Sayak Basu
We can say without a shred of doubt that The Addams Family is one of the most popular families in popular culture, simply based on the fact that they have been with us since the 1960s in any one form or the other. Be it a live-action television show, an animated series, or a movie- the Addams Family has affected us in more ways than one over the years.
When the 2019 3D computer-animated film was first announced, fans could not contain their excitement contained. The film takes a look at the life of the family in the 21st century when a lot has changed since they first appeared. Here, it is the family which has to deal with the extreme modernization that the world has been going through. Their gothic ways of living are now completely backdated and they have to up their games if they wish to survive in this big bad world. The story of the film speaks of a conflict between reality TV host Margaux Needler and the Addams family. Needler wants to sell the Addams’ mansion at any cost.
Numerous high-profile Hollywood actors like Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, and Allison Janney have lent their voices for this film directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan. If you have enjoyed watching ‘The Addams Family’, here is the list of similar films you must check out. You can watch several of these movies like The Addams Family on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.
7. Addams Family Reunion (1998)
Despite being a direct-to-TV movie, ‘The Addams Family Reunion’ is a story which definitely deserves a mention on this list. The film is set in a time when Gomez, the Addams’ family’s patriarch discovers that his grandparents are slowly becoming normal people. This is an ailment known as Waltzheimer’s disease and needs to be cured immediately. To help his grandparents in their treatment, Gomez plans a family reunion, but the person responsible for organizing the entire thing ends up uniting them with one Adams family. Hilarious situations arise when the macabre and the normal families end up together, and their comedy of errors becomes the central narrative of the film. ‘Addams Family Reunion’ has its moments, but they fail to make an impact considering the shoddy making of the film.
6. Casper (1995)
Casper is probably the friendliest ghost in all of entertainment. There is no kid or adult who has not fallen in love with the character after watching this film or the animated series. The film based on the character is also a part of a major milestone in the history of filmmaking. It became the first film ever to have a CGI character in the leading role. The story begins with Dr. James Harvey, a paranormal expert who has been hired to exorcise a huge mansion. However, his daughter becomes friends with a friendly ghost called Casper. Casper’s uncles- Stretch, Fatso, and Stinkie are not that friendly, and soon a battle of wits ensues between Harvey and the evil spirits. The film’s plot is pretty basic, but the characters are so full of warmth that you will keep going back to this movie.
5. Beetlejuice (1988)
You have always heard about humans trying to chase away ghosts from their houses with the help of an exorcist. But have you ever heard about a bio-exorcist whose job is to get rid of any living thing that might disturb the personal space of a couple of ghosts? Well, this is exactly what the film ‘Beetlejuice’ is all about. Adam and Barbara are a deceased couple who are having troubles in their hideout when a human family moves into the same house. Without any idea of how to get rid of this nuisance, they call upon Beetlejuice. He is a complete miscreant who tries to force the human family out of the home by any means necessary. It is his attempts at doing so and how the human family counters it that becomes the central aspect of the story. Laced with the unique vision of director Tim Burton, ‘Beetlejuice’ is one of the funniest comedies of the 1980s. The performance of Michael Keaton in the leading role is also stunning.
4. Corpse Bride (2005)
Tim Burton again waltzes his way into this list with his hauntingly beautiful film ‘Corpse Bride’. The film finds Burton regulars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in the leading roles as Victor and the titular character Emily respectively. Victor is actually the son of rich fish merchants who is going to marry Victoria, the daughter of an aristocratic English family. When Victor forgets the wedding vows and enters a forest to remember them, he ends up saying the words and putting the ring on something he believes to be the branch of a tree. However, it turns out to be the finger of Emily, the ghost of a bride who was killed long ago in the forest. Emily is glad that Victor has married her and takes him with her to the Land of the Dead. The film uses some stunning visuals and paints a macabre picture with great care. The two central characters are wonderfully written and performed, taking the film to another stratosphere altogether.
3. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Conceived by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ is a film like no other. Burton was contemplating working on the project for a long time, but nothing materialized until he made a deal with Disney and jumped into production with Selick helming the project. The story of the film centers around a character called Jack Skellington. He comes from the land called Halloween Town, which is a place infested with all the spirits and creatures of the underworld. When Jack first comes in contact with Christmas Town, he is so fascinated by the concept of it that he decides to kidnap Father Christmas, Santa Claus himself. The film is original, has stunning graphics, and its use of stop-motion animation is marvelous, to say the least. If you haven’t checked out this film yet, do so at the earliest.
2. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Johnny Depp became a worldwide phenomenon soon after he appeared in this film by Tim Burton. Here, Depp plays the role of an artificial human who has been made with scissors replacing his hands. After his inventor passes away, Edward remains unlearnt about the world. When he is discovered by Peg Boggs in the dilapidated mansion where he lives, Edward first experiences some form of kindness from a stranger. Peg then brings him home and soon her family members also fall in love with their new guest. Problems mount for Edward when he is one day blamed for a pretty serious crime. The reason this film finds itself on this list is because of its dark fantasy tone, which is also present in ‘The Addams Family’. Depp brings in an innocence to this otherwise weird character, and emotes beautifully with the limited dialog that he has.
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1. Dark Shadows (2012)
‘Dark Shadows’ is a fantasy horror film starring Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins, the son of a rich English family which comes and settles in America. Being a total playboy, Barnabas keeps cheating on several women, but unknowingly ends up offending the witch Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green) in the process. She possesses supernatural powers, using which she turns Barnabas into a vampire and even buries him alive for two centuries. When Barnabas returns back to his home, he finds it in complete ruins. The film did not manage to garner positive responses from critics because of its loud and caricaturish acting. The film is meant to be an ironical treatment of the entire gothic concept. The fact that acclaimed actors like Depp and Green can push their method to a point of ridicule is something to be appreciated.
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