The Nightmare Before Christmas

Danny Elfman, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix

Directed by Henry Selick

Rating: A

Jack Skellington (Elfman) is tired of being the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town. In fact, he's tired of the same tricks and same scares every Halloween. After celebrating Halloween one night, Jack goes on a walk with his dog, Zero, and stumbles upon a door with a Christmas tree on it. Curious, he goes through the door and finds himself in the wonderful land of Christmas Town. Enchanted by the snow, joy, and presents, Jack wants to bring Christmas to Halloween Town. Jack goes about and gives a task to each person to make toys or work on Christmas good. Sally (O'Hara) has a bad feeling about this because it's not natural for Halloween Town to do this. She tries to warn Jack but he simply won't listen.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the best Halloween movies to watch around this time of year. Tim Burton, the writer for this movie, did us all a favor by making this movie. The best part about this movie is that it can be watched in any decade. Even now in 2011, it is still a great movie to watch around Halloween. The characters are all interesting, from Jack as a skeleton to Sally with all her body parts sewed together to the Mayor with two faces.

This is a classic Halloween movie for any ages and I highly encourage watching it around Halloween time. Christmas works too as that is involved with the movie! It's not too scary so even young kids (of perhaps six and older) can watch this without being too scared.

Casper

Bill Pullman, Christina Ricci, Malachi Pearson

Directed by Brad Silberling

Rating: C

Casper (Pearson) is just a friendly ghost stuck haunting a house with his three uncles Stretch, Fatso, and Stinkie. However, Carrigan finds out that after her father has passed away a treasure is hidden in the house that he left her. Unfortunately she can't get to the treasure do to Casper's mischievous uncles so she hires Dr. Harvey (Pullman), a ghost therapist, to help these ghosts with their unfinished business and move on. Dr. Harvey's daughter Kat (Ricci) befriends Casper and helps him deal with Carrigan.

Casper has the potential to be a good movie but the general audience to want to see this film again is probably under ten. At first the film captures your attention but then after Dr. Harvey and his daughter move into the house to deal with these ghosts, the movie starts to falter. Dr. Harvey tries to help the three rude ghosts move on but instead gets pulled into their schemes. Kat allows her whole class throw a Halloween party at her house on her first day of school which is totally unrealistic.

The plot has a way of quickly being resolved and the ending leaves you unsatisfied, thinking, "that's it?" Apparently each Casper movie following this first one gets just as bad a rating. This film was rated 5.7/10 while the next two receive 4/10. You would hope that Casper would be a great choice to watch Halloween night but you're better off watching The Nightmare Before Christmas or Halloween Town.