I'm going to dip in! So I'll be back later when I've read about a few more of the films. But re: Escape from Witch Mountain, I got that book via a Weekly Reader book order in third or fourth grade and really loved it for the dark feel you mention, and then felt hugely betrayed by the cutesy-poo Disney film. The kids in the film are older--teens--whereas they're grade schoolers in the Disney film IIRC. I felt as if the original story gave you mountain magic and the movie reduced it to cereal box leprechauns. Admittedly the dancing furniture in the police station was also in the book .... Maybe **I** need to rewatch the movie with the less-resentful eyes of an adult, except I feel like my eyes are steadfastly resentful?

The other mini-review I dipped into is Brother from Another Planet, which I missed when it came out, but now I really want to see--and it looks like it's available on YouTube, so yay!

... okay. I'll be back. <--obligatory Arnie voice.