kill all his friends. “Seems like anything’s possible,” he says.
Alicia’s next on the radio and she says she’s in position. They are all there ready to help, and Morgan can’t believe they’re risking their lives for him. June tells him that despite what he might believe, they need him.
Morgan looks down on the street and discovers they’ve found a fire engine. It has a generator and they begin raising the ladder toward the roof. It’s short of the roof by a couple of stories, but Morgan spots a rope to lower himself down to another ledge. He tells Jim to join him, unwilling to leave him behind. Jim doesn’t want to go and finally Morgan apologizes. Jim doesn’t exactly accept it but does remind Morgan that by delaying he’s putting his friends in jeopardy.
As Morgan makes it to the lower level a walker breaks through a glass door and attacks him. Fortunately, John’s able to shoot him from the ground.
Alicia, Luciana, and June work on keeping the area clear of walkers during the rescue operation.
The ladder’s still a fair distance away and Morgan’s forced to leap to it. He makes it and John calls for everyone to return to the vehicle. They make it to the roof of the fire truck and are soon surrounded by walkers.
Sarah radios Wendell to make sure he’s okay inside the SWAT van. He is, but it’s also surrounded by walkers wanting in. It’s only a few feet away but the path to it isn’t clear. Morgan volunteers to hop down and create yet another distraction so everyone can return to the van. However, before he can sacrifice himself Jim radios that he’s got this.
Jim has decided how he’s going to go. He gives Sarah his recipe before making his final move. He instructs her to put the walkie up to her ear so no one can hear the final ingredient, and she smiles when he reveals what it is.
Jim walks to the edge of the roof and falls off. He lands on a car and the siren draws the walkers away.
When the group open the back of the van, Martha’s disappeared. They don’t look for her and instead head out, reunited at last. Sarah wants to know what they should name the beer. They decide on Jimbo’s Beerbos, although they’re pretty sure Jim wouldn’t approve.
June holds John’s hand and he smiles. She asks Morgan where they’re going and they discuss options. The hurricane left a lot of damage in its wake, so many of the nearby cities are out as potential temporary homes. Morgan says he told Jim about Virginia, just as he told the rest of the group. He wants them all to head there now together.
Back outside the hospital, Martha’s still alive and she writes on Jim’s face in a marker. He changes into a walker and Martha says to him, “You’re strong now. Let’s go make him strong too.”
Jack Black stars in ‘The House With A Clock In Its Wall’ (Photo Credit: Universal Pictures)
Two new releases tanked and The Predator took a nose dive from 1st place, however The House with a Clock in Its Walls exceeded its opening weekend expectations to take the top spot on the September 21-23 box office chart. Moviegoers all but ignored both Life Itself and Assassination Nation over their first weekends in theaters. In fact, Life Itself now has the dubious honor of snagging second place on the worst opening weekend chart for films opening in 2,500+ theaters (according to Box Office Mojo).
In an otherwise dismal weekend in theaters, The House with a Clock in Its Wall was the one bright spot. The PG-rated, kid-friendly fantasy film rang up $24 million while earning positive reviews from paying audiences (a B+ average on Cinemascore). Budgeted at $40 million-ish, The House with a Clock in Its Walls currently sits at 68% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Up next: Lionsgate’s getting an early jump on Halloween with the horror film Hell Fest launching in theaters on September 28th. Fans of Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart will be able to check out Night School also on September 28th. However, House‘s biggest competition for family audiences will come from Warner Bros Pictures’ animated comedy, Smallfoot.
The House with a Clock in Its Walls Plot: 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, from Amblin Entertainment. 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 when Lewis accidentally awakens the dead.
Reynaud (Adam Reed), Doudou, Charlotte Vandertunt (Judy Greer), Malory Archer (Jessica Walter), Crackers (Lucky Yates), Noah (David Cross), Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin), and Pam Poovey (Amber Nash) in ‘Archer’ season 9 (Photo Credit: FXX)
FX Networks will be bringing fan favorite Archer and the new series What We Do in the Shadows to the New York Comic Con. Archer season 10 will be closing out this year’s NYCC with with a panel on Sunday, October 7th at 4:30pm ET. What We Do in the Shadows will present their first NYCC on October 7th at 12pm.
Archer cast members expected to attend include H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell, Amber Nash and Lucky Yates. What We Do in the Shadows, based on the critically acclaimed film of the same name, will be represented by Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi and Paul Simms. Clement and Waititi co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in the 2014 theatrical release. Simms worked with Clement and Waititi on Flight of the Conchords.
FX’s New York Comic Con Panels:
What We Do in the Shadows – Sunday, October 7, 2018 / 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. in the Hammerstein Ballroom
Based on the classic cult film of the same name, FX presents an exclusive screening of its new vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows, followed by a spirited discuss ion with Executive Producers Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi and Paul Simms. Set in Staten Island, What We Do in the Shadows follows three vampires who have been roommates for hundreds and hundreds of years. Following the screening, fans will have a chance to hear directly from the producers about the unending ennui of everyday immortal life that mere humans take for granted. The series will debut on FX in Spring 2019.
Archer – Sunday, October 7, 2018 / 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. in the Hammerstein Ballroom Archer is FXX’s Emmy Award-winning, animated comedy that, in its upcoming 10th season, centers around the spaceship M/V Seamus as Archer, Lana, and the rest of the crew explore deep space and try to outsmart space princes, intergalactic pirates and vicious bounty hunters. Come see a not-to-be-missed exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming season and then join the voice cast of H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell, Amber Nash and Lucky Yates, plus Executive Producer Matt Thompson as they discuss bringing this animated series from script to screen.
Annapurna Pictures has released the final official trailer for The Brothers Sisters, fresh off its festival debut. The Western’s based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Patrick deWitt and was directed by Jacques Audiard (Rust and Bone, A Prophet) from a script he co-wrote with Thomas Bidegain.
Writer/director Jacques Audiard earned the coveted Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival for his work on the dark comedy. The Western also competed in the Best Film category in Venice, and was nominated in the People’s Choice Special Presentation category at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The cast includes Joaquin Phoenix (Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot), John C. Reilly (Kong: Skull Island), Jake Gyllenhaal (Nocturnal Animals, Stronger), and Riz Ahmed (The Night Of). The cast also features Carol Kane (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Rutger Hauer (Channel Zero).
Pascal Caucheteux, Michael De Luca, Alison Dickey, Megan Ellison, Michel Merkt, John C. Reilly, and Grégoire Sorlat served as producers. The behind the scenes team includes director of photography Benoît Debie, editor Juliette Welfling, production designer Michel Barthélémy, and costume designer Milena Canonero.
The Sisters Brothers opens in limited release on September 21, 2018.
The Sisters Brothers Plot:
“From acclaimed director Jacques Audiard, and based on the novel by Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers is a reimagining of the cinematic Western as a dangerous, witty, and emotionally cathartic exploration of what it means to be a man.
It is 1851, and Charlie and Eli Sisters (Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly) are both brothers and assassins, boys grown to men in a savage and hostile world. They have blood on their hands: that of criminals, that of innocents…and they know no state of existence other than being gunmen. The older of the two, introspective Eli (Reilly) rides hard with his younger sibling yet dares to dream of a normal life. The younger of the two, hard-drinking Charlie (Phoenix) has taken charge with gusto as lead man on the duo’s assignments. Each increasingly questions, and quibbles with, the other’s methods.
The Sisters brothers find themselves on a journey through the Northwest, bringing them to the mountains of Oregon, a dangerous brothel in the small town of Mayfield, and eventually, the Gold Rush land of California – a journey that will test the deadly family ties that bind. But, can it also be the path to rediscovering what remains of their humanity?
The Sisters Brothers also stars Jake Gyllenhaal as learned scout John Morris, and Riz Ahmed as fugitive chemist Hermann Kermit Warm.”
Season four of The CW’s The Flash ended with Barry and Iris shocked to discover they have a daughter named Nora. Not only that, she’s all grown up and visiting them from the future.
Season five episode one premieres on October 9, 2018 and kicks off the season with an episode titled “Nora.” David McWhirter directed the season premiere from a script by Todd Helbing and Sam Chalsen.
The Flash season five cast includes Grant Gustin as Barry Allen/The Flash, Tom Cavanagh as Harrison Wells, Danielle Panabaker as Caitlin Snow, Carlos Valdes as Cisco, Candice Patton as Iris West, and Jesse L Martin as Joe West. The cast also includes Hartley Sawyer as Ralph Dibny, Jessica Parker Kennedy as Nora West-Allen, and Danielle Nicolet as Cecile Horton.
The “Nora” Plot: GETTING RID OF EXCESS — After an unexpected guest from the future, Nora West-Allen (Parker Kennedy), appears at their home, Barry (Gustin) and Iris (Patton,) must figure out how to get her back to the future without disrupting the timeline…even more than she already has. Team Flash must work together to send Nora back, while simultaneously fighting off another villainous meta.
‘Live PD’ Host Dan Abrams, Guest Analyst Sean “Sticks” Larkin, and Analyst Tom Morris Jr. (Photo by A&E 2017)
A&E Network’s super popular cop show, Live PD, has been given an order for 150 additional episodes. The series follows officers from multiple police departments (including K9 officers) across the United States and airs in real time.
“Live PD has tapped into the cultural zeitgeist in ways we never imaged. Our viewers are passionate and are truly engaged with the show. In fact, they have helped law enforcement agencies find missing children and wanted fugitives,” said Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming for A&E. “We want to extend our thanks to our loyal viewers who have dubbed themselves the ‘Live PD Nation,’ along with the communities and law enforcement agencies that have welcomed our cameras into their neighborhoods. The team at Big Fish Entertainment, along with our incredible on-air talent and studio and field crews have masterfully produced a technically challenging show week after week.”
The extended episode order takes the series into 2019. The third series kicks off on September 21, 2018 at 9pm ET/PT.
Live PD‘s been a ratings bonanza for A&E, with the series growing 150% in viewers since its launch in 2016.
“A&E has been an incredible partner in allowing us to stretch the legs of this growing franchise and, with the scale of this order, to push the envelope of broader access and understanding of law enforcement for viewers,” said executive producer and Big Fish President Dan Cesareo.
The series is hosted by Dan Abrams who’s joined to discuss what’s going on out in the field each episode by Tom Morris Jr. and Sgt. Sean ‘Sticks’ Larkin. Each episode also features special “Missing” segments that call upon viewers to keep an eye out for missing children. The series also features “Wanted” segments focusing on suspects being sought by the police.
The Live PD Series Details:
“Live PD showcases the policing of America, following diverse police departments from across the country in real time as they patrol their communities. Using dash cams along with fixed rig and handheld cameras, the series captures the work of a varied mix of urban and rural police forces on a typical Friday and Saturday night.
Abrams, Morris and Larkin guide viewers through the night giving insight to what audiences are seeing in real time, bouncing between the featured police departments and offering an inside look at each live episode. Live PD also features law enforcement officers from the series who appear in-studio as guest analysts to provide additional commentary.
Among the agencies “Live PD” will be following at the beginning of season three are the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, the El Paso Police Department, the Warwick Police Department, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, the Mission Police Department, the Salinas Police Department and the Nye County Sheriff’s Office.”
“You’ve told Lewis everything?” asks Mrs. Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), “Well, not everything,” replies Jonathan Barnavelt (Jack Black) who’s taken in his young nephew, Lewis (Owen Vaccaro), after the death of his parents in the fantasy film The House with a Clock in its Walls.
When Lewis arrives to live with Jonathan he’s feeling lost and misses his family terribly. He begins to feel even worse when he hears from a classmate that his uncle’s house is nicknamed “The Slaughterhouse.” But it’s when Lewis tries to run away that he learns the truth: his uncle is really a warlock and their next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, is a witch.
Surprised and excited to learn that magic is real, Lewis begs his uncle to teach him to be a warlock. After a very brief period of resistance, Jonathan gives in and begins to teach Lewis all about magic.
It turns out to be a good move because the house does have a dark secret. An evil warlock owned the house before Jonathan and hid a clock somewhere in the walls. When the clock finally counts down to zero, something terrible will happen. So, it’s up to Jonathan, Lewis, and Mrs. Zimmerman to work together to find the clock and stop it before time runs out.
Directed by Eli Roth, best known for gory horror films including Cabin Fever and Green Inferno, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a silly, and at times creepy, film aimed at children between the ages of seven and 12, with its juvenile humor and simple plot.
Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, and Jack Black in ‘The House with a Clock in Its Walls’ (Photo Credit: Universal Pictures)
Jack Black is his usual comedic and outlandish self, toned down a bit for a PG rating. He portrays Uncle Jonathan as an inept warlock and an even worse uncle. However, his one saving grace is he does truly care about his nephew’s safety. Most of Black’s one-liners, along with the weird faces he makes, should have the younger audience members laughing. Adults will most likely be rolling their eyes.
Cate Blanchett is solid as Mrs. Zimmerman, Jonathan’s best friend and next-door neighbor who quickly begins to care about Lewis and is anxious for him to learn the truth about the house and to master magic. The insulting one-liners Mrs. Zimmerman and Jonathan toss back and forth at each other are perfect examples of the immature writing in the script which shows just what age group the film is definitely targeting.
The special effects, set design, and look of the film are unimpressive and the tone gets far too dark at times for its core audience.
The House with a Clock in Its Walls sadly never creates the wonder and excitement of magic that it so clearly yearns to. Feel free to disappear out of the theater to avoid this one.
GRADE: C-
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements including sorcery, some action, scary images, rude humor and language
