Retirement home residents are energized by alien pods being stored in a swimming pool. I'm not quite sure what the appeal is, but the sight-gag of an older person acting like a youth of today always brings the house down. "Cocoon" is a series of these sight-gags underscored with an kindly-alien theme, resulting in one sticky package. Successful with audiences and the Academy (with Don Ameche winning a Supporting Oscar), the film spawned several imitations such as "*batteries not included" and kept Ameche himself on a roll for awhile, playing wily old codgers. Ron Howard's direction here is sentimental but lively, and the older actors are glorious to see on-screen, but Steve Guttenberg and his broken down vessel are a chore (as is the old stand-by of having the boat's engine give out just when it counts the most). "Cocoon" rests heavily--frustratingly--on so many old, worn-out clichés that it turns into a witless pie a la mode; yet, it does build up a feeling of good will with its cast, so much so that many viewers don't mind wading through the obviousness of the entire conception just to get to the prolonged happy ending. **1/2 from ****
Review of Cocoon
