Infamousta
brilliant actors, brilliant editing
Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin
The movie really just wants to entertain people.
Jerrie
It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...
Alice C
Honestly this probably was one of the worst movies I've seen in a long time and we turned it off probably before the halfway point. Just bad jokes, annoying laughing, over use of music to underscore everything. I'm not a fan of Tom Hanks but he was once funny. Not in this film. Lots of actors from the '80s but a really bad story line not worth your time.
shadow_blade-89459
"The 'Burbs" (1989) is a comedic mystery thriller about a typical suburban neighborhood where something is off about the new neighbors. The film is from the perspective of Ray Peterson, played by Tom Hanks, as he tries to enjoy his time off and deescalate the neighborhood snoops, Mark and Art played by Bruce Dern and Rick Ducommun respectively. I love Tom Hanks, but I am not a fan of this film. The film is put together well, but the character of Art was extremely annoying to me and really turned me off the film. The editing and pacing flowed well with the story. However, the film is solid for the late 80s.The director, Joe Dante, stayed true to his horror comedy style where most of the comedy isn't in your face like "Gremlins," which I loved. He effortlessly snuck in little bits of comedy without completely taking away from the mystery, thriller concept. I was initially unsure of the point of this film, but the reason is there are two. Don't be a nosy neighbor and revealing the second which equates to the payoff would spoil the film. Overall, this film is solid and if you can ignore Art, you may be able to enjoy it.
Scott LeBrun
"The 'Burbs" is writer / co-producer / actor Dana Olsens' deliberately warped invention. The idea is to remove the picture perfect outer layer of average American suburban life and reveal what potential insanity could be bubbling underneath. In so doing, he also makes fun of suburbanites who seem to make it their business to know everybody elses' business.Tom Hanks stars as Ray Peterson, your typical 'burb dweller, who ends up severely stressed out when his nutty neighbors - Bruce Dern as ex-military man Mark Rumsfield and the late comedian Rick Ducommun as nosey instigator Art Weingartner - spur him to action. They keep hearing weird noises, and seeing weird things, concerning the newcomers to the street, the Klopeks (Henry Gibson, Brother Theodore, Courtney Gains), and wonder just what the hell is going on inside the Klopek house. To make matters more interesting, their elderly neighbor Walter Seznick (Gale Gordon) goes missing. Could the Klopeks be responsible for his disappearance?Ray tries his best to be rational and skeptical, but finds himself drawn in more and more by his kooky comrades and the things he witnesses. Acting as a genuine voice of reason is his understandably frustrated wife Carol (Carrie Fisher).The whole thing becomes rather over the top, but then a sense of anarchy to his stories has always been filmmaker Joe Dantes' ("Piranha" '78, "The Howling", "Gremlins") strong suit. Olsen and Dante have fun with the dark comedy aspect to this yarn, and there are some quite funny bits along the way. Viewing the whole circus from the sidelines is neighborhood teen Ricky Butler (Corey Feldman), who tries to convince his peers that the goings on here are better than any movie they could watch. Among those who really get into the spirit of the material are production designer James Spencer and composer Jerry Goldsmith.Hanks is terrific, and much like the legendary Gene Wilder, proves to be a master at freaking out in a comedic way. But the whole cast is great, with Ducommun often going to town on the scenery. The cast is filled with familiar faces: Wendy Schaal, Dick Miller (Dantes' good luck charm for many years), Robert Picardo, Franklyn Ajaye, Rance Howard, Nicky Katt, Kevin Gage, Patrika Darbo. Olsen himself appears as a cop.While the story is ultimately rather predictable, it does keep you watching, and amused - and may make you wonder what goes on behind your own neighbors' doors.Seven out of 10.
Realrockerhalloween
The burbs is a satire comedy about the suburbs and how even the well off in society can be weird. When new neighbor's move in across the street, Ray and his friends take an instant distrust to them. The krychecks keep to themselves, take out the trash in the middle of the night in their car or bury it in the yard. Lightening even strikes the roof as if a weird experiment is taking place.What I love about the film is it makes you question who is same. The neighbor's who now their lawn, attend picnics and keep their houses up to code or the ones who don't.Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher have on screen chemistry that shines through every scene they appear in. They fell like a real married couple that love next door.The shenanigans the boys get into to prove the krychecks aren't as they seen is a treat. The creative traps and look outs plans that go wrong is like a three stooges skit. What can go wrong, will go wrong. The burbs is a movie you don't want to miss.
