Tag: Hocus Pocus 2

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Santa Clauses” on Disney+: Scott Calvin is back and brings the nostalgia!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“So we’re just doing home invasions now?”

The Santa Clauses premiered on Disney+ on November 16th 2022 with the first two episodes available to stream now. There will be six episodes in total that will air weekly. The holiday comedy series is a continuation of The Santa Clause films (the first film released in 1994). The series stars Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Austin Kane, Elizabeth Allen-Dick, and Kal Penn. Each episode runs for approximately 33-35 minutes.

Scott Calvin begins to realize that he can’t be Santa Clause forever, as he searches for a suitable replacement for the job.

Here is the trailer:

The Santa Clauses has a good amount of nostalgia while creating something new with some decent humor.  Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Disney+

Good sense of nostalgia.

Much like Hocus Pocus 2, The Santa Clauses taps into some magical nostalgia, transporting us right back to 1994 when the first film released. I was super happy to see both Tim Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell in the series and there will be another familiar face to be excited about later on.

The newcomers (especially the elves) do a fantastic job as well, making this series a lot of fun.

Images courtesy of Disney+

The production value is pretty impressive.

When Santa traveled across the world, there were a lot more bells and whistles this time around. I don’t necessarily need a film or series to be flashy with tons of special effects, but The Santa Clauses gets an upgrade, making things feel shiny and new without losing its original magic.

Decent humor.

I think it helps that the showrunner on this worked on shows like Modern Family and 30 Rock. There is a dry humor that works really well. The series is great for kids, but it may be even better for the adults who watched the original film.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Disney+

I’m not sure this needed to be a series…

While I’m having fun watching it, I think this series might have worked better as a film. It sort of feels like a film already and I’m not sure that the weekly release of episodes will do it any favors.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Disney+

I’m in!!!

A cute and light watch with some genuinely funny moments.

If you’re a fan of the original movie, there’s plenty to enjoy with this series.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Santa Clauses in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Hocus Pocus 2” on Disney+: The Witches are Back!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

Beware the black flame candle….

Hocus Pocus 2 released exclusively on Disney+ on September 30th 2022. The sequel to the cult Halloween classic stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Doug Jones, Sam Richardson, and Tony Hale. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

When Becca and Izzy accidentally light the black flame candle, they re-summon the Sanderson sisters back to the town of Salem.

Here is the trailer:

Hocus Pocus 2 brings plenty of nostalgia for fans of the original film with a few new tricks up its sleeve. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Disney+

They still got it!

The original film premiered in 1993 so it’s been quite a while since we last saw the Sanderson sisters. I’m happy to report that these three still have it and then some! They were so much fun to watch on screen with delightful chemistry. It’s like they never left! There are plenty of new obstacles to get in their way and distract them, but whenever these three step on screen, they’ll put a spell on you for sure!

The new characters had their charms as well. I particular liked Tony Hale as the mayor, who added some quirky fun and Doug Jones continued to be a scene stealer in this film!

Images courtesy of Disney+

Lots of Easter eggs and nostalgia for fans of the original.

I personally really enjoyed the Easter eggs in the sequel. It channeled the vibe of the original film but it also found a new voice and story of its own. I was worried that things would feel redundant, but the new spin kept things fresh enough to keep me entertained until the end.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Disney+

Doesn’t hold a candle to the original…

Let’s be honest, it never was going to live up to the original film. I think it put forth a valiant effort with the nostalgia, but since it leaned on that quite a bit, I would have enjoyed seeing a few other familiar characters pop up in town.

Even though I enjoyed the new characters, they didn’t get the chance to truly shine or reach their full potential.

The musical numbers were fun, but they didn’t have the same punch this time around either.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Disney+

I’m in!!!

A fun sequel with plenty of bewitching moments featuring our beloved Sanderson sisters.

The original film is one of my favorite movies, but I think that the sequel did a decent enough job after all this time.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Hocus Pocus 2 in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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