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Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
Some Good Laughs, But the Hocus Pocus Remake Lacks Magic of the Original
While the return of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy was welcome (all three actresses seemed to enjoy reprising their former roles), the story lacked the magic of the original film. True, the acting in the original film wasn't the best; however, the light-hearted whimsy that managed to balance the horror of the original film more than compensated for this. In the sequel, the three main high school girl characters were annoying with little character development to make up for their constant bickering on screen, and the overacting of the dumb jock and the enthusiastic mayor were cringe-inducing at best.
And while the Sanderson Sisters offered laughs as they navigated 2022 technology, the lack of stakes presented by the movie's tunnel vision by capitalizing on this naivete (as well as its forced redemption arc for Winifred) makes the story fizzle by the end. The true hocus pocus is how Disney, once again (as with many of their reboots, remakes, and sequels these days), fails to understand the magic that makes their original films so endearing.
Amulet (2020)
Artsy but slow-paced horror
The movie tries a little too hard to be smart and artsy, and it ends up plodding along at a slow pace at some points. This isn't your standard horror fare, which is a nice change of pace. The cinematography painted the world as a dark, bleak place. But I ended up not caring for any of the characters, and the director somehow made the horrific elements boring as very little happens even after the horror is revealed. The ending, for me, was confusing although a repeat viewing (which is unlikely to happen) may clarify things.
This isn't for your standard moviegoer, but for those who like the more artsy films, this may be for you. Just go in knowing this is quite the slow-burn.