MOVIE TITLE: Max Winslow and the House of Secrets
RATING: PG
LENGTH: 1 hour, 38 minutes
Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+
IN A NUTSHELL:
Directed by Emmy Award-winning editor Sean Olson, this family-friendly film features five teenagers who compete to win a mansion owned by an eccentric billionaire with secrets. It’s a clean Young Adult thriller that feels a bit like a new generation combination of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory meets and Escape Room with a sweet The Breakfast Club message.
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
- It’s really great to have a spooky movie for families instead of yet one more super bloody horror film.
- Virtue
- Honesty
- There are some spooky moments but nothing super scary for most kids. One of the teen plays video games with scary creatures he has to kill though.
THEMES:
- “It doesn’t work unless all things work together.” – Max Winslow (Sydne Mikelle)
- Have the courage to be the real you
- We can all be a little better
THINGS I LIKED:
- The house has some cool, high-tech features.
- Fun fact: the high school scenes were filmed at Bentonville High School in Northwest Arkansas with the real students from the school.
- Each of the teenagers has a clear personality, so it’s easy to see their flaws and the important lessons they learn.
- If you enjoy solving puzzles and riddles, you’ll get a kick out of some of the challenges.
- The humor doesn’t always land but it’s nice that they tried.
- Keep watching after what you think is the last scene.
- It feels timely and relevant.
- There is a youthful vibe to it that reminded me of the Goosebumps
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
- Some of the acting moments were cringeworthy.
- That “artificial life form” knight in armor looked an awful lot like a guy in a costume.
- The lights in the mansion are turned off during the majority of the movie so the scenes will look really dark when viewing the film on small devices during streaming.
- There are some really lame lines.
INTERESTING LINES:
- “I’d rather you hate the real me than love a total lie.” – Connor Lawson (Tanner Buchanan)
- “Forgiving me won’t change what happened but it could change what will happen to you.” – Will Winslow (Chuch Mere)
- “If technology can create a problem, then why shouldn’t we let it create a solution?” – Atticus Virtue (Chad Michael Murray)
OTHER MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
WATCH THE Movie Review Mom YOUTUBE REVIEW WITH THIS LINK:
@TrinaBoice
New contest announced!
It’s time for another fun contest with prizes! Every month, everyone who posts a comment...