Barret Oliver Archives

The Neverending Story (1984)

Rating: ★★½

Jan 9, 2002Fantasy Adventure Inside an Interactive Book

A popular fantasy film of the 80s that sits just between the imaginative, particularly when it comes to some its creature effects and design work, and the mawkish. It also comes with an intriguing level of meta-fiction that delivers some odd messages

Director: Wolfgang Petersen

Actors: Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Sydney Bromley, Moses Gunn, …

Category: Fantasy

9 January 200230 June 2021 by Roog

Cocoon (1985)

Rating: ★★

Apr 26, 2001Alien Visitors/Rejuvenated Geriatrics

Ron Howard film clearly inspired by the success of E.T.. This story about seniors being rejuvenated after swimming in a pool that has an alien pod in it received critical kudos during its day but the film operates as a simplistic and naive wish-fulfillment fantasy

Director: Ron Howard

Actors: Brian Dennehy, Don Ameche, Steve Guttenberg, Hume Cronyn, …

Category: Science Fiction

26 April 200125 April 2020 by Roog

D.A.R.Y.L. (1985)

Rating: ★★

Feb 8, 2005Android Boy

Barret Oliver plays an android boy on the run from his creators who shelters with a human family. This promptly employs all the cliches of the post-E.T. film

Director: Simon Wincer

Actors: Barret Oliver, Michael McKean, Mary Beth Hurt, Josef Sommer, …

Category: Science Fiction

8 February 200514 January 2026 by Roog

Cocoon: The Return (1988)

Rating: ★

May 3, 2001Alien Visitors/Rejuvenated Geriatrics

A dreadful sequel to the Ron Howard hit Cocoon about seniors encountering aliens. This misses all the interesting potential of a sequel and drowns in schmaltz and unfunny comedy routines

Director: Daniel Petrie

Actors: Don Ameche, Hume Cronyn, Steve Guttenberg, Wilford Brimley, …

Category: Science Fiction

3 May 20015 January 2026 by Roog