I thought a children's film would cheer me up, especially a goofy Halloween movie. It did warm my heart, to think that an old, retired and eccentric magician (Ben Kingsley) would decide to finally adopt an orphan boy, and even bring back his long-lost love. With another friend, we watched, waiting for something amusing - rather along the line of MATILDA or WILLIE WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. No, this was no clever British film or snappy and cynical Hollywood job.

Perhaps one could say that this film is slow, a good old-fashioned one for the younger set. The five main kids, who run as a harmless pack through Seattle's streets around the time of Halloween, are not the most entertaining in their dialogues, but they're natural. The casting is a little too PC, even throwing in one Russian (white) kid to balance the two black kids and the Asian girl. However, most young audiences may not notice that. An older, tougher "gang" of teenagers threatens these little kids: two white boys and naturally, one beautiful girl, all three manipulated into burglaries by an evil witchy lady nearby. They steal for her, bring her the loot, the female Fagan of gypsy clothing and over-dramatic posturing.

Eventually they all wind up on Halloween night in the sprawling dark mansion of our former magicians, whose basement is packed with his old equipment, so that the young kids can scare the big kids. Eventually this leads to their arrest, as well as the Fagan-lady's.

Some may enjoy this slow film, but I guess I'm either too old for it, or I'm spoiled by the excellent films in the past years that have come out of England and US for kids. I still love MATILDA the best, with the teacher throwing that girl out the window by her braids!

You parents of young kids, this film may well suit their younger sensibilities. Adults needing a break from socks and violins, well, this is just too campy.