Gremlins
Well,
@Schizm already gives a pretty good rundown of the movie
here. He's already hit on all the big points I'd want to make about the movie so this review is probably going to be a short one.
Gremlins is one of those films from my childhood that nurtured my love of horror and the horror comedy genre. It's a movie that I've seen dozens of times throughout my life, but the thing that makes me happiest about it is it's one movie that definitely still holds up now that I'm an adult. If anything I'd say I appreciate Gremlins and it's sequel more now than I did as a kid, because I have a better understanding of the dark humor and the various homages Joe Dante packed his films with.
The premise of the film is as simple as can be. When small town America is invaded by a band of green goblins looking to take over the town with often deadly slapstick antics it's up to one unlikely hero to save the day. The premise is simple and by the numbers, but executed well.
With such a simple premise what really separates this film from others like it are the little details. Schism already covered the creature effects and all the various homages and references, but the movie also does a great job of characterizing the town the film takes place in. All of the characters fill the typical small town roles, but the movie shows the good and the bad of a place like this where everyone knows everyone else's business. Dante obviously has a lot of love for small towns and the people that inhabit them. Schism mentions the Fuddermans and they're a great example. It'd be easy to just make fun of Marty and the way he seems to dislike everything about the modern world, but the movie turns him into an endearing curmudgeon that might complain, but is really a good guy at heart that can take action when necessary.
The town itself has a lot of character as well. Just the look and the feel of it makes it feel like a real place with it's chintzy Christmas decorations and slightly worn down look. It's a place that looks lived in, but not falling apart. The set designs for the town are great and packed with some nice little details.
These things add to the atmosphere of the film. We're watching this living small town being invaded by strange outsiders and even though we don't know the all of the characters that well, we still feel the impact as they have to deal with these little green menaces. The atmosphere of the film isn't exactly a horror type atmosphere, but it's more whimsical, but that makes it all the better when the Gremlins stop being cute little scamps and cause some serious harm.
As much as the film does have a strong heart, with a lot of comedy it definitely gets its horror bonafides in as well. There's the confrontation with Stripe the leader of the Gremlins that Schizm already mentioned, but one other instance early in the film is when the Gremlins stalk the school teacher that was doing some experiments on them. It's a very classic horror scene that's brilliantly shot to build up tension. It relies on clever cuts and not showing the gremlins, but using sound cues to build up the feeling of being stalked by a predator. This scene is a large part of what makes the film work as horror, because it solidifies the Gremlins as a real threat. Despite the funny shit they will get up to these are deadly creatures that can stalk and kill a grown man.
As Schizm already mentioned the creature effects for the film are great. The mix of puppetry and animatronics still look great to this day. However, what really sells the movie is the excellent designs for the gremlins. All of the main ones have a unique look that make them instantly identifiable without making them look silly or over complicated.
The acts is great across the board and the cast has some great chemistry. The stand out performance for me was Phoebe Cates, both because she's no damsel in distress by is able to save herself, but also because of that awesome monologue about why she hates Christmas. It's a story that's completely messed up and yet so ridiculous that's it's funny at the same time. She really strikes the right tone with her recital of the story.
Overall, Gremlins is a classic horror comedy and one that I think almost anyone should be able to enjoy. The movie certainly has a special place in my heart. If you don't find Gizmo to be the cutest thing ever then you've probably got no heart or soul.
9 out of 10
