HallowScream - Goosebumps (2015)

       Hey guys, Chuck here. The books series Goosebumps by R. L. Stine are fondly remembered by '90s kids for being spooky stories that weren't specifically nightmare inducing. The books were adapted at the time into a popular Fox Kids television program which featured such actors as Ryan Gosling. So, it should be no surprise that Hollywood would look to adapt the Goosebumps series to the big screen. 

       However, when Sony Pictures announced the choice of director as Rob Letterman and the choice of lead actor as Jack Black, there was understandable concern, as the last film this actor-director worked on was the disastrous disappointment Gulliver's Travels. But, would history repeat itself, or would Jack Black and Rob Letterman turn in a good movie? Let's find out as we look at Goosebumps. 

        So, the movie opens with Gale Cooper and her teenage son Zach, as the two are moving from New York to the small town of Madison, Delaware. In their new house, they are greeted by Gale's sister Lorraine, and Zach meets the neighbors: the reclusive and incredibly suspicious Mr. Shivers and his teenage daughter Hannah, who he keeps inside and doesn't let out of the house. 

        Part of why Gale and Zach moved to Madison is because the local high school needed a new vice-principal, and she ended up getting the job. And, just in time to, as the school was preparing for the upcoming Halloween dance. After school, Zach ends up hanging out with Hannah, but upon their return, Mr. Shivers acts even more suspicious, leading to Zach calling the police on a possible domestic disturbance when he sees the shadows of Hannah and her father. Unfortunately, Mr. Shivers appears to be too slick, and easily gets out of any legal trouble. However, Zach is left home with Lorraine, as Gale is needed to supervise the dance at the high school. 

      Calling in the only new friend he made at school, a nerdy kid named Champ, Zach goes to investigate the Shivers' house, and he and Champ find an entire shelf filled with locked manuscripts. And not just any manuscripts, but the manuscripts of the Goosebumps books. And, after unlocking the manuscript for The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena, Hannah approaches, asks them to leave, and attempts to warn Zach not to open the book. But, when it opens, the Abominable Snowman emerges from its pages, causes a ruckus, and escapes, accidentally unlocking another manuscript: Night of the Living Dummy.

       Zach, Champ, and Hannah Chase after it, and attempt to return the Abominable Snowman to the book. But, after their attempts fail, Mr. Shivers succeeds, and orders all three teens into his car, berating Zach for not listening when he warned him to stay away. But, it's quickly revealed that Mr. Shivers is, in fact, R. L. Stine himself. And, when Zach attempts to get under his skin, he finally succeeds when he compares Stine to Stephen King, after which Stine remarks how he's sold more books than King. And, in a sense, this is somewhat true, as R. L. Stine in real life has published over two-hundred titles in the Goosebumps series across the sixty-two in the main series and a series of spin-off titles that are still being produced today. 

      Anyway, upon returning to the house, Stine is horrified to see that the Night of the Living Dummy manuscript has opened, and Slappy the Dummy is free, burning the manuscript, and taking the rest, unleashing the monsters from within their pages. This includes the gnomes from Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes, the Graveyard Ghouls, the Haunted Car, the giant mantis from Shocker on Shock Street, the Werewolf from The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, the Invisible Boy from My Best Friend is Invisible, and the list goes on. 

       When asked about where the monsters came from, Stine reveals that as a child, due to various ailments, he wasn't a sociable boy. So, he created a series of imaginary friends in the forms of monsters, ghouls, and demons. And, one day, they all came to life, which is why they were locked in their manuscripts, as opening the books would cause them to be free and wreak havoc. And, this is exactly what Slappy and the other monsters do, is wreak havoc. Zach has an idea: Stine makes a new manuscript containing all the freed monsters, and recapture them. The issue? Stine wrote every manuscript on a special Smith-Corona typewriter, which is on display at the high school. So, the solution? Get to the high school, collect the typewriter, and get Stine to start writing. 

       The complication? Monsters. Everywhere. And, all of them in the path of our heroes. And, while making the journey to the high school, Zach sees Hannah glowing in the moonlight. Also, Lorraine ends up helping Zach and co., and she really hits it off with Stine. Anyway, at the high school, Zach confronts Stine about Hannah, who is confirmed to be Hannah Fairchild from The Ghost Next Door. But, Stine reveals that she was written differently from his other creations, as she's kind and caring, and isn't aware that she's a ghost. 

       Anyway, they get the typewriter, and Stine starts writing. It goes well, except Slappy and the monsters converge on the high school. And, Champ saves the popular girl Taylor from being attacked by the Werewolf of Fever Swamp, unlike her boyfriend who ran away like a coward. Grateful, Taylor thanks Champ and kisses him. And, luckily, Zach, Hannah, and Champ are able to get Stine to the abandoned amusement park, which Hannah took Zach to earlier in the movie, and Slappy unleashes the Blob from The Blob That Ate Everyone, and Zach, Hannah, and Champ hurry to a high place on the Ferris Wheel, where Zach finishes the story, Hannah puts it together, and ALL of Stine's monsters are absorbed into its pages, including the Werewolf of Fever Swamp, the Abominable Snowman of Pasadena, Slappy, the Blob That Ate Everyone, and Hannah herself, who gives Zach a goodbye kiss. 

       Some days later, and Stine fills in as a substitute teacher at the high school, and remarks how every great story can be "broken into three distinct parts: the beginning, the middle, and the twist." After class, Zach and Stine remark on how they both miss Hannah, when Stine points out that she's been brought back as he wrote another manuscript. And, seeing the two happily reunited, Stine walks off and leaves Zach and Hannah alone to catch up. But, while passing the display case with his typewriter, Stine sees a title being written on a blank page: The Invisible Boy's Revenge, upon which it's revealed that the Invisible Boy didn't get captured with the others. Oops. 

      The movie Goosebumps was, for all intents and purposes, a ton of fun. What I liked is that instead of simply adapting the books, which certainly worked better for the television format of the '90s TV adaptation on Fox Kids, the filmmakers opted to tell an original story that features every monster and creature from across the Goosebumps series. The performances by Jack Black as R. L. Stine, Dylan Minnette as Zach, Odeya Rush as Hannah, and Ryan Lee as Champ were all fantastic, and even supporting players like Jillian Bell as Lorraine, Amy Ryan as Gale, Halston Sage as Taylor, and so forth were entertaining. 

      But, the real draw was in the number of R. L. Stine's monsters were brought to life through brilliant visual effects by Sony Pictures Animation. The designs for the Abominable Snowman of Pasadena, the Werewolf of Fever Swamp, the Blob That Ate Everyone, Slappy, and so forth all looked exceptionally book accurate. There were so many creatures and creations from the Goosebumps books that it's nearly impossible to point them all out. But, the biggest Easter egg is in the form of a cameo by the real life R. L. Stine as the new drama teacher at the high school. Overall, this is a fun one that truly gets the feel and tone of the Goosebumps books. Frightening and spooky, but not disturbing or nightmare inducing. 

      Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and HallowScream picks up next with Addams Family Values.