Twitches 1 & 2
Twitches (October 21/06)
Twitches, like virtually every single Disney Channel movie that's come before it, may hold some appeal for teenaged girls but few others; there seems to be a concerted effort at work within these films to turn off viewers that fall outside of the target demographic. The story revolves around the efforts of two siblings (played by real-life twins Tia and Tamera Mowry) to save their world from the clutches of an evil force known as The Darkness, though they must first put aside their personal differences and learn to work together. Based on the book by H.B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld, Twitches is ultimately as bland and forgettable as one might've expected - with the film's various problems exacerbated by the distinctly underwhelming performances (though the Mowry sisters are personable enough, they simply cannot act). Lifeless directorial choices, subpar special effects, and overly quirky instances of dialogue cement the film's status as a nonentity, though - as mentioned earlier - extremely indiscriminating tweens might find something here worth embracing.
out of
Twitches Too (February 2/08)
Though admittedly slightly better than its disastrous predecessor, Twitches Too is still almost entirely bereft of elements designed to appeal to those viewers not within the film's target demographic - with the end result a fairly innocuous timekiller that barely manages to hold one's interest throughout its mercifully brief running time. Real-life twins Tia and Tamera Mowry reprise their roles as witches Alex and Camryn, with the story following the pair as they're forced to once again put aside their differences following the re-emergence of the dreaded Darkness. The most obvious improvement within Twitches Too lies with the Mowry siblings themselves, as the actresses dial down their more overtly broad acting choices and instead offer up performances that are - comparatively speaking - almost subtle in their execution (this is despite the fact that it remains virtually impossible to tell the two apart). Director Stuart Gillard's sporadic use of choppy slow-motion cinematography notwithstanding, the film is generally fairly well made and does boast a scene-stealing turn from noted Canadian actress Jayne Eastwood as a sarcastic maid - yet the overly frenetic and action-heavy third act ensures that even the most open-minded viewer will find their interest slowly but surely start to wane. Twitches Too could be worse, obviously, and it's clear fans of the original will enjoy this, though it's just as obvious that neophytes to the series would do best to stay far, far away.
out of
