Questionable Things We Ignored In The Halloweentown Movies

On the surface, "Halloweentown" makes itself seem like a profoundly inclusive film that preaches acceptance and tolerance — and to some extent, it is. But look a little deeper at some of the not-so-subtle messaging the series puts forth, and that tagline seems further and further from reality. 

When we first meet Luke, for instance, he's in a false human form because he's ashamed of what he looks like in his natural goblin look. Okay, that's reasonable. He's a tween after all — and what kid doesn't have significant insecurities? The first film leaves us with the gist that we should accept and love ourselves — until the sequel entirely rewrites that premise. 

The minute Luke becomes a genuine love interest for Marnie and not just a kid with a crush on her, he receives a total overhaul of his striking features that are too drastic to chalk up to natural puberty. His nose drastically slims down, his face entirely smooths out, and his ears are much smaller. Why? Because Marnie can't possibly be interested in someone who looks too different. His updated look makes him entirely human-ish, all in an effort to tease a Marnie/Luke relationship that never goes anywhere. 

Later, we later see a similar emphasis on superficiality when Dylan is scandalized by the discovery of Natalie's authentic pink troll appearance later in the series. They kiss, and they both call it weird. Why tease something you're going to later backtrack on and stigmatize?