Dennis Boutsikaris, Elizabeth Peña, Frank McRae

After their apartment building is bought by an unscrupulous developer, Frank and Faye Riley (real-life couple Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy) face eviction. But the poor retirees and their neighbors re...( read more  read more... )ceive help from an unlikely source -- a clan of tiny robotic aliens who supply free electricity and harass the developer's goons.

Flixster Users

62% liked it

65,296 ratings

Critics

58% liked it

12 critics

PG, 1 hr. 46 min.

Directed by: Matthew Robbins

Release Date: December 18, 1987

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DVD Release Date: March 16, 1999

Stats: 1,735 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,735)


  • September 18, 2009
    A childhood favourite that had me screaming at my Mum, 'I want one'!
  • June 30, 2008
    one of my favorite films as a kid
    and now i just like it cuz the whole thing is just fucking ridiculous
  • January 4, 2008
    Poor SFX. Passable family movie.
  • November 24, 2007
    captured the imagination. used to watch it as a kid and just recently (about 5 minutes ago) seen it all again. jessica tandy was top notch playing the senile old woman convinced the local thug was her dead son. amusing original idea for kids and family viewing. it goes as regular...( read more) as to be expected. the heartening good ending. the hopeful and needy are never let down. great for when you're young and continues to hold its own when you grow up and a bit distant from these kinda ideas
  • October 23, 2007
    Been a while.
  • November 9, 2009
    Wooorale... ya ni me acordaba!
    Buenisima. Me encantó esta película.
  • October 29, 2009
    Got to get this for the family....
  • September 10, 2009
    This is a very good family Sci-fi film. It stars Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. They both give solid performances. A charming film about alien robots helping out tenants from losing their home. The F/X is quite good for this film. Plus a solid story and charming characters make f...( read more)or a fun film. A classic from the 80's.
  • August 27, 2009
    Such a funny movie, sweet and adorable.
  • August 21, 2009
    Super-cute! Alot of old ppl in it but still.

Comments


  • mkread13
    February 17, 2007
    It was a very interesting story as because it actually has a moral but it hides the moral in the funny parts such as when the 'plates' made everything back to normal again.

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*batteries not in... : Watch Free on TV


*batteries not included Trivia


  • In which film did little robots rebuild a whole building?  Answer »
  • In what movie does one of the major supporting characters only quote lines from television commercials?  Answer »
  • In which movie did small mechanical alien life-forms save the residents of a tenement block from having it demolished?  Answer »
  • What 1987 Steven Speilburg presented film involved mechanicle aliens helping to save an apartment from demolition?  Answer »

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