The Spiderwick Chronicles

The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008) follows three siblings who move into an old house in Michigan. In the attic they find a book: Arthur Spiderwick's field guide to hidden creatures. It was never meant to be opened, and the moment it is, the invisible world around the house comes for them. The source is the five book children's series by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. The film compresses all five into one, which explains both its speed and its gaps. Freddie Highmore plays two roles, the twins Jared and Simon. They share scenes, and because the characters are written as opposites, one angry and one mild, the trick is visible without being tiring. Mark Waters directed. Mary-Louise Parker and Nick Nolte appear, with Seth Rogen and Martin Short among the voices. It runs 95 minutes. Good for: children's fantasy, adventure confined to a house, and readers of the books. Less good for: some creatures are genuinely frightening for younger children and the threat scenes are harsh. Squeezing five books together flattens the supporting characters, and the divorce subplot starts without ever finishing.