MovieMonday.com - Honey-I Shrunk the Kids with Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marsha Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Jared Rushton, Thomas Brown

Techno Films

Honey - I Shrunk the Kids (A)

STARS...
Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marsha Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Jared Rushton, and Thomas Brown.

PLOT SUMMARY...
When a scientist's kids, as well as two neighbor boys, are accidentally miniaturized, they have the adventure of a life time in the now jungle-like backyard.

QUICK SCAN...
Rick Moranis, playing a similar role as Fred MacMurray did, in "Son of Flubber", is a likable science nerd. Marsha Strassman is nice and understanding as his wife. Matt Frewer (Max Headroom) entertains in the role of a square, gung ho neighbor. The FX scenes, involving the kids battling giant creatures in the backyard, are terrific, and a film highlight.

DIRECTOR: Joe Johnston
YEAR & RATING: 1989 (PG)

BEST BETS:

Honey-I Blew Up the Kids
The Incredible Shrinking Man
SYNOPSIS...
Dad is trying to get his shrinking ray to work. When a neighbor boy accidentally hits the ray machine with a baseball, it shrinks both Dad's kids and two neighbor boys.

After being swept up and dumped in the trash, the kids escape into the backyard. Comparatively, the lawn is a huge jungle, and the kids must contend with giant bugs and other oversized hazards.

Just in the nick of time, Dad is able to turn the kids back to their regular sizes.

Review:

With HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS, Director Joe Johnston, working from a Screenplay by Ed Naha and Tom Schulman, effectively melds "The Absent Minded Professor" of Disney's past, with the hi tech special effects of the present.

In place of Fred MacMurray, we have Rick Moranis ("Ghostbusters", "SCTV") as a scientist struggling to perfect a device that will shrink stuff. But unlike bachelor MacMurry, he has a wife, (Marcia Strassman, "Welcome Back Kotter") and two kids.

His neighbor is a gung ho type, played by Matt Frewer ("Max Headroom"). Matt is so square, that when his son says the word, "Tubular", Matt replies "Only twelve and he's already thinking about construction."

When Matt's younger son knocks a baseball into Moranis' attic lab, striking dad's shrinking machine, a chain of events is set into motion that results in both Matt's two boys, as well as Moranis' older daughter and younger son, being shrunk, swept up, and put into the trash.

Moranis' shrinking machine, as well as the FX involving in shrinking, are top drawer. No money has been spared, and it shows on the screen.

Once they escape from the trash, they enter the backyard, a forbidding place of huge plants and giant insects. These scenes are done much better than similar ones, in Irwin Allen's old "Land of the Giant" series, (thanks to ILM special effects), and Director of Photography, Hiro Narita's, vivid imagery is part of the fun. These are my favorite scenes in the film.

As the kids, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Brown, and Jared Rushton deliver great performances. Here's hoping they go on to BIGGER roles in the future.

My favorite scene is when the kids end up in dad's cereal bowl. The special effects in this scene are superb.

James Horner, a frequent choice for action/Sci-Fi films is responsible for the Music. He set the pace and adopts an appropriate mood, and tone to keep things moving.

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS is a very watchable Sci-Fi film that the whole family can appreciate. Getting small has never been so much fun!

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Honey - I Shrunk the Kids (A)
	STARS... Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marsha Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Jared Rushton, and Thomas Brown. PLOT SUMMARY... When a scientist's kids, as well as two neighbor boys, are accidentally miniaturized, they have the adventure of a life time in the now jungle-like backyard. QUICK SCAN... Rick Moranis, playing a similar role as Fred MacMurray did, in "Son of Flubber", is a likable science nerd. Marsha Strassman is nice and understanding as his wife. Matt Frewer (Max Headroom) entertains in the role of a square, gung ho neighbor. The FX scenes, involving the kids battling giant creatures in the backyard, are terrific, and a film highlight.
DIRECTOR: Joe Johnston YEAR & RATING: 1989 (PG) BEST BETS: Honey-I Blew Up the Kids The Incredible Shrinking Man	SYNOPSIS... Dad is trying to get his shrinking ray to work. When a neighbor boy accidentally hits the ray machine with a baseball, it shrinks both Dad's kids and two neighbor boys. After being swept up and dumped in the trash, the kids escape into the backyard. Comparatively, the lawn is a huge jungle, and the kids must contend with giant bugs and other oversized hazards. Just in the nick of time, Dad is able to turn the kids back to their regular sizes.
Review: With HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS, Director Joe Johnston, working from a Screenplay by Ed Naha and Tom Schulman, effectively melds "The Absent Minded Professor" of Disney's past, with the hi tech special effects of the present. In place of Fred MacMurray, we have Rick Moranis ("Ghostbusters", "SCTV") as a scientist struggling to perfect a device that will shrink stuff. But unlike bachelor MacMurry, he has a wife, (Marcia Strassman, "Welcome Back Kotter") and two kids. His neighbor is a gung ho type, played by Matt Frewer ("Max Headroom"). Matt is so square, that when his son says the word, "Tubular", Matt replies "Only twelve and he's already thinking about construction." When Matt's younger son knocks a baseball into Moranis' attic lab, striking dad's shrinking machine, a chain of events is set into motion that results in both Matt's two boys, as well as Moranis' older daughter and younger son, being shrunk, swept up, and put into the trash. Moranis' shrinking machine, as well as the FX involving in shrinking, are top drawer. No money has been spared, and it shows on the screen. Once they escape from the trash, they enter the backyard, a forbidding place of huge plants and giant insects. These scenes are done much better than similar ones, in Irwin Allen's old "Land of the Giant" series, (thanks to ILM special effects), and Director of Photography, Hiro Narita's, vivid imagery is part of the fun. These are my favorite scenes in the film. As the kids, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Brown, and Jared Rushton deliver great performances. Here's hoping they go on to BIGGER roles in the future. My favorite scene is when the kids end up in dad's cereal bowl. The special effects in this scene are superb. James Horner, a frequent choice for action/Sci-Fi films is responsible for the Music. He set the pace and adopts an appropriate mood, and tone to keep things moving. HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS is a very watchable Sci-Fi film that the whole family can appreciate. Getting small has never been so much fun!