Cassie - Eine verhexte Familie

In the fourth instalment of The Good Witch series Cassie's not so nice long-lost cousin comes to visit. Her character adds some new spark to a cast that seems to currently be going through an awkward phase. Their character development in this movie just wasn't working for me unfortunately. And even the storyline was a bit non-existent.

This movie doesn't feel as charming as the others and is somewhat transitional in the storyline. It's just nowhere near as exciting. Although it wasn't the greatest, I am still looking forward to watching the rest of the series. Hopefully they can recreate the charm of the original movies because it really is a lovely movie series.

The Hallmark Channel's series of Halloween movies starring Catherine Bell as Cassie continues with Cassie running for mayor, with events complicated when a cousin shows up and backs another candidate and causes problems with her stepchildren, who are going through teenage angst.

Catherine Bell continues with her perky, low-key performance as Cassie. She never quite does anything that is clearly magical -- other than getting on and off roofs to sweep leaves out of gutters -- which is quite charming. Somehow things always seem to break her way, except when her cousin makes trouble, for no clear reason.

Some of the cast seems to have put on some weight, particularly Chris Potter as her adoring husband. It's an amusing, lightweight piece of fluff, and although Ms. Bell continues to be charming, it's getting a bit long in the tooth. Still, it's a decent time waster and for a Halloween movie it's a decent way to spend a couple of hours.

Change is in the air in Middleton. Cassie's running for mayor as her long-lost cousin Abigail shows up. Abigail is very similar to Cassie, at least in terms of her manner and mysteriousness. The scenes of the two of them subtly sparring are very well done. While Cassie's preoccupied with her campaign, Abigail creates problems among Cassie's family and friends. Meanwhile a proposed annexation of the town has Cassie and Jake on opposite sides, at least until Jake looks into the matter further.

This is the first movie in the series where Catherine Bell's attempts at improving perfection result in noticeable differences to her appearance. Cheek injections and an upper lip that barely moves are the two most distracting changes. Performance-wise, she's fine in this although the supporting cast and the guest-star steal her spotlight most of the time. Grandpa George is curiously missing from this one. It's a really good entry in the series, possibly the best of all the sequels.

I love the Good Witch series. They are set in a small friendly town and Grey House. This last movie in the series was a disappointment, however, because of inconsistencies and discontinuity.

Where was grandfather George and his girlfriend from the prior movie?

Where was Derek's girlfriend Betty from the prior movie?

Where was the song that Brandon wrote?

Where was Cassie's old Middleton shop with charm and mystery from the prior movie?

Where was the old Grey House with intrigue and character from the prior movie?

Where will Middleton be without Mayor Tinsdale as mayor? He was great.

Where was Cassie's alert intuition to her cousin's schemes?

And where was Brandon's girlfriend from the prior movie?

The attraction of the Good Witch is gone for so many reasons. The only saving grace was that the Tinsdales united in love and there were excellent resolutions for all the other problems presented, but for me the climate changed and Middleton and Grey House were lost forever.

I finally got around to watching this one and I have to agree with most the other reviews: boy has Chris Potter become portly or is Jake fearing for his life in peaceful Middleton, Canada and wearing 3 bulletproof vests under his jacket!? If he doesn't watch it, Chris will soon catch up to Catherine Disher! Also he could use some botox or filler. Last time I saw him in interviews he looked a lot less wrinkled than this. Did he miss his injection appointments? Anyway he sure wasn't in the movie much at all this time and, again: real hard buying him as love interest or even straight. He sure doesn't show much affection in his eyes to his now wife. It's called acting, Chris, you used to know how to do this, what happened? Equally horrid is Catherine Bell's face: she's packing even more silicone in her cheeks than in movie 1. In fact she could play Maleficent and not need external prosthesis due that her silicone is stuffed deep below her skin! Her hair is still as flat and dingy as ever.

I can't add much more than the other reviewers have already said, except Chris Potter needs to stop leaving the police force (hello throw back to KFTLC packing his little box of stuff) and the storyline was horrid and did not move that much at all. Also whoever played Abigail was good, and she was a looker, a little like Megan Fox's little sister, a nice contrast to Catherine Bell's plastic face. OK so, how about some tips for the production to improve on the next film?

1. Have Chris Potter hit the gym and give him some DHEA, green tea and/or body building & fat burning amino acids. No one expects him to look 35 any more but come on! And get some romance scenes going.

2. MORE MAGIC! Enough of the wishy-washy is she or is she not? The title says "Witch" not "Pseudo New Ager Poser". Get some major magic tools, a wand, a crystal ball that she actually uses, you get the gist. Browse witchcraft websites and get this going. Sure keep it family but make it more hardcore so far as the witch/magic part is concerned. We could have used a close up on those stones (amethysts?) that Martha remarked she was selling for 25c. Give us close ups on the magical tools! And a full-on séance or spell casting scene would be tops! The voodoo dolls were a nice touch except you didn't do enough with them. SET THE MAGICAL MOOD!

3. Get Catherine Bell some decent clothes! No one expects her to dress like Dynasty but enough with the dull garb. Give the woman some color, hot pink, royal blue, bright red, fiery orange, bright green, titillating teal or turquoise, sequined purple etc. The half cloak she wore almost went there but it was dull gray plaid with a terrible cut above her rear. The red lining was a nice touch, more of that. Think magic: satin, sequins, glitter strategically placed, not overbearing would be cool. And do something with her hair. Extensions will give her much needed volume. Maybe a few curls too, like a lioness wig.

4. Bring back the old shop, make it cozy & witchy. Bring back Grey House. Make it more eerie. I'm thinking ghosts, sure go with are there or are there not, but get some good spooky music to go along. And bring back the old couple if the actors would (Grandpa).

5. Write a story that is not a yawn-fest this time. Can't help you with that except for the ghosts idea, no need to pay me royalties, it's on me. Hire the writers from story 1 and take it from there. Then your ratings will improve or else this series is going downhill faster than Obama's presidency. That's it.