Maziun "Cocoon" is one of the science fiction movies made on the popularity of Steven Spielberg's "E.T." . The other are John Carpenter's "Starman" , John Badham's "Short circuit" and Matthew Robbins "Batteries not included". All are family friendly comedies that have good special effects , humor and heart."Cocoon" is a lighthearted comedy about serious issues like aging, immortality and death. It's one of those rare Hollywood movies where old people are the main hero's of the story. Sure , there is Steve Guttenberg here , but he's a supporting character and a comic relief for the teenage audiences. I also like the appearance of Brian Dennehy ("Rambo : First blood") and sexy Tahnee Welch.Don Ameche , Wilford Brimley , Jessica Tandy , Hume Cronyn and Jack Gilford – the old generation actors are the stars here. They have good chemistry together and really make you care for their characters.I don't think that Don Ameche deserved the Oscar for his performance. I like him , he's a good actor and he's good here , but the Oscar feels here more like a tribute for his overall career than for this particular performance.The special effects are great even after all those years (they won Oscar). Sure , some of the effects do look a little fake now , but most of them are outstanding – for example the alien in the cocoon . Add to that a great music by James Horner (a little too sweet maybe) and prepare yourself for audio-visual pleasure.As I mentioned earlier this movie isn't one that takes itself too seriously . It tells important truth – you're as old as you feel. Yes , aging and death are painful , but you should use life to the maximum and live with dignity to the end.I recommend this movie to everyone – especially old people . People who like darker and more serious science fiction movies might be disappointed with this one , but anyone with open mind and heart probably will enjoy it. I give it 5/10.

nickelreviews Cocoon was the first big movie Ron Howard directed after Splash. I grew up watching this movie. I've continued watching it (probably over 100 times) and it never gets old! It throws out that question what would older people do if they found the fountain of youth? It's too bad I have to travel back to 1985 to find a truly uplifting film. A movie you can watch that will lift your spirits, and although highly unlikely, is made believable by the great acting that actually landed Don Ameche a Best-Supporting Actor nomination that same year. Cocoon also starred Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Wilford Brimley, Brian Dennehy, and Steve Guttenberg. I love this movie...always have always will! Reviewed by AN/NR 11-14-11

zetes Pretty decent light sci-fi, kind of like E.T. except with old people instead of children. Brian Dennehy plays an alien come to Earth looking for cocoons left in the ocean a long time ago by their race. The cocoons they find are placed in an indoor pool next door to an old folk's home, and a few rascally old men (Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn and Don Ameche) sneak in and use the pool. The water has become rejuvenating, and the three men, along with their wives on subsequent visits, become reinvigorated. Steve Guttenberg plays a ship captain whom the aliens hire to take them out to sea, and Raquel Welch's gorgeous daughter, Tahnee Welch, plays one of the aliens for whom Guttenberg falls. Don Ameche somehow won an Oscar for his role, most likely for a silly break dancing sequence which he obviously did not perform. In my mind, Jack Gilford, as the guys' buddy who refuses to go into the pool, is the best actor in the film, though I don't think anyone deserved an Oscar nomination for it.

Dandy_Desmond Cocoon could have been very depressing and parts of it are very emotional and sad but beautifully handled. It deals with subjects that are quite difficult to sell - being old, facing the death of loved ones or coming to the end of your own time. However thankfully its also very funny contains great well rounded characters and has some great music from James Horner. Steve Guttenbergs character owns a boat and does crappy tours but is struggling to make ends meet and is down on his luck. Enter four mysterious strangers asking him to take them to a certain point in the ocean with no questions asked. He agrees and while spying on the pretty female played by Tahnee Welch (mmmmm!) he finds out they are actually Aliens retrieving Cocoons containing their friends that have lain at the bottom of the sea for thousands of years. Intercutting with this we have the story of an old peoples home and a group of friends biding their time until death takes them as it takes the people around them one by one. Three life long friends (Ameche, Brimley and Cronin)sneak into a local pool and relax but one day find the pool full of cocoons. After their swim they gain a new lease of life - they all get their libido back, their health and their sense of joy in life. I won't go into detail but what made this an enjoyable film for me was the characters. Each of the friends had their own background, their own questions and concerns as to what was happening and their new lease of life had a different effect on each of them. For example I loved how Hume Cronins character at the beginning was dying of cancer - you felt sorry for him as a sick old man, then when the pool cures him you find out as he gets his sex drive back he has an eye for the ladies and cheats on his wife and that its not the first time as he has treat her badly this way before. I also loved the relationship between Wilford Brimleys character and Barret Oliver. You felt a real grandfather - grandson bond between them. Special mention to the other friend in the group - the eternally grouchy Bernie who refuses to go in the pool or let his sick wife. After the old folks run rampant the energy from the cocoons is drained and the pool stops working its magic - then Bernies wife dies and he Carry's her to the pool begging for it to bring her back. Its pretty heart wrenching stuff for the likes of me. Thankfully though although sometimes I did have a tear in my eye there was some laughter to go along with it. The interplay between the old folks is very funny and its a joy to see them change from old codgers to teenagers overnight and I find Steve Guttenberg amusing as well. Overall I found Cocoon a very entertaining film. Emotional, sad, beautiful, funny and above all memorable. Sadly most of the cast is gone but through their work they live on.