One of the better horror/comedies to come down the pike

Rating: Null/10 (31 March 2003)

GREMLINS (1984) ***1/2 Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Frances Lee McCain, Polly Holliday, Judge Reinhold, Dick Miller, Corey Feldman. B-movie monster flick updated with a tongue-in-cheek 80s approach with great results: hack inventor Axton picks up a cute, fuzzy Mogwai as an exotic pet for his teenage son for Christmas with only three catches: don't expose it to bright light, don't get it wet with water, and never, ever, feed it after midnight with naturally no one paying attention to these, resulting in mayhem with reptillian Gremlins taking over the small town they inhabit. Great special effects by Chris Walas and pop culture-influenced screenplay by budding filmmaker Chris Columbus. Neat blend of horror and comedy, and yes that is Howie Mandel as the voice of cuddly Gizmo (The Giz!) Look quick for Steven Spielberg (in the inventors' convention sequence with sci-fi icon Robby the Robot) and Bugs Bunny animating genius Chuck Jones. ***Trivia note: this was the first film to receive a PG-13 rating by the MPAA for its surprisingly effective cartoon violence. Go figure. Directed with malicious glee by Joe Dante.