Genres

Visitors Review

2013-06-17 20:57:31

"The 'Burbs",Classic Joe Dante!

Joe Dante is one of my favorite directors.He always delivers the goods,and The 'Burbs is no exception.It is just an all around fun movie.Great cast,great music score,great story,great director.I love watching Joe Dante films and trying to pick out all the movie in-jokes.Or how he always includes Dick Miller and Robert Picardo in the cast.My favorite part of a Dante film is Jerry Goldsmith's scores.They always are great and wacky.I'll never forget the first time I saw this film when I was ten years old when it first came out, hearing that sampled dog barking in the background over the opening credits,I burst out laughing.I absolutely love this movie,and recommend it to anyone who likes Joe Dante,or just enjoys a wonderfully fun movie.

patrick lang 2013-06-17 18:07:14

watch your neighbors

the 'burbs is simply my all-time favorite in mystery comedy. the plotis simple but when you first view this film and don't know thebackground story, you're immediately grabbed by the story of thesestrange neighbors... you really wan't to know who they are, you want toknow what's behind the mystery. this movie is also very funny due toall the characters because no one is really normal in that street! theactors are really good (with a special mention to Rico commune & CoreyFeldman). the directing of Joe Dante is great. it is full of referencesand makes the viewing of this picture really interesting. as I said itis my favorite movie and everyone should give this pic a chance! (PS:in the trailer we can see some scenes that would be later deleted fromthe movie, if anyone could come up with a director's cut, pleasecontact me) ENJOY!!

B M 2013-06-12 08:51:56

Neighbors with their quirks and idiosyncrasies investigate the new family on the block that is just not quite right.

Every line in this movie is a riot. The writers really knew what theywere doing when they wrote the script. Each character is expertly castand is portrayed superbly. I have met all the people in the movie atone time or another in my lifetime, except of course maybe the Klopeks.The neighborhood has all the quirkiness of real neighborhoods inAmerica. The characters represent the extreme version of neighborsincluding the fake military guy, the loud teenager, the old fart, thetrouble maker and the people you just don't know about and who actsuspicious in every way. Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher are perfect as the"normal" couple trying to live a normal life in the suburbs amidsteccentric neighbors. Bruce Dern plays an excellent paramilitary manwith a hot wife and Corey Feldman is a wonderful loud annoying teenagernext door. Overall a great black comedy!

rainfall 2013-06-11 22:43:07

Wonderful 1980ies comedy

I've seen this film several times at different age and I still thinkit's one of the most hilarious black comedies. Tom Hanks in his comedyperiod combined with Joe Dante's ability for spectacle movie-makingbrings great results. Hanks is Ray Peterson who just got few weeks ofvacation and instead of leaving his small town, decides to stay at homefor timeless relaxation. But his plans are interrupted as strangethings start to happen in his neighborhood. The Burbs can be describedas suspenseful sitcom, as some thrilling episodes go together withsudden laughs. The overall atmosphere is stylish as it manages to mixthe atmosphere of an average American small town with Gothic spooksinto one big hilarious shake. Pity they don't make such comedies thesedays anymore.

Stampsfightclub 2013-06-10 02:50:45

A wonderful parody of the suburbs - Hanks steals it

On a week off from work Ray Peterson (Hanks) and his neighbours becomesuspicious of the new residents next door who are hardly ever seen indaylight.In and amongst The Da Vinci Code, Charlie Wilson's War and Cast Away itis easy to forget how brilliant a comedy actor Tom Hanks is.Has it really been over 20 years since his first Oscar nomination inthe groundbreaking Big? That vintage scene stealing presence with acharming innocence was exquisite method acting by the American, inwhich his child was trapped inside the vulnerable adult figure. Ofcourse you only have to visit a few years back for his last "comedy" ifyou can call The Lady-killers that. Dark reality humour encoded but hisawkwardness peeked through in perhaps the Coen's worst picture.Nevertheless here we were in 1989 having come back off the monumentalsuccess of Big and Hanks was up and running towards Hollywood stardomand this Joe Dante picture showcased much more of the comic genius ofits central star.With a plot spilling out mystery about quiet and non fundamentalneighbours this is a perfect example of what society in the suburbs isreflected as from an outsider's view. You only have to flick on the TVto see the same representation in a sitcom such as Desperate Housewivesor a film in Little Children to find gossipy neighbour's prying eyesover their fence for a good nosy at everyone else's dirty laundry.The Burbs' sensationally capitalizes on this conformed ideology of thenosy neighbour by parodying all the way through by running deliciousgags at how formula and formality gets shaken up by the arrival of theunknown. This is simply staggering, the benchmark to judge what is andisn't out of realism.Spilling with parodies, over the top pranks and marvellously hyperbolesuspicions about the activities, this is vintage physical comedy withpeople getting hit, top actors screaming silly and dog mess on thefront lawn.But if this sounds a bit over the top then no need to worry as come theend there are so many turnarounds you'll be spinning and a wonderfulshouting emotion from Hank's Ray that you know he is telling the truthand everything never feels the same again.Dante adds wonderful spice to this picture. Opening with a conventionalbird's eye view of the suburb we see his intent to make everythingnormal but then when the mystery builds and the wind blows at nightwith the garbage can then the director lets his exuberance flow andthis flies from normal everyday life to wondrous fantastical comedyhorror with some splendid sets and a purposeful tension overflow forextra laughs.Hank's is brilliant as is everyone and everything; this is splendidcomedy and a true reflection with an added spice of misrepresentation.

driftwoodpic 2013-06-09 07:21:45

A overall good movie

I found this movie very entertaining, It's funny and witty when itneeds to be and although I wouldn't call it scary it's is suspensefulat times, the mix of these two aspects alone give this movie a verynice and enjoyable feeling. The acting is almost always done very goodall the way through, Tom Hanks and the rest of the cast do a very goodjob of acting as the oblivious suburbanites and the villains give offnot only a creepy feel but a humours one as well. The place in which ittakes place is so typical of a movie of it's time that it's hard not tolaugh about it. And as for the soundtrack it does a very good job ofadding as much emotion and feeling as it can. I would gladly recommendthis movie and I give it a solid 8

ginjoint 2013-06-05 21:04:12

Queeeeeeeeeenie!

Here is my take on a comedy, if you can watch it many times over andstill laugh again and again it is a good comedy. This movie is about anaverage guy name Ray who has the week off from work and begins tonotice odd things from his new next door neighbors. With his twoneighbor/friends, an ex-military man, and guy who mooches everythingfrom you fridge, the team sets up surveillance on the new family intown.Literally this is one of a few movies where I am sure I have seen overa hundred times. I watched it throughout my childhood through the teenyears and now in adulthood. I can quote pretty much the whole thing,but I still laugh every time I watch it. If my friends are over and wewant to veg out to a solid comedy, this is always one of the topchoices. Now, that said, if you are looking for a "take home message"there really isn't one and a great comedy normally doesn't have one.This movie is the perfect combination of actors, one-liners, andslapstick comedy. It truly is an original film, which is why I give it10 out of 10.

2013-06-05 01:59:58

When good neighbors go bad.

Tom Hanks and one half of the 'Corey' phenomenon. Pure gold. I loved this movie when I was around 10 years old and I never looked back. This is a typical, 'Neighborhood sanctity is breached when weird and murderess neighbors movie in.' In no way is this supposed to be classified as a horror flick. I mean, it's COMEDY. Some people just can't grasp that. I don't want to give anything away for anyone who hasn't seen this movie, but my favorite character in it has to be Ricky. (Corey Feldman) He plays the teenage neighbor boy who eggs on both sides when it comes to finding the truth about the "murderess neighbors." Late night parties, killer bees, gas pipes, and a hair piece are just a few of the laughs in the movie.

Chris Brinker 2013-06-03 21:45:28

What a great way to end the decade!

The 'burbs is the kind of movie that you can really enjoy if caught in theright mood. For me, it is always the right mood, but some people have to bein "the zone" to enjoy certain comedies. Such as Clue, or Fletch. Thismovie really is hilarious, especially Tom Hanks' pre-super movie starpersona. For anyone who has ever lived in the city or the 'burbs, you can'thelp relate to most of the feelings in the movie. This movie is a purecomedy, and well done at that, mostly under-rated, because most people havenever seen it. Since most people have never seen it, then you can becomethe genius to uncover this gold nugget, and impress all your friends. Overall hilarious movie (especially when other people arearound!)

2013-06-03 09:42:56

The Burbs Review

Ha! Every time I think of this movie I laugh! It takes place in a quiet residential neighborhood until a very strange family moves into one of the houses. Every one of the families that lives in this cul-de-sac is strange, but relatively harmless. They know each other's business, down to what time they get up in the morning, it seems. Then this new weird family moves in, and the whole neighborhood goes crazy. It is one of the funniest Tom Hanks movies I have ever seen. The whole movie is crazy, funny, zany I guess would be the best word. A million laughs.

coolhandphil 2013-05-29 03:32:12

My favourite Tom Hanks movie

I first saw this movie at the cinema as a kid. I've seen it more than anyother movie (except Die Hard) and while most people will probably thinkthemovie misses, I can't help but love it. The characters are hysterical.Some of the lines they come out with crack me up every time I see it. TheNaps, `Pinocchio, where are you going?', `Soldier', just the banter beingpassed around. It's such a hard movie to describe because the situationisjust funny to watch. But see this movie, buy this movie, because thiscouldbe your neighbourhood.PS I'd trade ten Saving Private Ryan's for one 'Burbs.

Eric-1226 2013-05-28 08:15:37

Grab this movie! (It'll grab YOU...)

Before I even get started with my rave, I would like to preface my commentsabout this film by requesting that you first read all the previous commentsposted before mine. Most are positive, and they are spot-on correct: thismovie is fun, funny, deliciously weird and wicked, and merits repeatedviewings.Strange, but I barely got around to watching the movie at all, because itwas always listed in various TV guide listings with a below average rating,so I thought it must be some mediocre piece of fluff, not worth watching.But when I finally got enough inertia one fine day to actually watch it, Iwas pleasantly surprised at how good it really is.The likable things about it are already enumerated in the previous positivecomments. A few things I'd like to add: it is a movie with a real "gravity"to it, in that it really pulls you into this thoroughly ordinary, yetoh-so-weird little neighborhood, and never lets go of you. None of it isbelievable, yet you just can't tear yourself away from the ride, as if youare magically strapped into a ride through a well-designed haunted house atthe local theme park.I also like the way the movie builds on the slightly paranoid "neighborswatching their neighbors" theme (which is pretty common in most anyneighborhood) and takes that idea to a deliciously twisted extreme. Many ofus who live in close neighborhoods have probably experienced the constant"scrutiny" of our close-by neighbors (and we probably return said scrutinyupon them, too, whether we realize it or not). This movie makes a bitingcommentary on that human curiosity. (Hmmm, are the Robinsons over theredigging up potatoes from their garden, or are they potting theirmother-in-law??)Finally, (slight weird digression here...) if there was only one thing Iwould have added to this movie, it would have been to incorporate that greatsong "People are Strange", by the Doors – that would have worked nicely asan additional mood setter. That thought struck me while watching "The LostBoys" (a great vampire film in which, by the way, Corey Feldman alsoappears). In the opening segment of "The Lost Boys" they play a stylizedversion of that tune to awesome effect. Nicely done! Just a thought... Ohand by the way, I'm writing this on 31 October: Happy Halloween!!

2013-05-27 23:16:02

A bizarre twist of American life

Most Americans live in the suburbs today. The Burbs is a satisfactoryfilm about neighbors, suspicion, and the perils of suburban life. Whenthe strange new neighbors move in next door, Tom Hanks and his neighborfriends like Bruce Dern and Corey Feldman start searching for answers.This was a Tom Hanks vehicle long before his Oscar winning roles inPhiladelphia and Forrest Gump. Now that he is the king of Hollywoodfilms, movies like this won't happen anymore. Tom Hanks' role as asuburban father is actually quite typically having fun. Soon, youwonder if he misses these roles rather than Oscar depth roles of today.I liked watching Gale Gordon in probably his last known role and CarrieFisher as his long-suffering wife.

2013-05-27 11:00:27

Great DVD!

This review is from: The 'Burbs (DVD) This is a hysterical movie. It is even better on DVD. Everyone should see this movie. It makes you realize just what can happen when you have too much time on your hands! LOL!

2013-05-25 08:59:05

One of my "top ten" movies

This movie is fantastic! C'mon what's not to like?I felt that this movie was wonderful! That freaky music and the dialogue, especially Ray Peterson's neighbors-Mark, Art, Walter, Ricky, and of course, the Klopeks. This movie is a winner! If you haven't seen it borrow it from a friend or go rent it now. Trust me, You'll love it!!!

Luke 2013-05-24 17:12:30

Don't miss it

"The 'burbs" is truly one of those movies that I regret not catching oncable. It is rarely on anymore, and although I contemplate renting it, Ifeel it would take away from the satisfaction that will come from catchingit on TV. Whatever the case, from beginning to end, it is one of TomHanks'all-around great films. Whether you're fishing for thrills or looking forlaughs, "The 'burbs" will do you right.

2013-05-23 21:21:31

"People In Cul - De Sac's Are Strange...."

This 1989 black comedy starring Tom Hanks, and directed by Joe Dante(Gremlins, Matinee, Gremlins 2, Small Soldiers), might not be to everyone's taste. I think it's a silly, fun, entertaining little movie. Hanks stars as an everyday, all American type of guy, who is on vacation from work. He, and the rest of his friends in the cul- de sac they live in, are suspicious of their weird new neighbors. They hear and see weird things going on there. Since he's off work, and has a lot of time on his hands, Hanks gets roped into finding out the mystery of these interesting new additions to the street. Comedian Rick Duccommun plays Hanks' best friend Art. Bruce Dern is their marine-like neighbor across the street. Carrie Fisher plays Hanks' wife. The weirdo family is headed by Henry Gibson. The movie has a number of goofy and funny scenes. One wishes the movie was even darker and went a bit further with some of the stuff, but oh well. The climax is a big, all out there surprise. Okay, maybe not really big, but fun. Corey Feldman co-stars. This isn't great art people, but it's fun escapism.

ihrtfilms 2013-05-23 05:27:58

Good but not as good as I remember

I cannot remember the last time I saw this -perhaps when it was on VHSand so as part of the Joe Dante retrospective at this years MIFF, Ileaped at the chance.I had a few flash backs with the opening scenes, but I struggled toremember what happened, which ultimately meant I enjoyed more than hadI remembered. Still, it's not as funny as I was expecting, not thatit's a dull film. Quite the opposite, it is great entertainment andcontains a great performance from Tom Hanks, one that is far from thepost 'Forrest Gump' Hanks we now see. The whole cast is fine in fact,Corey Feldman is excellent, even if he was channeling a young KeanuReeves.The film is really well made and plays out quickly, engaging theaudience throughout and whilst I laughed heartily in some scenes -whereRay eats the sardine and pretzel and when he throws the stretcher andthen himself into the ambulance- I only managed a few chuckles, whilstothers around me laughed more. Perhaps it was a first viewing for someand whilst it was nice to revisit it perhaps isn't one of the finerfilms of the 80's or perhaps of Joe Dante's.More of my reviews at my site iheartfilms.weebly.com

Jackson Booth-Millard 2013-05-22 14:29:10

The 'Burbs

From director Joe Dante (The Howling, Gremlins, Small Soldiers), I hadmaybe tried the first few minutes of this film twice, but I guess Ididn't really get into or understand the concept, but I did finallywatch it in full. Basically at Mayfield Place, Hinkley Hills, Missourilives Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks), and his neighbours, Vietnam veteran Lt.Mark Rumsfield (Bruce Dern), teenager Ricky Butler (Corey Feldman) andoften paranoid Art Weingartner (Scary Movie's Rick Ducommun) all havetheir questions about a house on the block. The family known as TheKlopeks have lived in the mysterious, dreary looking old house acrossthe way for a little while, but nobody has been seen any come in or goout of the house, and no-one knows what is going on inside with familymembers, there are suspicions with all the strange noises. Ray is on along home vacation, and with his free time he decides with hisneighbours that they should try and communicate with and bring out thestrange family to answer their questions. It turns out it not just thehouse that is peculiar, but also the family themselves, with weird Dr.Werner Klopek (Henry Gibson), hick looking Hans (Courtney Gains) andelderly oddball Reuben (Brother Theodore), they even get to go in thehouse that is reasonably alright, but there is obviously awkwardnesstrying to get to know them. Eventually, with all the bizarre goings on,to the protest of their loved one, including Peterson's wife Carol(Carrie Fisher), Ray, Mark and Art decide that they should break intothe Klopek compound and investigate all over, especially the basement,and find incriminating evidence of foul play, e.g. bodies or bones. Inthe end it at first looks like they had the neighbours all wrong, andthat the big disaster is their high paranoia taking over and makingthem the weirdos, but actually Dr. Klopek was apparently murdering, asthey find skulls in his car trunk, so it turns out alright for Ray andthe good guys in the end. Also starring Wendy Schaal as BonnieRumsfield, Dick Miller as Vic the Garbageman, Star Trek: Voyager'sRobert Picardo as Joe the Garbageman, Gale Gordon as Walter Seznick,Bridesmaids' Franklyn Ajaye as Detective #1 and Mars Attack's RanceHoward, Ron and Clint's father as Detective #2. Hanks is fantastic withhis overacting being mad and complaining, Ducommun is likable as theslightly moronic and theorising friend, and the other cast members areokay as well, it is essentially a conspiracy kind of thing played outlike a humorous mystery with slapstick and weirdness thrown in, all inall not a bad comedy. Good!

Jonathon Dabell 2013-05-21 17:13:58

Thinly plotted parody, boosted by clever performances and an atmosphere of suspenseful paranoia.

Joe Dante is exactly the right director for this kind of parody aboutsuburban paranoia. His ability to put a humorous slant on dark andtwisted stories is put to good effect in The 'Burbs, a light-heartedtale of sinister goings-on in small-town America. While the storyitself is thin and inconsequential, the clever playing by the cast ofoddball character actors is a joy to watch and compensates for a lot.It's particularly interesting to see pre-superstardom Tom Hanks inanother of the roles that nudged him up the star ladder, plus CarrieFisher doing something other than Princess Leia, and of course BruceDern as an intimidating ex-soldier struggling to adapt to a quiet lifein the suburbs.Mayfield Place is a small cul-de-sac in an unspecified town in America.It resembles any one of a million streets all over the country. Prettymuch the most normal residents on the street are the Petersons - RayPeterson (Tom Hanks), his wife Carol (Carries Fisher), and their youngson (Cory Danziger). They are surrounded by wackos and oddballs such asparanoid Art Weingartner (Rick Ducommun), ex-military man MarkRumsfield (Bruce Dern) and his flirtatious young wife Bonnie (WendySchaal), dumb teenager Ricky Butler (Corey Feldman) and unsociable oldtimer Walter (Gale Gordon). But the oddest family of all lives nextdoor to the Petersons. The Klopeks are reclusive Eastern Europeans wholive in a run-down house that comes straight from the world ofnightmares. No-one ever sees them out and about, but strange noisescome from their basement in the middle of the night and they have astrange habit of digging holes in their back yard under the cover ofdarkness. During a week off work, Ray gradually convinces himself –with a little help from his OTT neighbours – that the Klopeks are massmurderers. When old Walter mysteriously vanishes, Ray is sure that he'sthe latest victims of the Klopek killing spree so he hatches a plan tobreak into their house and find the corpse…..Dante creates a very believable atmosphere of paranoia, where theresident's prejudice against the Klopeks seems intentionally absurd,yet at the same time suspenseful. We laugh at these nosy neighboursbecause their actions against the Klopek family are outrageous, but atthe same time the Klopeks appear so wonderfully weird and creepy thatwe find ourselves believing that they might be mass murderers. Hanksplays the normal family man caught up in what might be a non-existentadventure with fabulous skill, upstaged only by Dern, who is hilariousas the demented army freak. Dern manages to make even the straightestof lines amusing with his acerbic delivery – at one point he tells aninterfering teenage neighbour to "shut up and paint your goddamnhouse!" and succeeds in making this simplest of lines hystericallyfunny. The film is deceptively simple, with much less going on thanactually seems to be the case, but generally-speaking it works verywell. If you've ever had suspicions that your neighbours are up to nogood, it's definitely a film that will plant some outrageous thoughtsin your head!