The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 50

6b 24 THE RECORD, FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1985 Here's a look at movies playing in the area, as reviewed by movie critics Lou Lumenick and Deborah Jerome. The numbers refer to the theaters in the Movie Timetable on Page 26. band of inept political terrorists. With its interplay between physical comedy and the effects of the machine age on an agrarian civilization, it's a bit like a cross between "Modern Times" and Jack Paars satirical travelogues of the 1950's. Light and nimble, with an engaging cast headed by Marius Weyers, Sandra Prinsloo, and a real-life bushman named (LL) 109 minutes.

Rated PG; stylized violence. 22,36,52 duction with a keen eye and ear for social satire. (LL) 114 minutes. Rated PG: stylized violence. 1, 6, 9, 11, 18, 20, 22, 25, 28, 33, 37, 44,51,53,64,65 this neatly crafted, entertaining yuppie fantasy directed by Ron Howard Howard has wit and heart and elicits terrific performances from a cast that also includes Steve Guttenberg, Gwen Verdon, Jessica Tandy, and Jack Gilford.

The film's sterling qualities are tarnished by extensive borrowings from Steven Spielberg, right down to the ending cribbed from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." (DJ) 118 minutes. Rated PG-13: sexual suggestiveness. 13, 36, 47, 56, 58,60 "Gremlins" Comedy-horror-fantasy about a cute, furry creature that inadvertently unleashes a horde of ugly, destructive offspring on a picture-post-card town one Christmas Eve. Director Joe Dante has a gratifying ability to sift out of any given scene its comic-book component and then play it for all it's worth, and the film is filled with more allusions to other movies Wizard of Oz," "It's a Wonderful Life," all of Steven Spielberg's productions) than a film textbook. While it's always fun to watch, the film is more flawed than others by executive producer Spielberg.

The mood shifts rather abruptly from sweetness to horror, there are times when the mischief seems redundant With Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, and Hoyt Axton. 1984. (LL) 106 minutes. Rated PG: stylized violence and several very scary scenes. 16, 19, 20, 25, 29, 34, 55, 63 "American Ninja" An American soldier (Michael Dudikoff) stationed in the Philippines rescues the daughter (Judie Aronson) of his corrupt commander (Guich Koock) from sinister Ninja terrorists.

Another Cannon martial-arts quickie, directed by Sam Firsten-berg. Not reviewed at press time. 96 minutes. Rated R. 15, 19, 36, 40,55,74 "Back to the Future" Pure nutty fun.

A present-day teen-ager (Michael J. Fox) is accidentally transported back to 1955, where he enlists the aid of a demented scientist (Christopher Lloyd) to help him get home But first he's got to play Cupid for his teen-aged parents: Mom (Lea Thompson) has the hots for him, and his future dad (Crispin Glover) is a cowardly nerd. A hip, funny riff on "It's a Wonderful Life," that also draws inspiration from TV sitcoms and the Oedipus conflict Robert Zemeckis the who co-wrote the screenplay with Bob Gale, directs this tiptop Steven Spielberg pro "National Lampoon's European Vacation" Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo return as the Gris-wolds, taking the grand tour in an inoffensive, dull sequel to the 1983 hit The guiding aesthetic seems to have been not to tamper with a winning box-office formula. Directed by Amy Heckerling, (DJ) 95 minutes. Rated PG-13: brief nudity, suggestiveness.

32, 46, 49, 57, 71 "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" The summer's funniest most original movie, though certainly not for all tastes. Pee-wee Herman (aka Paul Reubens) is an adult nightclub comedian who plays a grotesque, mischevious 10-year-old SR. CITIZENS WITH I.D. $2 EXCEPT FRI. SAT.

EVES "Compromising Positions" Reviewed on Page 21. 7, 8, 9, 20, 30, 38, 38, 47, 51, 53,62,65 "Creepers" A young girl who can communicate with insects helps track down a killer. With Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasence. Written and directed by Dario Ar-gento. Not reveiwed at press time.

83 minutes. Rated R. 7, 15, 19, 25, 38, 40, 66, 67 "Godzilla 1985" Reviewed on Page 21. 7, 12, 18, 20, 29, 35, 38, 40,41,43, 47, SO, 57, 66, 73, 76 A If GET AWAY FOR THE SEE "COCOON." -U ,1 JIM I jil "The Black Cauldron" The most ambitious Disney cartoon in years (it cost $25 million and is the first to be shot in 70mm since "Sleeping Beauty" in 1959) is almost, but not quite, worthy of its classic predecessors. Based on Lloyd Alexander's post-Tolkien quintet, it's the story of a young pig-keeper whose mission is to prevent a black cauldron with deadly powers from getting into the hands of the evil Horned King.

Where the cartoon succeeds is in its darkness, the riveting and purgative power of at least a dose of fear and violence. (DJ) 80 minutes. Rated PG: some violence. 21, 25,34,49,57,60,69 "Cocoon" A trio of old men (Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn) are rejuvenated with the help of some mysterious aliens in RIALTO TRIPLEX WESTFIELO 232-1288 RXO WARNER QUAD ROCKAWAY TWELVE "'ogewooo 444-34 ROCKAWAYTOWtStW WOOOtRIDGE TWIN 38666 WOOOBRIOGE 6364474 CENTURY ROUTE 4-TENPLEX "1 faramus 487-7909 tmtmmmatmmtm TOTOWA TWIN LAFAYETTE TOTOW4 256-8484 SUFFERN 357-6038 TO SEE IT! ALL!" -judith crist A NEW COMEDY STARRING MICHAEL FOX OF "BACK TO THE FUTURE" 111 i mi-g mmn VEMTJflJM KAZA WffiWMV 917-323 tofws waym SIX ROUTE i 4n5 "The Gods Must Be Crazy" One of a kind. South Africa's Jamie Uys wrote and directed this whimsical comedy involving a Coke bottle, a remote tribe of bushmen, a bumbling microbiologist a big-city journalist turned teacher, and a RK0R0UTE4 487-7909 RKDTWIN 785-0555 PATERSON WAYNE FABIAN UA WAYNE 742-4800 6944136 BARGAIN MATINEES $0 it mow om.r ro capacity at ncATHEs mma rntr qui, wn bmlt mo 6IFT BOOKS SO10 AT AIL THMTRfS MSTKTM tsm tKffat i' itCIC4RHS'J re VOL UHTEEBS TEAI IF MMH V.

5 liCI TO THE FVTOK IJIMMIilMS PC. 0U.lSS 7J8i8jMjnm wwhhim IB cssssi iiniaif BllM87Mtlnpgp h383HJ8MH83lgG arLj txsmsTBf utik mi mm tauma loMntium re JJJJJ )KMil '4Jlij 4llliiimHiliiilii ill I imnfiiii lytfmiuM'iimt ef Biisci aENUBaJMiiya awam fy WWt BF Til LWI It Haw CINEMA ALLEY TWIN TOMS RIVER 270-8899 BERGEN TENAFU 567-0004 ESSEX GREEN TRIPLEX ORANGE 731-7755 FREEHOLD CINEMA 6 FREEHOLD 462-0600 UNW000 TWIN FORT LEE 944-6900 MADISON TRIPLEX CINEMA 377-0600 MALL HACKETTSTOWN 152-6954 MOVIES MIDDLETOWN WDOLETOWN 67VW20 NEWTON TWIN 383-2390 "YOU HAVE GOOD FUN FOR CMFJM23 csoMGBOvf m-ii2 CLUSTER RK ROUTE 4TEIPUX RKO RXO 1 Starring JENNIFER CONNELLY and DONALD PLEASANCE as John McGregor Music by special guests: BILL WYMAN IRON MAJDEN MOTORHEAD A DflCFILM-Rome Pnxluction Directed by LWtIO ARGENTO From yNEW line ctNEMA 1985 New Line Cinema Corp. 'ibiSsS STARTS TODAY at a FLAGSHIP THEATER near you BLOOMFIELD HARRISON JERSEY CITY WMAMUS WAYNE IRDESnWT AK0 WISHED WAD MWM a H8M64i M8 vfxafois STEREO RXO ROYAL 748-3555 CLIFTON WARNER 462-8550 CHKMATWM I newt WvM MtADOf SB rWOROWUTWHI BLOOWiEU) 74-3S -d UA STATE 653-5200 NEWARK PARAMOUNT 623-5030 affiON 365-2020 HOBOKEN EAST ORANGE HOBOKEN HOLLYWOOD 678-2262 653-2202.