Halloweentown High

[2004, Movie]

Halloweentown High: Review

Recommended for fans of the Disney "tweener" movies, director Mark A.Z. Dippe overdoes the slapstick and mugging in this plea for tolerance. Marnie Piper (Kimberly J. Brown) has nothing but good intentions when she opens a portal between her mortal world and the supernatural province of Halloweentown, but they backfire: Certain residents of both worlds disapprove of her efforts to mainstream adolescent werewolves and warlocks into her human high school. Halloweentown's Mr. Dalloway (Michael Flynn) and his Creature Court have so little faith in mankind's tolerance for supernatural beings that they force Marnie into a risky bet. If Marnie can't bridge the gap between her classmates, beset by acne and voice changes, and the monster-teens with their hairy faces and fangs, then she must forfeit her magic powers. Although benevolent witchery has run in the Piper family for generations, Marnie's Grandma Aggie (Debbie Reynolds) believes Marnie's gamble is justified and backs her up. After monster makeovers, Aggie and Marnie introduce the witches, ghouls and zombies as exchange students from Canada. Unfortunately, a human knight dedicated to banishing magic undermines Marnie with the help of a spy from Dalloway's Council. Meanwhile, Aggie is so distracted by flirting with Principal Flannigan (Clifton Davis) that she's unprepared for the melee at the mall that erupts when Marnie's guests, offended by Hollywood stereotypes of monsters, drop their disguises and scare the shoppers. Then a traitorous conspirator kidnaps Cassie (Eliana Reyes), the group's junior league sorceress: Can Marnie establish harmony with so much sabotage afoot? Dippe goes out of his way to mine the cute aspects of Dan Berendsen's entry in the Disney Channel TV-movie series. The cast is peppy, whether playing All-American teens or youthful Transylvanians, but old pro Reynolds steals the movie right out from under them. --Robert Pardi