STORYLINE: When an adorable baby boy is added to the Addams household, Wednesday and Pugsley do not hate him, they just aren’t necessarily excited about his existence. OK…yeah, they do hate him. So they plot to get rid of him one way or another. Meanwhile, their parents hire a nanny for him and she charms Fester, but has evil intentions for him. The Addamses must stop her, but how? (IMDb)

     Have you ever noticed that there is a stereotype in monster movies?  That stereotype is that they are horror films, such as Bram Stocker’s Dracula (1992).  Monster films can be romantic (The Shape of Water, 2017) or gothic (Crimson Peak, 2015) in tone.  Some are even fun for the whole family, such as 2012’s Hotel  Transylvania.  1993’s Addams Family Values, is a monster film that is fun, a bit gothic in tone, and something that the entire family can enjoy.

    Typically I refer to 70’s and 80’s films as being fun filled cheese fests.  The occasional film from the twenty first century, such as The Cabin in the Woods (2011), sneaks its way into the conversation.  These films tend to be more love letters to that era of film. Addams Family Values is a fun filled cheesy feature from the decade I grew up, the nineties. 

   At a recent late night screening, I was reminded of just how much fun this sequel is.  It’s filled with dialogue that is a combination of witty and sarcastic, which I love!  The gothic visual style, combined with the vibrant colors of the supporting characters costumes gives the film a unique look.  In the end Addams Family Values is just so over the top with its storytelling. When all this is melded together the film is a lot of fun to watch. I really can’t ask for anything more out of it.

    It’s fun, and a good thing, to enjoy a variety of films. These can include the epic dramas (Oppenheimer, 2023), the off the beaten path Indy films (Waking Ned Devine, 1998), films from over seas (Parasite, 2019), and yes the campy and fun like Addams Family Values.  Whatever you see  enjoy it. 

    Until next time I will see you at the movies!

(Starting with The Polar Express entry, I am doing a series of Retro Rewinds of holiday films as I see them theatrically, during the 2025 holiday season.  It’s a bit of a stretch but I consider Addams Family Values a Thanksgiving movie.  Appropriately I am posting on Thanksgiving).