Last week marked the release of the Netflix original Halloween film Hubie Halloween which contained a star-studded cast of familiar faces such as Adam Sandler, Stranger Thing’s Noah Schnapp, Modern Family’s Julie Bowen, and a whole list of familiar current and former Disney child stars sure to give you a surge of nostalgia.
           Regardless of earning a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 48%, it remains in the “Top 10 in the U.S. Today” category of Netflix most likely thanks to its star-studded cast. The main premise surrounds Hubie Dubois (Adam Sandler), an innocent, peppy, man-child-esque character who lives with his mother in a small town where he is the laughing stock of its citizens. He’s bullied by all those around him and none take him seriously. Nonetheless, he continues to give back and serves as a self-appointed safety officer for his town every night on Halloween to ensure the neighborhood’s safety. This year, however, he is caught in the middle of a sticky situation when he begins to notice the mysterious disappearances of citizens occurring across town. However, because no one believes him, he decides to embark on his own in order to solve the mystery.
           I personally was interested in watching it because of its cast and seeing all my favorite childhood Disney stars and familiar faces like Jessie’s Peyton List and Karan Brar, A.N.T. Farm’s China Anne McClain, and Good Luck Charlie’s Bradley Steven Perry all in one film. While I tend to have a love-hate relationship with Sandler films due to its sometimes substandard humor and, dare I say, cringy moments, I nonetheless appreciated seeing all of my favorite stars in one movie. My most favorite part about this film was that it paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Cameron Boyce, known for his role as Luke Ross on Jessie and one of Disney’s beloved heartthrobs, who sadly passed last summer. Cameron Boyce reportedly was set to play Michael Mundi in the film however due to his passing before the beginning of shooting, his best friend and former Jessie co-star Karan Brar paid the honors by filling his role.
           While the film objectively was not the greatest filled with corny humor, confusing moments, and problematic stereotypes, it could definitely be an appeal to those looking for a fix of nostalgia and the comfort that Sandler’s films have brought many of us. Most importantly, it celebrated Cameron Boyce’s inspirational life and reminds us that he’ll be missed for years to come.