The Witches

In December 1968, in Chicago, 8-year-old African American boy Gatsby loses his parents in a car accident and moves to live with his grandmother in Demopolis, Alabama. His grandmother buys him a pet white mouse, which he names Daisy.

One day, at a grocery store, they meet a Black witch who offers Gatsby candy. His grandmother tells him the story of her childhood friend, Alice Brew, who became a chicken after accepting candy from the witch. The witches are notorious for hating naughty children; they are bald, with mouths extending to their ears, and their fingers and toes have three digits. Gatsby’s grandmother is a Vodou priestess.

For safety, Gatsby’s grandmother takes him to New Orleans and has his cousin, Easton, book a room at the Royal Island Hotel, where Easton works as the executive chef. Unfortunately, the witches, disguised as the Child Abuse Prevention Society, are holding a meeting at this hotel.

Gatsby sneaks into the attic to spy on the gathering, where the elder witches plan to eradicate all children. A fat boy, Bruno, accidentally stumbles into the meeting and is transformed into a mouse by the witches' magic. Daisy bravely saves Bruno, but Gatsby is caught by the witches and also turned into a mouse. Daisy's real name is Mary.

The three mice mix the witches’ purple potion into the soup, causing all the witches to turn into mice as well. They then steal all of the witches' potions and money.

It sounds like you're reflecting on how certain groups of people, particularly in history, have been unjustly demonized, much like the portrayal of witches or other marginalized figures. The idea of scapegoating, whether it's the "Yellow Peril" or the persecution of witches, has often been used by those in power to create fear and justify violence against others. It’s a stark reminder of how easily narratives can be shaped to manipulate and oppress.

You also bring up the idea that not all witches or characters labeled as such are inherently evil, pointing out that in many stories, witches are shown in a positive light, such as in Harry Potter , Lord of the Rings , and The Elder Scrolls . It's important to challenge these simplistic and harmful labels.

I think your point is clear: just because you are in a position of power or safety today doesn’t mean you’re immune to being victimized or misunderstood tomorrow. History has shown that the very people who commit injustice can one day find themselves on the receiving end of it.

It’s a powerful reminder to question labels, empathize with others, and understand that no one is inherently evil just based on their identity or role. Would you like to explore this idea further or perhaps look at how media has shaped such perceptions historically?

The 2020 American film tells the story of a Black boy who lives with his grandmother. One day, he encounters a terrifying witch and her coven, and as a result, he is transformed into a mouse. This sets off a quest for revenge. The witch leader is played by Anne Hathaway, and I must say, Hathaway really doesn't mind sacrificing her image for the role. Although it's a fairy tale adaptation, the witches' appearance would likely scare young children. While the revenge aspect is satisfying, in the end, the children can only remain as mice, which gives the story a darker twist. It's a bit of a dark fairy tale.

When you like a movie, every detail seems perfect despite its flaws; when you dislike a movie, every flaw becomes glaringly obvious. If you enjoy this film, there's no need to put yourself through the discomfort of reading this review.

Anne Hathaway really had it tough. When she plays a beautiful character, it’s because she's too perfect; when she plays a downtrodden character (like Fantine in Les Misérables ), it doesn't work because she's still a tragic, yet pitiable, positive character. So this time, she goes all in with a villain role—ugly, foolish, and vicious. In a film like this, people say she overdid it...

The villain’s stupidity is so overwhelming that I’m at a loss for words. Everyone, except Anne, is just going through the motions.

When the grandmother is in Anne’s room, Anne Hathaway even takes off her shoes, slowly walks to the head of the bed, and then suddenly picks up the bedpost and throws it not at the grandmother, but to the side? Is that a pre-battle warning?

When someone comes to check the room, the three little mice in the bag are still messing with the grape. I don’t find it stimulating or fun, I’m just speechless. Even in animated films for kids, isn’t this a bit too childish? Does Guillermo del Toro ( Pan's Labyrinth ) have some obsession with grapes?

Why did the grandmother insist that the three mice use the key to open the door? Was it to slow down so Anne Hathaway could get upstairs? Even if it was to let them breathe, wouldn't standing at the door without moving be more suspicious? And who would know you don’t actually live in that room when you have the key in hand?

Many people praised the ending, where the white boy turned mouse is abandoned by his parents, while the Black boy turned mouse is still cherished by his grandmother, with the message "I still see you." Some praised the former as cult and interesting, and others praised the latter as full of warmth, innocence, optimism, determination, and a deconstruction of death, saying it was emotionally touching. But when you put these two mice together, don’t you think there’s a contradiction between these two evaluations?

To be honest, I think it’s a bit excessive. I don’t know if it’s a reverse criticism of white people or rich people, but in this movie, the white people and the rich weren’t portrayed as so vile that they deserved to abandon their children or be abandoned by their parents... On the other hand, the values on the other side are built on two overlooked premises: one is that the grandmother is a Vodou priestess, and the other is that their family is now incredibly wealthy. I really don’t understand what the emotional core is supposed to be.

Alright, I know someone is going to say that "I don't have a childlike heart and blame the movie for that." Like I’ve said before, my Douban account clearly traces my journey of falling out of love with Disney and raising my expectations for animated and fantasy films, so feel free to check my mindset.

It’s not that we should be childlike enough to see the goodness in a movie, but rather that the movie should be good enough to awaken our childlike wonder.

It's great that the movie brought back those fond memories of Roald Dahl's books! His stories have such a unique charm—both whimsical and full of sharp wit. I can totally see why The Witches would be so memorable, especially with how clever the protagonist is. Revisiting those childhood favorites is always a nice trip down memory lane, and it sounds like you’ve got a perfect reading list lined up for that!