October is here. Kids have settled into their school routine, the foliage will soon turn colors and an entire fresh set of movies will be gracing the silver screen for our enjoyment. Halloween always means that suspense, horror and thrill will be making its way to the big screen and this October will be no different.
On Oct. 16, director Rob Letterman finally brings Goosebumps to life with his live action/computer animated adaption starring none other than Jack Black, who is luminous in this role as the author of the original Goosebumps books, R.L. Stine. He has already been nominated for two Best actor Golden Globes in comedic roles for School of Rock and Bernie. Dylan Minnette plays Zach Cooper, a young teenager who has recently moved to the town of Greendale, MD. His peculiar and elusive neighbor, R.L. Stine (Black) has a daughter, Hannah, played by Odeya Rush, whom he instantly is drawn to.
One night, Zach and a friend investigate his mysterious neighbor’s house to learn what makes him tick. To their incredulity and enchantment, they discover dozens of original manuscripts from the Goosebumps series, each locked with its own skeleton key. Curiosity gets the best of them, and the teens misguidedly open each manuscript, not realizing the magnitudes of their actions.
Hannah and her father find out swiftly what transpired and Black’s character calmly tells them that the scary monsters and creatures from his books aren’t real as long as they are locked up carefully by the key in their original manuscripts. By the boys unlocking them, they have unleashed all of the horror, including Slappy the Dummy, the Giant Mantises, Murder the Clown, the Mummy and many more. The only way to stop these monsters from wreaking havoc on the town is to re-trap them within their original books by exploiting their weaknesses.
Goosebumps is fun, action-packed and creepy all at once. It is rated PG, runs 103 minutes and is definitely a must for Goosebumps fans everywhere and anyone who loves a good laugh. As for Black, well he is back. I highly praise this movie for families for Halloween season.
If you’re an avid movie goer, consider enrolling in AMC Loews STUB rewards program. It is 12 for the year, but you earn $10 back for every $100 you spend. Members also receive special promotions at the concession stand and on Tuesdays, box office prices are half off for members only. So dig out your warmer clothing, put the rake down and get your popcorn ready. It’s movie time.
