There are some excellent Halloween movies for the entire family, and Hocus Pocus is one of them. It’s available on Disney+ and is perfect for some nostalgic fun with the kids.
The 1993 movie is a cult classic and it has aged extremely well. The story follows three sister witches with the goal of eternal youth. To do that, they need to suck out the souls of young kids, but there are people (and a cat) ready to fight against them.
Bette Midler is outstanding as Winifred, but she doesn’t carry this movie alone. Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker play Winifred’s sisters, Mary and Sarah, with their own abilities and ways to help the trio get eternal youth and life.
Hocus Pocus is the perfect family movie for Halloween movie night
While there are some frightening scenes, this is still a movie that is great for family movie night. Take a look at everything that makes it a PG movie.
Sex & nudity: There is zero sex and nudity in this movie. In fact, there is a huge focus on a virgin lighting a candle. So yes, do expect that question to come up. Didn’t it come up when we watched it as kids?
There is a scene with teenagers kissing, but it’s only a teenage kiss. It’s actually a little cute to see young love.
There is a point where Max’s mom wears a pointy bra. She’s dressed up as Madonna at a Halloween dance, and it’s nothing provocative.
Language: The language is extremely mild in this movie. The worst of the words used is “damn,” which is meant to be a harsh word for the Sanderson Sisters. Back in the day, the word damn was a curse, damning people’s souls to Hell.
Violence & Gore: There are some frightening scenes, but the violence is on the milder side. There is one scene that will stand out for a lot of children: it’s when Binx is run over by the car. We get this view of Binx flattened by the car, but he does re-inflate and come back to life because Binx isn’t able to die.
We also see Winifred use green electricity from her fingers to electrocute people. This doesn’t kill characters, but it stuns them hard. You’ll remember when Thackary is attacked in the Sanderson Sisters’ house at the start of the movie.
Alcohol & drugs: The worst is smoking in the movie. A man is dressed as Satan, and when he invites the Sanderson Sisters in, we get a glimpse of Satan’s wife smoking a cigarette.
Overall verdict: Who is Hocus Pocus suitable for?
This movie is aimed at children. It was a movie made for most ages, especially those who are seven and older. Just expect a few questions about virgins, which was the case even back in 1993 when it first came out! So, put it on for family movie night in time for Halloween. Don’t forget the Halloween candy and popcorn!
Hocus Pocus is available to stream on Disney+.