If you’re looking for a spooky movie to watch, even though Halloween is in the rear-view mirror, The Curse of Bridge Hollow needs to be the #1 option for your next family movie night. This TV-14 movie on Netflix does go beyond my own kids’ ages, but my wife and I discussed it beforehand after watching the trailer and thought it looked like a good option to let our kids explore.
Full disclosure: Our family movie night was supposed to be a Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 marathon. Since I’ve yet to see the original or the newly released sequel, these movies were the plan, but as most parents know, everything doesn’t always go to plan. This is especially true when you show your kids a trailer, and they give you – “YES, we have to watch that!” – and then it’s very clear a newly appointed Plan B has taken effect.
What Makes The Curse of Bridge Hollow a Great Family Movie Night Option?
The Curse of Bridge Hollow follows the Gordon family after moving from Brooklyn to a small town. Not only does their new hometown love to fully invest in the holiday season, it lets viewers know early on what are main characters are like. Howard, played by Marlon Wayans, is a science teacher who believes in facts and doesn’t believe in anything he can’t prove or disprove. His daughter Sydney, played by Priah Ferguson, wants to be a ghost detective and dress up in a Halloween costume.
Their differences are front and center, and it highlights how sometimes parents do what they think is best for their kid, without realizing their kid might want to do something different altogether. In a movie that’s exceedingly entertaining and perfectly funny, the creators crafted relatable relationships with situations families have probably already experienced or soon will as their kids get older.
Yes, there are a couple moments with adult language. It’s important for kids to have parents in the room with them when they hear certain words. “X is an adult word for butt.” Or, “Don’t repeat ‘hell’ in school.” There is also some teenage sass thrown into the mix, as well, but this movie is delightfully charming as it blends humor and spookiness together; The Curse of Bridge Hollow has “rewatchability” labeled all over it – it’s that good!
Family Movie Night Grade
The Curse of Bridge Hollow gets a big thumbs up from all four of us. All of us were laughing and pointing out creepy characters, while asking what our favorite moments were once the movie was over. Having a follow-up conversation about a movie immediately after it’s done is a very good thing. That’s the sign of an incredible story – and The Curse of Bridge Hollow delivers on such a fun experience.
Whether I give it an A or an A+ (depending on what school grading system you grew up with), I will 100% watch this movie again, and I absolutely expect a sequel. The Curse of Bridge Hollow is a fun movie-going experience where you want to watch it again (immediately!) and you’re completely onboard and ready to watch whatever other movies come out revolving around this cast and its spooky themes.
Do you believe that a bewitched pumpkin can bring a town’s worth of Halloween decorations to life? Would you run screaming from a gigantic spider or demonic clowns like Marlon Wayans’ character? Are you terrified that your kids are getting too close to teenage years, and this story totally hit too close to home where you have to face the facts that your kids grow up way too fast? Well, then, The Curse of Bridge Hollow is the story you need to watch.
Have you seen The Curse of Bridge Hollow, and if you did, what did you think? What movie would you recommend for a family movie night? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below or let us know over on Facebook and Twitter. If you want to see more movie content on the Geeky Parent Guide, make sure to like this article and share with all of your geeky friends.
Until next time, happy parenting and happy geeking.
