Return to Halloweentown is a Disney Channel Original fantasy-comedy movie that was released in 2006. The film was directed by David Jackson and stars Sara Paxton as Marnie Piper, who is a teenage witch. The film also stars Lucas Grabeel as Ethan Dalloway, Marnie’s love interest, as well as Summer Bishil as Aneesa, a genie that Marnie befriends. The screenplay was written by Max Enscoe, Annie DeYoung, and Paul Bernbaum. The music was composed by Kenneth Burgomaster. Return to Halloweentown is an entertaining film that could get any viewer into the Halloween spirit. 

The film begins with Marnie deciding to attend Witch University, at which she plans to study witchcraft. Despite her mother’s wishes, she and her brother Dylan enroll as students at the college. Much to Marnie’s dismay, she learns witches aren’t actually allowed to use their magical powers at the school. Then, Marnie discovers a locked box in the dungeon of the college that must contain a magical gift, and she begins a journey to unearth its secret. 

Marnie Piper is the main character of the film. She is a courageous 18-year-old witch that chooses to ditch a regular college and attend a university for magical beings in an alternate universe called Halloweentown. Dylan Piper is her clever 17-year-old brother who also possesses magical powers and attends the university with Marnie in order to ensure that she stays out of trouble. Agatha Cromwell is Marnie and Dylan’s grandmother and a renowned witch within Halloweentown.  Ethan Dalloway is a former warlock that assists Marnie on her journey to discover the truth about the mysterious box. 

The most significant scene within the film is the ending. Within the final scene, Marnie towers over a crowd in a series of low-angle shots that illustrate her power over the situation. In addition, the soft lighting on Marnie frames her face with a halo effect, showing Jackson’s emphasis upon her good intentions against evil magic. In contrast, the hard lighting cast upon the villains’ faces clearly conveys their evil intentions. The special effects are also effective in replicating magical powers, while the background music builds suspense towards the outcome of Marnie’s final decision regarding how the box’s gift will be used. The close-up shots of Marnie’s serious facial expressions allow the audience to fully grasp the weight of the decision. 

Return to Halloweentown is a perfect ending to the movie series. The suspense established throughout the film keeps the audience engaged, while there are also comedic moments that ease the tension and prompt laughs. The theme was that the power of good will always defeat the power of evil, both in magical and real worlds. The purpose of the film was to give devoted viewers a final installment within the series that leaves fans guessing what might happen until the final few moments.