'Hocus Pocus' a timeless holiday classic

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This 1993 movie about the Sanderson sisters, a legendary group of witches in Salem, Mass., has become a Halloween staple without offering any award-winning performances just a spooky story that takes viewers back to childhood.

Starring the convincing Bette Midler as head witch Winifred Sanderson, the quirky Kathy Najimy as Mary and the ditzy and boy-crazy Sarah Jessica Parker before her days as sister Sarah, the movie has a great cast of memorable characters.

The plot is based around Max Dennison (Omri Katz), who struggles to fit in as the new kid at school and causes trouble in an attempt to impress the popular Allison (Vinessa Shaw) by lighting the which resurrects the Sanderson Sisters from the dead if lit by a virgin.

The sisters come back to life and attempt to suck the lives out of children in order to retain their youth and get enough fuel to stay alive for good.

The movie takes the kid-hungry trio on a hilarious journey to round up the neighborhood children for a feast while trying to live in a world decades after their time all the while being thrown off by futuristic, Halloween festivities they've never heard of.

This leads to massive confusion when the witches can smell children but are thrown off because of their costumes, and even causes a little trouble with the wife of a man dressed as Satan, who they believe is their long lost

Viewers find themselves rooting for the more innocent characters of the film, like the charming teen Max, his adorable little sister Dani (Thora Birch) and a misunderstood zombie.

The most lovable character, however, is Thackery Binx, a teenage boy who was turned into a black cat when he caused the witches to be hanged to death in an attempt to save his sister from the witches' wrath.

The crew's creative attempts to give the witches a final death, like tricking them into thinking car headlights are a sunrise (which signifies the sisters' time to find youth is up) and convincing them a sprinkler system is a keep audiences laughing despite a few spooky moments.

A few musical numbers like and the haunting add the perfect touch to an already playful film.

Though it may not have been nominated for an Oscar, is a well-balanced classic, packed with laughs and fright and perfect for all ages this time of year.