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Hocus Pocus, a review by Dragonfire

Hocus Pocus

My Thoughts

This is another more lighthearted fun movie that I enjoy watching around Halloween.  It is one of the few I have that actually takes place around Halloween instead of just being creepy or featuring ghosts or something.  The movie is family friendly overall, though the idea of witches going after children could be upsetting to younger viewers.  There is a decent amount of humor to what is going on, though some of it is a bit silly.  The characters of the witches are a bit quirky and they are entertaining and interesting.  I think the cast all does well with their parts.



I did get a review posted on Epinions a few years ago.

Hocus Pocus

(From Dragonfire's Halloween/Horror Marathon 2009 on November 1st, 2009)

Uptown Girls, a review by addicted2dvd

Uptown Girls: Special Edition (2003/United States) Metro Goldwyn Mayer Home Entertainment Director: Boaz Yakin Writing: Allison Jacobs (Story By), Julia Dahl (Screenwriter), Mo Ogrodnik (Screenwriter), Lisa Davidowitz (Screenwriter) Length: 92 min. Rating: Rated PG-13 : Sexual Content and Language Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

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Stars:
Brittany Murphy as Molly
Dakota Fanning as Ray
Marley Shelton as Ingrid
Donald Faison as Huey
Jesse Spencer as Neal
Austin Pendleton as Mr. McConkey

Plot:
Brittany Murphy (Don't Say a Word) and Dakota Fanning (I Am Sam) shine brighter than all the lights of Manhattan in this delightful New York fairy tale. Co-starring Marley Shelton (Never Been Kissed), Donald Faison ("Scrubs") and Heather Locklear ("Spin City"), Uptown Girls will make you laugh, cry... and laugh again!

Molly (Murphy) is a partying rock 'n' roll princess whose money just ran out. Ray (Fanning) is a fussy nine-year-old whose last nanny just ran out. Only Ray's way-too-busy mom (Locklear) could think that hiring Molly would be the perfect setup for both girls. But as this unlikely pair faces everything from control issues (Ray's, of course) to temper tantrums (Molly's, of course), they discover that sometimes, your best friend can come from the place you least expect!

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Feature Trailers
• Bonus Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Gallery
• Music Videos
• Closed Captioned
• Soundtrack Spot

Since I realized I enjoy the work of the late Brittany Murphy... I thought I would give this movie a chance. This is a Disc that I got yesterday in that big package of discs. Unfortunately this one didn't impress me as much as most her others. She was fine in it. The storyline has potential... but I just didn't care for the way it all came together. While I was able to watch the entire movie I struggled to keep interested in it. The film has some boring moments that I couldn't wait to end. It has some sad moments. And it has some fun moments. One thing it didn't have is any laugh-out-load funny moments. I would say this film is pretty much just an average fare. Definitely nothing to go out of your way to watch... but if you are bored one day and have it sitting around or can catch it on cable... it can be a decent way to waste an hour and a half.




(From What Movies I Been Watching on January 28th, 2012)

"Stargate SG-1" Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: On a specially shielded planet SG-1 finds a person in stasis who has been experimented on. They take him back to Earth but then they find out, who and what and how dangerous he is. He is Anubis's "son".

My Opinion: The episode was ok even though they again proclaimed the urban legend that Humans use only 3% of their brain. Robert Picardo played the Woolsey very well again. I just failed to see why the writers decided to make Daniel the advocate of the "Kill him!" fraction.

Synopsis: Another SG team returns from a planet that has just "gone Ori". But unknowingly they brought back the disease that the Priors spread if a planet does not bow to them.
Additionally Gerak has entered the path of enlightenment and he tries to convince the other Jaffa to do the same.

My Opinion: When I read the episode name I actually waited for the horseman to arrive. This was a result of my experience with Highlander where Methos was one of the four riders. This time they meant it symbolically (the fourth rider represents fear, sickness, downfall and death).
Again I liked the "never give up, never surrender" attitude of both Humans and the Jaffa around Teal'c. The story about Orlin was not so interesting.

Synopsis: To stop the disease, SGC needs a blood sample of the Prior who has spread it. SG-1 sets up a trap for him on the planet of the Sodan.
Gut Gerak is a Prior now and by the doctrine of the Ori everyone who does not want to follow has to die. The Jaffa nation is on the brink of a cicil war.

My Opinion: I really liked the fact that the Sodan stood up to the Ori. This is what I mean with "having honour": not simply slaughtering innocent peasants just because someone said so. I also liked the sacrifice of Gerak and that he died as a free Jaffa (Shal'kek nem'ron).
The advantage of Orlin's presence was that it wasn't Sam again who's found the solution, still I didn't care much for this part of the story.

(From "Stargate SG-1" Marathon on April 28th, 2008)