Rating: Summary: pure fun! Review: HOCUS POCUS is a hugely entertaining film, starring three colorful character actresses, in their element! Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker all add zest and chutzpah to the camp comedy HOCUS POCUS.Midler returns to her zany forte here, and what a welcome return it is! The Sanderson sisters (Midler, Najimy and Parker) return from the dead to feed off the life-forces of children in order to remain young and vital forever. However, three savvy youngsters (Omri Katz, Thora Birch and Vinessa Shaw), are on hand to battle the witches and save their town, which is, of course, Salem. Featuring a hilarious cameo by director Penny Marshall (in her trademark "Laverne and Shirley" mode), and a great score, HOCUS POCUS is a great adventure/comedy from Disney.
Rating: Summary: Bette Will Put A Spell On You! Review: My whole family watches this movie every Halloween. We never get tired of it! A long time ago in Salem, Massachusets, 3 witches would suck lives out of little children to make themselves younger. But when Thackery Binks stumbles on to their secret while they steal his sisters soul, they turn him into a cat that will live forever. When the townspeople find out, they get really mad and hang the witches, but if a virgin lights the black flamed candle on Hallween night, the 3 witches will come back. Now it's 1993. A boy lights the candle to impress a girl and the witches come back to reek havic. They must suck lives out of alot of children before the full moon, or they will vanish forever. The only problem is the kids have the book. You don't want to miss this. Your family will watch it for years to come. Buy it today!
Rating: Summary: Best Halloween flick in ages! Review: I looooove HOCUS POCUS! This is the best flick you could possibly find for a Halloween night. It's humorous and lighthearted, and can be pretty scary for kids under the age of 8. I'm 17 years old, and I still think HOCUS POCUS is the best Halloween flick. This movie is basically about the three Sanderson witch sistes who lived long ago in the 1600s during the Salem Witch Trials, in Massachusetts. Winifred, Sarah, and Mary want to make themselves look younger and more beautiful. So in the beginning, they create a spell that will suck the lives out of children who are more beautiful then they are and then they will receive all that beauty and youthfulness. Anyway, Thackery Binks is a young boy who lived during the time of the Sanderson witches. One morning when his kid sister, Emily Binks, runs off, he realizes that she's being hypnotized by the Sanderson sisters to go to their home in the middle of the woods so they can take her life. Thackery races off to rescue his sister, only to find that he is too late. The Sanderson sisters find Thackery in their house and attack him, turning him into a black cat forever, unless someone can break the spell. That night, the Sanderson sisters are found by the townspeople and are hanged for killing Thackery. The Sanderson sisters promise the townspeople that they will come back to life when someone lights the black candle in their home. Then 300 years go by and it is the present day. Max is a young teenage boy who moves with his family to Salem, Massachusetts from Los Angeles, California. On Halloween, his teacher tells his class the story on the Sanderson sisters, like she always does every year. Max, being new in town, doesn't believe the story of the three witches. Allison, a girl in his class whom he has a crush on, tells Max that the story is true, even though Max still doesn't really believe her. On Halloween night, when Max takes his little sister Dani out trick-or-treating, they end up going to this large house which happens to be the home of Allison. When he sees Allison, Max suggests to Allison and Dani that they all go to the Sanderson witches home - which has been turned into a museum - to see if the story his teacher told them really was true. Dani believes the story and doesn't want to go. But Allison agrees to it and then Dani, who has to go since their parents are at a Halloween party, agrees to go. They get to the home of the Sanderson sisters and find Thackery, who is still a black cat. Thackery tells them about the Sanderson sisters and Max, who still wants to prove that he is right that the witches don't exist, lights the black candle, bringing the Sanderson sisters back to life. Now, Max, Allison, and Dani are on a wild and hilarious chase to catch and destroy the Sanderson sisters before it is too late (which would be at dawn the next morning) and before the Sanderson sisters can suck the lives out of all the children in town. Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker are excellent in this film, so are Omri Katz (who plays Max), Kathy Namijy, Vinessa Shaw, and a very young Thora Birch. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves Halloween!
Rating: Summary: The 'Divine Ms. M' Shines in Delightful Disney Gem Review: Hocus Pocus is one of those films that didn't have much of a life at the box office, but which has become a Halloween staple in video form. Hocus Pocus' has a lot going for it - including a well developed plot, likable characters, the acting talents of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy - not to mention Omri Katz and an early appearance by Thora Birch (of American Beauty fame). It even includes a rather fitting musical rendition of "I Put A Spell On You" by Midler. But Hocus Pocus' greatest strength is perhaps that it remains a great Halloween flick for younger audiences. It isn't to terribly scary, and I don't think anyone over the age of 15 will be holding onto their seats too tightly, but it remains a little creepy for the elementary set, who, after all, might want a little scare on Halloween, but aren't ready for the likes of 'Rosemary's Baby'. The story revolves around Max Dennison(Omri Katz), who, having recently moved to Salem from Southern California, is feeling a little out of place and put off by all of the Halloween celebrations in America's first 'terror town'. Having few friends, he is resigned to spending Halloween night taking his spunky and well spoken little sister, Dani (Thora Birch), trick-or-treating. They meet up with Max's new found crush, Allison, who tkaes them on a whirlwind tour of Salem's world famous witch museum - legened to be the former residence of the Sanderson Sisters. To make a long story short, Max lights the black flame candle on All Hallows Eve, thereby bringing Winnie, Mary and Sarah Sanderson back from the dead, who must capture the lifeforces of the town's children before the sun rises or be turned to dust. A scary, witty, and sometimes funny romp through nighttime Salem ensues. While perhaps not the best film ever made, Hocus Pocus is an entertaining movie that stands as a great family Halloween staple. For anyone with kids or a Disney video collection, Hocus Pocus is a must.
Rating: Summary: A little-known gem Review: A marvelous, magical film. The atmosphere is pure children's Halloween; it's both fun and scary. The witches are a hoot, and Bette Midler, singing "I'll Put a Spell on You," ensorceling the dancers, who keep dancing...and dancing...and dancing, is one of the best scenes I've seen in a long time. I'll have to admit, I don't understand the negative reviews at all. No, it's not a perfect film, but then, what film is? It's one of my favorites, though, and I've found both children and adults enjoy it thoroughly.
Rating: Summary: FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY... Review: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker,and Kathy Najimy play witches called the Sanderson sisters, They give three, very funny, over the top performances in this over looked comedy. Three centuries ago in colonial America, the Sanderson sisters practiced witchcraft, much to the consternation of their neighbors who apparently gave them wide berth. Unfortunately, growing old and haggard, they needed to rejuvenate themselves by inhaling the life force of a child. So, they lured Emily Binx, a neighboring child, into their cottage. She is followed by her brother, Zachery, who tries to save her, but is unable to do so before he is discovered and turned into a black cat for all eternity. The three witches breathe in Emily's life force, with dire consequences for Emily, but the witches themselves turn more youthful thanks to Emily's life force.The townsfolk convene upon the cottage and capture the witches, whom they arrange to hang, but not before the witches cast a spell that is to have future ramifications. Cut to present day America. It is Halloween. Two teens and one of the teen's little sister break into the witches cottage, which is still standing as a sort of historical museum. One of the teens does something which brings the witches back, and all hell breaks loose. Just sit back and let the laughs begin. What happens is quite funny, as the witches are hilarious. This is entertainment, pure and simple. What you see, is what you get.
Rating: Summary: Good,but could be better! Review: This film is good to watch only on halloween,I really liked Thora Birch, but not in this film.Some of the "magic" stuff they did was impressing.But its a film you could get bored of in weeks.
Rating: Summary: I rather like this movie Review: I know some parts of this movie are silly, that is why I will not rate this movie a five, but some parts of this movie I liked and I wanted this movie in my movie collection. The only thing is I believe it portrays what a Witch really is. However, I still like this movie, but some real Witches might not, unless they can except that there is really a darker side to Witches'. Witches' really are not into harming people like this movie would try to make one believe. I still give this movie a good rating. I have a friend who watched this movie and did not like it. However, it is like a kid movie, sort of like the Wizard of Oz is how I see this movie. I would put it in that category.
Rating: Summary: Abrakadabra, Hocuspocus Review: Long ago, when the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) were hung as witches for trying to cast a spell that would make them immortal, they vowed that they would return some day. Three hundred years later, three trick-or-treaters have accidentally released the trio from their curse. Now it's up to them - and a talking black cat - to put a stop to the witches' treachery.
Rating: Summary: An Ideal Halloween Movie Review: This is one of my favorite Halloween movies. Do some of the contents pass plausibility? Yes. But, at least they have a legendary background. The interaction between the 3 witches is clever and comical. The images are well done, and the music is entertaining and chilling. One of the best things about this movie is that it offers you a tase of fear, but not so much that it goes from scarey to absurd. The action is well done, and character development is admirable. Fear, suspense, and comedy are mixed with a rare delicacy. Perhaps the best thing about this movie is that the witches' frightening and evil intentions march side by side with their comical confusion about the late 1900s. As scarey movies for Halloween go, this one takes the candy!
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