A Fun, Campy, Family-Friendly? Horror Movie

Rating: 7/10 (26 December 2017)

Gremlins has all the characteristics of a cheesy, campy B-horror movie from the 80's. In theory it shouldn't work but it just does. It perfectly balances the amount of humor to horror, never tipping the scales too much in either direction as this movie flies by, an enjoyable 90-some odd minutes.
Everything about this plot is fun, from the quirky father who invents the odd contraptions in an attempt to support his family, to the innocent, angel-like young lead who works at a bank to support his family and his adorable sidekick of a dog, to the villainous bank owner and all her cats named after money (who plays far less of a role than I anticipated), it all works.
The gremlins themselves are an impressive feat of animatronics for the time period. Gizmo is the adorable little hero that you hate yourself for finding so cute and the gremlins themselves are just scary enough to pose an actual threat to the characters in this movie. I love how quickly we go from Chinatown to these Gremlins tearing the town apart. This movie flies by at a good clip. Besides the scene of them and their antics inside the bar, I don't think there were any scenes I thought dragged on too long.
This movie is also littered with fun little trivia facts. The inclusion of Howie Mandel as a voice actor, a young Corey Feldman in a bit role, the use of the Back to the Future set, all of this adds to the enjoyment you get out of watching this odd little horror film.
If you're looking for something a little out of the norm to watch on Christmas day, look no further than this gem.