Halloweentown High

This movie series is obviously some people's favorite Halloween movies. I didn't grow up on Disney, but my wife did. So we watch different Disney classics every year and I'll warn that I'm not sentimental about Disney movies.

This one was easy to watch and isn't boring which makes it ideal for a holiday when you are passing out candy or carving pumpkins as you don't need to really figure out the plot since it's over explained.

Being the third one, I imagine it didn't get the same budget as the film quality wasn't nearly what movies were using in 2004. Some scenes looked like they were filmed on a household camera from that year.

I couldn't really tell if the principal was a bad guy or not.

You'll appreciate the characters and find most of it good enough. If you have kids, it's probably a really good pick since it is really tame and none of the costumes are intense.

I would say that this is the best and most interesting story since the first one. Especially when compared to part 2 and 4. But the execution of that story was just so much weaker. Was also not a fan of the silly/tone. I get not wanting to be as dark as the second film but it's even less serious than the first one.

In all honestly, there can be a good reason that Halloweentown shouldn't need to be turned into a franchise and just stick as just two. Halloweentown High essentially turns the first two films into a your generic high school teen film. While I wouldn't necessary call it a bad film with some decent costumes and some that have a good followup like with monsters entering the human world from Halloweentown, it also was pretty rushed. I'll admit, the villain aspect would've worked. But even for Disney Channel, all that doesn't have time to get to know better of the events that would be going out throughout. It's not just a rushed plot, but with generic characters, bad CGI and a weak villain. I'll say that this will most likely be for huge fans of Halloweentown. Outside of that, it's a one-time watch. As much I liked the first two, this one is rather a mediocre school film.

Those three generations of Cromwell women, Debbie Reynolds, Judith Hoag, and Kimberly Brown are once again fighting some evil forces that are trying to keep the world of Halloween away from the human world. This time it's a world exchange program that's at stake.

Young Kimberly Brown has the bright idea to have some Halloweentown kids come to the human world incognito as humans, the better not to instantly shock people to foster greater understanding. Of course the powers that be in Halloweentown remembering their experiences with humankind before are very skeptical.

But Kimberly believes so much in the project that she bets the family magic powers on it. The bet comes due appropriately on Halloween.

The Magic Kingdom has developed its own nice little franchise in the Halloweentown movies to go along with the various incarnations of High School Musical. Debbie Reynolds and the rest of the cast are as enjoyable as they were in the first Halloweentown film. And if the school looks familiar Zac Efron and company sung and danced there. And Lucas Grabeel of the High School Musical films is also part of this cast as one of the Halloweentown transfer kids.

Halloweentown High is good viewing during goblin season.

Halloweentown III: Halloween High, though not a stunning piece of cinema, held much more talent and savvy than that of the first two. The characters did not seem as 1-dimensional and bland. The production value was more towards the theme of the film. And the acting was much better as well.

Truth be told, I was appalled by the first two films. To me, they seemed to poke too much fun at Halloween and the mystique behind the glorious Holiday that it is. This was abandoned that lack of respect and focused more on being a family friendly film.

Kimberly J. Brown has grown into a beautiful and talented young actresses. It is good to see her give less of a "wooden"performance, as in the last two entries.

I think the new director & new writer were just what this series needed. If Disney continues to make them like this...I'll keep watching with my Daughter. If they revert back to what they have been dishing out...Then I'll stay on Nickelodeon!

7 outta 10