Hocus Pocus 1993 5/5 j’s
“Hocus Pocus” is about a boy named Max, played by Omri Katz, who embarks on a journey to save his town from the Sanderson sisters, played by Sarah Parker, Kathy Najimy and Bette Midler.
They are reawakened after dying during the Salem witch trials, and they have a plan to take all children’s souls in Salem to stay young forever. This movie incorporates every aspect of what a good Halloween movie should be. This fantasy/comedy movie is definitely worth the watch.
Haunted Mansion 2003 ⅘ j’s
“Haunted Mansion” is about a husband and wife named Jim and Sara Evers, played by Eddie Murphy and Marsha Thomason. They visit a mansion with their kids so they can put the house on the market to sell. To their surprise, they wind up in the middle of a murder case with lots of clues and trails that Jim follows. That trail leads to encounters with a lot of monsters and ghouls that really make the movie spooky. It’s a great movie but has too many types of monsters in it.
Halloweentown 1998 ⅗ j’s
“Halloweentown” is an all time classic Disney Channel film. It’s about a girl named Marnie Piper, played by Kimberly J. Brown, who finds out that witches run in the family. She
sneaks on a bus and embarks with her grandma, played by Debbie Reynolds, to Halloweentown where all the scary monsters live. They have to find
out why all the monsters are turning evil. It’s a great low budget film, and if you’re looking for some nostalgia, this is the movie for you.
Coraline 2009 5/5 j’s
Many pages could be written about the depth of the stop motion film all about a girl named Coraline who, after dealing with a dull life, finds a hidden small door in her house that leads to the “other mother.” Everything is perfect in that world except things are not as it seems. You watch as Coraline finds out the truth about the other world as the layers slowly peel back throughout the film. There are so many little details and foreshadowing in this movie. If you like a more dark and sinister Halloween movie, this is right up your alley.
The Nightmare Before Christmas 1993 ⅘ j’s
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is one of the most iconic Halloween movies out there. This film is about “The Pumpkin King” Jack Skellington who doesn’t feel he has a true purpose when he discovers different doors leading to other holiday lands. He decides to go through the Christmas door and goes on a journey of self-discovery and love. I love this movie and the art style that is used is burned into what Halloween animated movies are. The movie is a staple of what a Halloween movie should be.
