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trentdotson
Reviews
Gretel & Hansel (2020)
Hansel and Dave Foley
I spent the first half of this ponderous bore-fest wondering who the devil Gretel reminded me of. That question finally settled, I was able to concentrate on the story. Only to realize that there wasn't one-just a whiff of an idea tarted up with pretend "meaning" and some painfully cringe snorting here and there. You know a movie's in trouble when you start saying the actors' lines before them. Yes, I suppose the cinematography at least is lovely. Lipstick on a pig. Incidentally, the boy playing Hansel isn't bad at all; he clearly has an ear for dialogue. Not his (or any of the others') fault he's given dopey things to say.
Murder, She Wrote: O'Malley's Luck (1990)
Columbo meets Darby O'Gill
Currently blowing through the complete MSW. While Angela is always missed in the non-Jessica episodes, they're usually still enjoyable. Not O'Malleys Luck. The combination of Pat Hingle's cloying accent and skeezy manner had me rooting for the murderer. Just terrible.
The Witching of Ben Wagner (1987)
Mild message movie
"The Witching of Ben Wagner" is not "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," if that's the vibe you're seeking. If you're looking for a lesson, though, you've come to the right place. At least it's a worthy lesson. The problem is, "Witching" not only lacks magic, it lacks charm. The sole exception is the little girl playing Regina, who is uncannily pretty. The rest of the cast is pretty mediocre, starting with the little boy playing Ben and ending with Sylvia Sydney (the "name" actor on board), who as Regina's grandmother is creepy--and not in a fun way. The sets meanwhile are glaringly cheap (the elaborate paneling on the front door of the family's ramshackle "Victorian" is obviously painted on). Meanwhile the locations are quite beautiful. Too beautiful. The "witches" seem to be living in a national park. Which of course is exactly what the place is.
Overall, "Witching" isn't terrible. Undemanding kids will probably enjoy it.