Features: DVD
Editor's Note
COCOON: A group of senior citizens residing in a rest home find their lives turned upside down after they are offered the gift of eternal youth by benevolent aliens in Ron Howard's wonderful tribute to the human spirit. Brian Dennehy is Walter, an alien who returns to earth to rescue 20 of his friends now hibernating in cocoons off the coast of Florida. With the help of a charter boat captain (Steve Guttenberg), the cocoons are stored in a deserted swimming pool. When three men from a nearby retirement village (the charming Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, and Hume Cronyn) sneak into the pool for a swim, they discover what seem to be oversized oystershells in the water. Suddenly they feel physically and spiritually rejuvenated, believing they've found the long elusive Fountain of Youth. The men's frisky behavior causes something of a controversy in the retirement village as residents are forced to choose between a second youth or accepting the more natural aging process. The ensemble cast of experienced actors, including Ameche, Brimley, and Cronyn as well as Cronyn's real-life wife, Jessica Tandy; Maureen Stapleton; Gwen Verdon; and the skeptical Jack Gilford all bring a dignity to the film's youthful, spirited theme. COCOON, one of the best films of the 1980s, is a heartwarming story that should be treasured for generations.COCOON 2: THE RETURN: In director Daniel Petrie's sequel to the smash hit COCOON, the retirees who chose to leave earth to live forever return home for a temporary visit with their loved ones while their alien escorts attempt to rescue a cocoon dislodged by a pesky oceanographer (Courteney Cox). Don Ameche is back as Art Selwyn, with his friends Ben Luckett (Wilford Brimley) and Joe Finley (Hume Cronyn) and their wives, Bess (Gwen Verdon), Mary (Maureen Stapleton), and Alma (Jessica Tandy). They rediscover the value of human emotion and the fragility of their own lives as they visit with their old friends and remember what it's like to live on earth. As the group of friends reconsider what life would be like if they returned permanently, they shop, party, and make some miraculous discoveries about the future of their relationships. Before they decide whether to stay on Earth or return to space, they must help their alien escort Kitty (Tahnee Welch) rescue an alien cocoon from the hands of the government, with the help of her old friend Jack Bonner (Steve Guttenberg). Once again the elderly friends must debate whether to stay or to go and consider whether it is better to die surrounded by the people one loves or live forever, separated from family and friends. This charming sequel features delightful ensemble acting from its fine cast of stars, including Elaine Stritch and Jack Gilford in dynamite supporting roles.
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