Gremlins (1984)

A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.

Quite original, over-the-top horror spoof  is lively and entertaining, over-abundant with in-joke details, but its black humor is childish most of the time.

Halliwell*: "Juvenile horror comic, a kind of deliberate inversion of E.T. Slow to start, and a little too knowingly nasty, with variable special effects; but a pretty hot commercial success."

Maltin**: "Comic nightmare is a cross between Capra's IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE and THE BLOB; full of film-buff in-jokes, but negated by too-vivid violence and mayhem."

The Black Stallion (1979)

A young boy is shipwrecked on a deserted island with a wild Arabian stallion whom he befriends.

From memory: Surprisingly good (and old-fashioned) race horse tale aimed at a younger audience with especially beautiful cinematography.

Halliwell*: "1980 seems a bit late for boy-and-horse pictures, but this one is so beautifully directed and photographed, if drastically overlong, that most adults thought their children should see it."

Maltin***: "Exquisitely filmed story...Too slow at times, but still worthwhile, with many precious moments, stunning cinematography by Caleb Deschanel, Rooney's lovely performance as veteran horse trainer."