Expert: 7devonapes - 8/4/2011

Question
I can't remember everything about the plot, but it had to do with a kid, probably 13-14 years old, and he, or the house he was in, was like a key to hell, he was sorta turning into a devil with powers, not really a horror, more lighthearted... i want to say old dead grandpa or something was helping him along the way.. i just remember there was a crack in the house that leaked mist sorta indicating a doorway, and at one point the kid started growing horns, and the entire time he has a 'what's this weirdness going on' tone to it

Answer
Hi Josh,

Hmmm... could it be "House II: The Second Story" (1986)? "Dead grandpa" line made me think so, plus general 'house' / 'doorway' info. Here is a plot summary (via Wiki):

"Young urban professionals Jesse (Arye Gross) and his girlfriend Kate (Lar Park Lincoln), move into an old mansion that has been in Jesse's family for generations. They are soon joined by Jesse's goofy friend Charlie (Jonathan Stark), who brought along his diva girlfriend Lana (Amy Yasbeck), in the hopes of being discovered by Kate, who works for a record company. Jesse has returned to this old family mansion after his parents were murdered when he was a baby, and he quickly locates a mysterious skull.

Jesse and Charlie decide to dig up Jesse's great-great-grandfather (Royal Dano), who is a friendly cowboy zombie that likes to party and talk about how he found the skull with his partner, Slim. Its promise of eternal life and time travel prompted the two cowboys to become eternal villains, with Slim responsible for the death of Jesse's parents. Jesse, Gramps and Charlie must try to keep Slim from getting hold of the skull, while dealing with the fact that the skull has transformed the mansion so that each of its rooms act as a hidden doorway across space and time. While battling various time-traveling thugs that want the skull, including Slim, the trio pick up a baby pterodactyl, a caterpillar-dog, and an ancient Mexican woman about to be sacrificed.

Eventually, Jesse must face off with Slim in the Wild West, and while he is victorious, Gramps has been mortally wounded and passes away with a final warning about the power of the skull. The film ends with the suggestion that the heroes have decided to use the skull to time travel."

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_II:_The_Second_Story.

And, the film's Imdb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093220/


You can watch the film's trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ouvkZzJ-Nc

And, badmovies.org's write-up (review, etc.):
http://www.badmovies.org/movies/houseii/


Hope this is the one.
Cheers, R.