The 'Burbs

Rating:
Summary: Tom Please Make #2
Review: Simply the best cast. Well written. I'm still waiting for the sequel.

Rating:
Summary: "People In Cul - De Sac's Are Strange...."
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely Amusing
Review: This is one of my all time favorites. I don't intend to cover the plot in this review as you can pretty much guess it from previous reviews. What I will say is that this is definately one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. A Classic!

Rating:
Summary: So-so comedy
Review: A strange and weird movie that I saw a couple of times and still can't quite remember what was so good about it. I do recall that it wasn't bad, so if that is a recommendation, take it for what it is. A semi dark comedy, it has some laughs and some decent acting but it is hardly a 5 star movie. Hanks is worth watching and can even deliver when the script or story line is less than wonderful, a mild recommendation.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!!!
Review: I can't get enough of this film. Although tom hanks does great in his role I think that corey makes this movie. He only has a few lines but he plays the dope head part so well. This movie only gets better with each viewing. i want to live on this street!
"Burbs" is very funny but there definitely times when the movie can make you feel chills, in a fun way. It's like an old comedy-detective story like "Murder by Death" or "The cheap detective".
In three words: Wonderful, Hilarious, Totally awesome dude!

Rating:
Summary: Hanks' Best of A Decade of Lost Movies...
Review: Tom Hanks made so many movies of this sort in the 80s, you would never believe it. Most of these low-budget films fell on deaf ears to begin with, but I think 'Big' and 1989's 'The Burbs' got him ready for his award winning 90s'. 'The Burbs' takes place on a dead end street in a suburb, a scene clasicly stereotyped where everybody knows everybody else, you could set your watch by daily events and lawnmowers are no bigger than a red wagon. When strange foreign neighbors move nextdoor though, thoughts and suspisions arise rapidly among suburbanites who have nothing better to do. Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks), is enjoying a relaxing week off at home with his overwieght, annoying neighbor Art...and a mis-cast Bruce Dern who poorly portrays a rough-edged ex-soldier (But still cracks me up). The three become obsessed with odd noises and smells from the grotesque house, believing that the new neighbors are murderers. Hanks makes the script work perfectly with his mild insanity and inability to handle stress, I think a blind person could watch the movie and know it was Hanks just by hearing him rant and rave. Unlike Hanks' movies in the years before 'The Burbs', director Joe Dante adds a great story and more than suitable music to connect with Hanks' talent and make this movie explode. With Halloween coming up this movie makes a great buy at a great price, some inappropriate language...but thats all. One of Tom Hanks' best pre-Oscar rolls, a great way to see his early talents.

Rating:
Summary: Classic!
Review: How could you not like this movie?! I mean, really, what's wrong with it? It's a classic! It's got all the qualities of a great movie--an original and interesting concept that is funny and well told, classic scenes, and an outstanding cast! I read one review that said the plot "goes nowhere". Okay...please tell me you're kidding! Personally, I found it quite nice to finaly see a movie that didn't disappoint me at the end! Predictable? Who cares?! It's a comedy! It's not a Hitchock film! Perhaps I'm a little byist because I fell in love with this movie at a young age. But I know a good movie when I see one. This is a GREAT movie and anyone who doesn't think so it CRAZY. Or maybe you're just trying to sound real sophisticated so you say things like "this movie goes nowhere" or "the actors talents are waisted"! Maybe you're just too stuck up to enjoy a COMEDY!

Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie!!! Four Stars****!!!!
Review: The critics are totally wrong about The Burbs. This is a very clever and funny movie. When Tom Hanks and a couple of his neighbors become suspicious about the new folks next door, the adventure is on! Great performances all around and some very sly, clever direction from Joe Dante make this a comedy not to be missed. The scene where Hanks, Bruce Dern, & their wives go over & meet the strange, new neighbors is one of the funniest scenes I've ever witnessed. Do yourself a favor and come on out to The Burbs!

Rating:
Summary: Better after repeated viewings-satire, not reality
Review: This satire, taking place entirely inside an upscale cul-de-sac, relies on it's setting and subject matter to drive it's points home.

I think it does the job fairly well, with amusing characters, jabbing at life in suburbia in a way that rings true to reality and offering a huge dose of ridiculous comic relief that makes for an enjoyable, fun movie.

If you take the movie for what it is, you can be entertained and even amused by the sly, serious points it attempts to make, amid some improbable clutter!

Rating:
Summary: A Rare Treasure ¿ A Black Comedy for the Whole Family.
Review: Joe Dante is Without a Doubt the most Underrated Director in Hollywood. After Directing such Classics as "Gremlins", "Gremlins 2", "Innerspace" and "Small Soldiers", he has Yet to become a Household name. If I had My way, that would surely change, as "The Burbs" is one my All Time Favourite Films. It is So Cleverly Written, So Well Performed... It's an Absolute Pleasure to watch, Over and Over again.

Tom Hanks give his Funniest Performance as Ray Peterson; a Quiet Suburbanite who's Tranquillity is Shattered by the thought that his New Neighbours may be Murderers. His Wacky Neighbour, Art (Rick Domecian), planted the Thought in his head. They, along with Ex-Military Neighbour, Rumsfield (Bruce Dern) set about uncovering some Evidence of Foul Play.

Carrie Fisher and Corey Feldman round out the cast as Rays Ever-Patient wife Carol, and Another Nosey Neighbour Ricky. Every Performance is Spot on and not one of them feels out of place or underwritten.

Joe Dante's Direction is Appropriately Quirky, akin to Barry Sonnenfeld. Like "Gremlins" and "Small Soldiers", "The 'Burbs" is a Family film with a Dark Side; but it's a Dark Side that the Whole Family can Enjoy.