The Spiderwick Chronicles (Widescreen Edition) | 
 enlarge | Actor: Freddie Highmore
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $34.98
Buy Used: $7.56
You Save: $27.42 (78%)
New (55) Used (39) Collectible (2) from $7.56
Avg. Customer Rating:  79 reviews
Sales Rank: 436
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 101
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.7
MPN: 343284
UPC: 097363432845
EAN: 0097363432845
ASIN: B0017I04RI
Theatrical Release Date: February 14, 2008
Release Date: June 24, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: disc case and artwork cleaned checked and shrinkwraped
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
From the beloved best-selling series of books comes an extraordinary fantasy adventure revealing the unseen world that exists all around us. From the moment the Grace family moves into a secluded old house peculiar things start to happen. Unable to explain the accidents and strange disappearances the Grace children Jared Simon and Mallory start to investigate and find the unbelievable truth of the Spiderwick Estate and the amazing creatures that inhabit it.System Requirements:Running Time: 101 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: PG UPC: 097363432845 Manufacturer No: 343284
Amazon.com
A very good adaptation of the popular series of books by Tony DiTerllizi and Holly Black, The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the few family films in recent years to seamlessly integrate magical elements with a potent drama that will strike a chord with many kids. An exceptionally talented Freddie Highmore (August Rush) plays twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, caught up in a sad shock from their parents' divorce and coping with a decision by their mother (Mary-Louise Parker) to uproot the boys and their sister, Mallory (Sarah Bolger), from New York City to a small town. There, the broken family moves into a spooky old mansion passed on to them by the kids' great-aunt, Lucinda (Joan Plowright), who is spending her twilight years in managed care and whose scientist father, Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn), disappeared some 80 years ago. Jared, angry, defiant, and determined to live with the father who seems to have abandoned him, investigates strange happenings and discovers Arthur's secret notations on fairies, ogres, and other mythical creatures that live both in and outside the house. Having no idea where his curiosity is leading, Jared soon finds that he and his family are under siege from goblins and a powerful ogre (Nick Nolte) who wants Arthur's notebook. Suddenly, the boy who is a lightning rod for a troubled family becomes a resourceful warrior intent on saving his loved ones from powerful forces. The Spiderwick Chronicles benefits enormously from a script (partially written by John Sayles) that treats, quite seriously, the emotional pain of its human characters and makes Jared's will to survive the very real engine of an otherwise fantastic story. It helps, too, that director Mark Waters, who brings a warm and knowing touch to outlandish material (Freaky Friday), has a way of making the spectacular elements of The Spiderwick Chronicles genuine enough to stir real excitement and suspense. This is one of the better film adaptations of best-selling fiction for kids in some years. --Tom Keogh
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 74 more reviews...
 This is the director's idea of an"American" movie - Extremely bad September 6, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The books were wonderful, but the movie was so hard to watch I could barely finish it. The director said he wanted a specifically "American" movie. His idea seems to be screaming bratty kids who can't say a nice word to each other or their mother. A mother who is rude and hateful. The screeching got an my nerves that I was extremely irritated when it was over. I would not recommend this for any kids to watch. An extreme disappointment.
Movie: 3.75/5 Picture Quality: 4~5/5 Sound Quality: 4/5 Extras: 4/5 September 4, 2008
Version: U.S.A / Region Free
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
MPEG-4 AVC BD-50
Running time: 1:35:46
Movie size: 28,352,348,160 bytes
Disc size: 40,970,339,905 bytes
Average video bit rate: 31.03 Mbps
Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz/24-bit) English
DD AC3 5.1 640Kbps French / Spanish
Subtitles: English / English SDH / French / Spanish / Portuguese
#Featurette: "It's All True!" (HD, 7 minutes)
#Featurette: "Meet the Clan!" (HD, 14 minutes)
#Featurette: "Making 'Spiderwick'" (HD, 21 minutes)
#Featurette: "Magic of 'Spiderwick'" (HD, 14 minutes)
#Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guild
#Field Guild: In Movie Mode
#Deleted Scenes (HD, 8 minutes)
#Theatrical Trailers (HD)
#TV Spots (SD)
Entertaining and quick moving. September 4, 2008
I'd give it 3 1/2 stars, but after reading other reviews I'm not sure I want to read the books. The film could've been a bit longer if for no other reason than to provide explanation for some of the odd happenings. And at first, due to the sibling attitudes, I almost turned it off. I'm glad I didn't though as once things started to go "bump" I was hooked. Good story line, nice acting, graphics, and a solid ending. Before I knew it it was finished and I was left wanting more - perhaps I will read the books.
Entertaining! August 25, 2008
Although this movie felt like a knockoff of Harry Potter, I enojyed it!
Freddie Highmore (August Rush) plays twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace who, along with their sister and mother, move to the country to start anew after some major family drama.
When they arrive, Jared is sullen and angry at his mother who he blames for his father bailing on them. But the family drama suddenly takes a backseat when Jared discovers something decidedly "other" is living in the house they inherited from an eccentric old Aunt of their mother's.
When part of the kitchen wall falls down the kids discover a nest in an old dumbwaiter, and when Jared later investigates, he is led to a hidden study of his Aunt's father who died years ago. In it he finds a tome full of gathered information on magical creatures written by his departed great Uncle and, against the dire warnings placed on the outside of the book, he breaks the seal and opens it. A spell is unleashed that leads Jared to discover a magical world full of fairies, goblins and monsters.
One particular monster, THE Ogre of evil Ogres (played by a decidedly ogreish Nick Nolte), is desperate to get his hands on the book, for with the knowledge contained within it, he can destroy the world. Jared, of course, is one smart cookie, and as he and his siblings battle the evil around them, along with the help of a few hapless magical creatures, he not only finds the courage to confront the monsters once thought make believe, but also the ones within himself and within his family.
This movie artfully blends the family drama with magical world crisis without giving up one iota of emotion in either world. I'm really digging Highmore as a child actor and hope to see more from him!
Good for My Kids. August 23, 2008
My kids love this movie and I must say that I enjoyed it as well. It can get a bit scary at times, so I would reccommend it for older children over the age of 8.
|
|
|
