*batteries not included (1987)

Co-written and produced by Steven Spielberg, it's hardly worth noting that this film was directed by Matthew Robbins. It looks and feels like a Spielberg movie. Blending together cute and curious aliens and geriatrics who've still got some life in them despite their years, one would assume that *batteries not included is an attempt to bridge the gap between E.T. and Cocoon. And while it surely falls short of the greatness of those classics, it isn't completely worth avoiding, especially for younger viewers and families. After all, the ho-hum story line about an evil land developer using illegal tactics to evict the residents of a run-down tenement is really just a backdrop for the admittedly dazzling effects and the charming performances of real-life husband and wife Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. And it is those elements that make this an undoubtedly sweet and likeable experience. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide