Sean Richard McCarthy I was skeptical about watching this movie, as although I really enjoy children's movies, this one LOOKED like it might be a bit too childish. But to my surprise, there is quite a story to it, for the young and old! Matt Weinberg is one of the most charming little actors I have ever seen! The movie, of course, consists of many magic tricks, which makes it very pleasant to watch. There is also familiar music, that is so entertaining! Give it chance, especially if you have to entertain the wee little ones :)

Woodyanders Mysterious reclusive magician the Great Zamboni (an excellent performance by Ben Kingsley) and his pet jaguar Shadow reside by themselves in the Spooky House, an old mansion that's rigged with magic tricks and hidden chambers. Young orphan Max (an appealing portrayal by Max Weinberg) attempts to befriend the gruff and unsociable Zamboni. When a trio of bullies who work for eccentric local crime queen Boss (robustly essayed with lip-smacking hammy relish by Mercedes Ruehl) chase Max and his friends into the Spooky House on Halloween, a night of hilarious magic and amazing illusions ensues. Director William Sachs, who also co-wrote the pleasant script with his wife Margaret, relates the entertaining at a brisk pace, maintains a winning good-natured tone throughout, offers plenty of amusingly goofy and inoffensive humor, and neatly evokes a playful ooga-booga Halloween atmosphere. However, it's the relationship that develops between Max and Zamboni that gives this film a tremendous amount of heart and warmth, thereby making it quite special and moving (the upbeat ending in particular is simply lovely). Jason Fuchs, Ronald Joshua Scott, Simon Baker, and Chaz Monet do solid and engaging work as Max's loyal friends. A pre-"Ginger Snaps" Katharine Isabelle has a ball as mean head bully Mona. The groovy soundtrack, Thomas Burstyn's sharp cinematography, and Gary Schyman's lively score are all up to par. A nice little movie.

k m This is the worst movie that I have ever seen. The only reason I give it a 2 rather than a 1 is that my nephew thought parts of it were funny. Afterwards he gave the movie an 8, but on further questioning, movies that he liked got a 10 and movies that he didn't like got an 8. I watched this movie with my brother, sister-in-law, nephew and Mom. None of us, other than my nephew, could believe how stupid it was. Parts of it did not make any sense. The plot was predictable. The acting was less than stellar. I can't imagine why Ben Kingsley made this movie. He must have needed some extra cash. Kids movies are often unrealistic, and one just enjoys them for the fun of it, but the only fun we got out of this was laughing in disbelief at how bad this movie was. There were several "pee" jokes, and we had to spend the next few days listening to my nephew scream "I gotta pee!" over and over again. This movie might be okay for young kids, but will NOT be fun for the whole family.

msgwenn Spooky House is one of the best children's movies I have seen in a long time. The actors are wonderful! The special effects are fantastic. Max and The Great Zamboni have a special relationship that tugs at the heart strings. A must for every family to see.