Three Disney Halloween classics ensure a better October.
My older sister, Courtney and I, grew up seeing Tia and Tamera Mowry all over Disney Channel. From their TV show “Sister, Sister” all the way to “Twitches”, their interaction always reminds me of the way Courtney and I mess around with each other. “Twitches” is one of my favorite Halloween movies to watch every year because it’s my wake up call to appreciate my sister more and be a little bit nicer to her, no matter how stressed we are or how crazy our schedules get.
I think that everyone can relate to “Twitches” on this level. Most of us with siblings walk all over them like they’re our doormats, but we know deep down that we love them.
One of my favorite parts of the movie is when they start singing, “Go twitches, go twitches,” and start laughing with each other like they have some inside joke. It is so genuine and you really get a glimpse into their sisterhood for a little. It’s such a relatable moment because my sister and I are always doing things like that – just cracking up with each other over absolutely nothing.
Overall, this movie reminded me of all of the special memories that go along with the month of October, and all the new ones I’m making. When I was little, October was all Halloween costumes and candy. Now, October is all Royals and Friday night lights (but I still love candy, candy never gets old). While my traditions have changed, one thing has remained the same: my relationship with my sister.
The best part of this movie wasn’t getting a throwback to when I was younger, it was the warm and fuzzy feeling of having a sister who you love so much. It shows that you’ll fight and disagree, but you’ll be by each other’s sides no matter what.
I have always sort of thought witches, ghosts and everything supernatural were real. When I’m lying in bed at night and I hear the air conditioning kick in, my heart races and my mind immediately draws the conclusion that there is a ghost circling my room. But when I take a step back, I know it’s all my imagination.
The plot of “Hocus Pocus” revolves around whether or not the three main characters, Max, Dani and Allison, believe in witches and myths.
“Hocus Pocus” tells the tale of the Sanderson sisters, who were three witches that were hanged in the 1600’s. Hocus Pocus was made in 1993, but ABC Family still plays it every single October. I was horrified of this movie when I was little, and honestly, it still scares me a lot. I was on the edge of my seat whenever the sisters rode their broomsticks or casted a new spell.
I was pretty underwhelmed with it. It didn’t bring back good memories the way “Halloweentown” did, and I didn’t relate to it the way I could relate to “Twitches”. It just made me really scared. It focuses less on the warmth and happiness of Halloween, and more on the spooky darkness of it.
The movie did have some highlights, though. I genuinely laughed whenever Minx, the cat, started talking. His character has a very dry sense of humor that you wouldn’t really expect from a cat that has been alive for 300 years.
Overall, “Hocus Pocus” was a little too spooky for me. I thought this was supposed to be a children’s movie – I’m fifteen years old now and it still scares me. It gave me the sort of frigid and haunting feeling that you would get walking home alone on a cold, windy night. So, it’s safe to say that it will not be on the top of my list to watch next Halloween season.
For teenagers everywhere, movies like “Halloweentown” provide a much needed reminder to just chill out. Classic movies hold constant in the ever-changing mess of our generation and remind us of simpler times, like when one homework assignment didn’t feel like the end of the world, when no one worried about how much weight they would gain from all the Halloween candy they were eating or when everyone wanted to stay up past midnight, whereas now going to bed early is like a gift from God.
The first scene of “Halloweentown” opens with Marnie Cromwell begging her mom to let her go out on Halloween. She whines, “I’m almost 13 years old mom, I’m practically an adult!” Oh, how naive she is. I remember when I thought thirteen was the new 21. Now, at 15, I dread becoming a full- on adult.
At one part of the movie, Marnie has to cast a spell to light a magic wand. When she succeeds, her little brother yells, “It’s lit!” I can genuinely say that I was rolling on the floor laughing when he said that. For those who don’t know, ‘it’s lit’ is the new slang used to describe when something is really awesome. The last time I watched “Halloweentown” that line probably meant nothing to me. But seeing it now, I interpret it in a completely new light.
“Halloweentown” would not be complete without it’s corny organ music soundtrack. It had me craving candy corn and hot cocoa, and I could almost feel the chilly October breeze on Halloween night.
It never fails to bring back childhood memories, like jumping into massive piles of leaves with my older sister, the scent of the cinnamon candle that my mom only burns in the fall, and trick-or-treating with my dad. Taking in the dramatic spells and corny music is a special treat reserved for the weeks around Halloween.
Rewatching it took the immense weight of high school off my shoulders for an hour and 24 minutes. It was a glimpse back to second grade that reminded me to relax a little bit and just go with the flow, just like Marnie does in “Halloweentown”.