All of the streamers are ramping up their scary content in prep for Halloween. This is the first look at 2 of them (more tomorrow):

Hocus Pocus 2 The original trio (Bette Midler, Sara Jessica Parker & Kathy Najimy) return in current day. Like so many streaming movies, they’ve reworked the story so that the new trio of witches in training are all teenage girls. Naturally, the attempts to update the story and keep it family friendly have rendered this potentially funny movie rather flat. There’s plenty of energy being expended, but the gags often try too hard and the effects aren’t special. A disappointment, although the youth-centric approach may appeal to the intended audience. (2 / 5)
Disney+  link

Mr. Harrigan’s Phone Taken from a Stephen King story, this is one of the author’s quaint psychological ruminations.  Jaeden Martell (who was also in new versions of Stephen King’s It) plays a teen who’s befriended by a rich recluse (Donald Sutherland doing his best wise old sage). When the man dies, the boy slips his phone in his coffin and they continue to communicate beyond the grave. There are no thrills or scares in this story. Just a few quietly creepy moments wrapped in a rather dry coming of age scenario. (2 / 5)
Netflix link