*batteries not included

1987 "Five ordinary people needed a miracle. Then one night, Faye Riley left the window open."
6.6| 1h46m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 18 December 1987 Released
Producted By: Universal Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

In a soon to be demolished block of apartments, the residents resist the criminal methods used to force them to leave so a greedy tycoon can build his new skyscraper. When tiny mechanical aliens land for a recharge, they decide to stay and help out.

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Reviews

ThiefHott Too much of everything
Dotbankey A lot of fun.
FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.
Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
moonspinner55 Fairly dreadful 'old-fashioned' fantasy, representing the tail-end of both the cute old folks-cycle and the cute alien beings-cycle, has an ethnically-diverse group of residents in a New York City tenement that's been marked for destruction gaining help from two intergalactic beings--his and hers miniature flying saucers. Opening with a blast of jazz music and a montage of 'vintage' photographs (both fraudulent), this noisy, cluttered film, executive produced by Steven Spielberg, is an overachiever. Lost somewhere between "Cocoon" and "E.T.", it never finds an appropriate tone--although its aim is to be weepy-eyed whimsy, with both wet eyes firmly on the box office. *1/2 from ****
astronomical-580-561423 we watched this movie because we had read that it was very heartwarming and family friendly and not at all emotionally traumatic. however, we were traumatised almost immediately with old folks being threatened by a violent gang, one of which is an old woman suffering from dementia who thinks that her dead son is still alive in the leader of the violent mob. a pregnant woman is hassled by the men as she tries to enter the apartment which is being torn down around them, and another woman in the apartment is sexually intimidated (has her leg grabbed and is propositioned) by the gang leader who bashes a hole in her door to stick his head through.the story only begins to become feelgood with the appearance of extra terrestrial beings that begin to inexplicably repair things around the apartment. however, the title of the film "batteries not included" is taken from the line spoken about one of the extra terrestrials DELIVERING A STILL BORN. a still born robot that is brought back to life, but we were shocked that such a strong theme would be considered family friendly.the main romantic intrigue in this film is between a pregnant woman who already has a boyfriend and a drunken artist who kisses her and paints her naked against her wishes. eventually someone is hired to burn the building down, but the woman with dementia is still inside the house so the original gang leader has a change of heart and saves her life. he goes to visit her in the hospital only to be rejected by the woman, as she has finally realised that he is not her son and that her real son is long dead. the gang leader leaves the hospital, throwing the flowers he has brought her into the bin, and walks away into a life of seemingly having nothing - no friends (he has been ditched by his gang), family (this is alluded to in his reactions to the old woman's attempts to make him a part of her family) or material wealth (he has been fired for not successfully emptying the apartment so that it can be demolished). all the deeply human problems of this film are magically "fixed" by a huge hoard of the alien robots rebuilding the apartment. yet it doesn't seem so great that the old woman returns there to live instead of going into a home, as her husband is overwhelmed and depressed by having to live with her deteriorated mental state.heartwarming, what?!
everanju I saw this film for the first time back in the mid 90's when i was just a kid. And that led me searching for this movie for good 13 or 14 years coz I couldn't remember the name and only thing I knew was that Spielberg did it. Back then I was living in a area where the technological advances were minimal and very low recourses and very little international exposure. But I knew Spielberg because of E.T and Indiana Jones which I watched before this film. And just like those this one garbed my childhood imaginations and became one of the favorites. Yes its not a great movie if you compare it with E.T or a Dark knight... But every genre or every type of creation has its audience. It might not win the hearts of the judges at CANNES or Oscars but defiantly it will win hearts of those kids and people who are young at heart and who can enjoy a sweetness of a film. I rate it a ten coz I loved it so much and coz I searched it for years and I was so happy to find it.
Spikeopath Residents of a building under threat of demolition from developers get an answer to their prayers in the form of tiny mechanical aliens.Firmly embedded in the trench that houses a number of 80s fantastical alienish pictures, *batteries not included is a bit worn around the edges yet still keeps its head above average waters thanks to its unbreakable charm. There is something so joyous about watching bullies {here in the form of vile developers and their hoodlum enforcers} getting a dose of their own medicine, and although the outcome here is never in doubt, it's still an amiable enough ride that manages to lift the spirit and close the picture out with a big cheesy grin. Boasting the solid Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy in the leads, we are in very safe hands, and it may well say Matthew Robbins name on the directors chair, we are in no doubt that producer Stephen Spielberg has his stamp all over this one.Safe family viewing, 6/10