Gremlins
1984 · Directed by Joe Dante
Don't feed them after midnight. Don't get them wet. Don't expose them to bright light. You know he's going to break all three rules.
Why It's Cult
Gremlins is the film that forced the creation of the PG-13 rating, alongside Temple of Doom. Joe Dante made a Christmas movie that's also a creature feature that's also a small-town satire, and somehow it's tonally coherent. The moment the Mogwai multiply is one of the great oh-no sequences of the eighties.
The Plot, Officially
Minature green monsters tear through the small town of Kingston Falls. Hijinks ensue as a mild-mannered bank teller releases these hideous loonies after gaining a new pet and violating two of three simple rules: No water (violated), no food after midnight (violated), and no bright light. Hilarious mayhem and destruction in a town straight out of Norman Rockwell. So, when your washing machine blows up or your TV goes on the fritz, before you call the repair man, turn on all the lights and look under all the beds. 'Cause you never can tell, there just might be a gremlin in your house.
Starring
Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton
Where to Watch
via JustWatch →
