What to Watch in the Theater:
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (PG) is in theaters now. This sequel picks up a few years after the original. Aurora is queen of the Moors, living a happy life with Maleficent, among the magical creatures. When she accepts the prince’s proposal, we get to know a bit about his family, and the wedding preparations bring chaos to the land. This adds another layer to the re-imagining of the classic story of Sleeping Beauty, which started in the first film. Some feel we don’t need to learn more about, and potentially allow redemption for, Disney villains – but it’s a thrilling adventure full of heart, emotional growth and peril.
Our rating: 4.17 out of 5
The Current War: Directors Cut (PG13) opens today. This movie is based on the true story of the battle between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, who both wanted to bring electricity to the world, but in different formats. We get to see how the two men worked, their families, and the lengths they were willing to go to in order to win. The story is interesting, with a glimpse of scandal and manipulation added to the history lesson. It’s fascinating to see so many superheroes in the cast of a historical film.
Our rating: 3.75 out of 5
What to Watch at Home (Or Not):
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TVPG)
Updated rating: 5 out of 5
13 Reasons Why: Season 3 (TVMA)
Updated rating: 5 out of 5
The Prisoner (TVPG)
Updated rating: 4.5 out of 5
Hocus Pocus (PG) is available on the Freeform app and as a rental. This film, released in 1993, has become a Halloween classic. Three witches, the Sanderson Sisters, are accidentally brought back to life on Halloween night in Salem, exactly 300 years after they were put to death. It’s up to a couple of teens, and some unlikely allies, to keep the witches from casting a spell that will allow them to live forever, which would bring certain doom to the children of the world. It’s hard to dislike the trio of witches, played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker, and the campy movie has a slapstick vibe, rather than a spooky one.
Our rating: 3.67 out of 5
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