Undeterred by the sudden appearance of fuzzy boulders in the water, a small group of Florida retirees continue their practice of sneaking into the neighbor’s private pool for clandestine afternoon swims. When the stones act as an instant salve for the rigors of old age, their visits increase in frequency and they finally take serious notice of the odd new tenants. Who, as it happens, wear removable skin suits and glow in the dark.

Despite the spacey premise, _Cocoon_ is a relaxed, slow-moving film that handles its sci-fi elements with a light touch. There’s no anxiety to watching this; the sailing is smooth and the waters are warm, which can be a nice change of pace in today’s sometimes overwrought cinematic landscape. After the initial shock wears off, the old-timers don’t make a big deal about the extraterrestrials next door. They just accept them as eccentrics and find ways to relate; a sweet little slice of morality that lands without pretension.

As this is a Ron Howard production, there’s a whole lot of sentiment to be had. Misty eyes and hugs abound, almost to the point of over-indulgence, but at least this suits the story and gives the cast (largely comprised of faded former stars) a fond industry farewell. Wilford Brimley gives the most memorable performance of the bunch, but he was still a relatively young man at the time (he turned 50 during filming, which seems almost impossible) while vets like Don Ameche and Jessica Tandy hand in strong efforts at the very end of their careers.

Not a bad night’s entertainment, but also nothing revelatory or extra-special.

****Interesting and thought-provoking.****

Made 35 years ago with some former well-known actors, this film has stood the test of time very well and delivers a very interesting and thought-provoking story about the mortality of man.

A group of people in a retirement village discover a neighboring swimming pool which is out of bounds, but they have fun in it nevertheless. There are some strange objects lying on the bottom of the pool, but even more strange is the fact that after swimming there the old folk feels transformed and the vigor of their youth returns to their bodies. This makes for some light comedy as their hormones begin to take over.

These old people have a very serious decision to make and it is not an easy one. This is probably the best part of the film. Should they accept or decline the invitation? Having made the decision there is no turning back! We ask ourselves...what would we do placed in their circumstances? We feel very much involved. Thinking it over, isn't this proposal very much like what the Christian churches are promising us?

The final memorial church service by the sea is such a fitting ending and the little grandson David gives such a knowing smile as he raises his eyes to the sky.

My Score 7/10.

This entire movie made me think it would go a certain way towards the end. It's been so long since I saw it that I remembered basically everything about it except for the ending. I believed this film would be about acceptance, that we are not only in an age of acceptance, but also need to be accepting of age - that we are who we are, and as we age we grow...and there are certain things we need to accept to be granted self-actualization...like death, for instance. Had the film gone the route I anticipated, it wouldn't have just been entertaining, but also enlightening. However, it goes a different route, more so about...just...living and having fun. To be fair and honest, I'll agree and say this movie is tons of fun. I don't have a problem with the ending, I just think it would have been more meaningful had it gone a different route.

That being said, I'll tell you why this movie is memorable - and that's the characters. Forget the fountain of youth, forget the aliens, these characters are perfectly cast. They work so well together in this retirement home that I don't think I've wanted to watch the geezers in different stories more in my life. The chemistry there transcends any possible negative aspects...but joined with the concept of aliens and this fountain of youth creates a beautiful and unforgettable image. Also, the writing of the aliens is also incredibly memorable. I don't think I could cast a better group that conveys the idea that they actually do come in peace. They then all come together to make an ensemble that no one could hate. Ron Howard did something remarkable with this film. He created a family.

Cocoon still holds up to this day. Sure, there are a few issues with visuals. I could tell when they were faking just about anything, including the use of green screen - but the interactions and just plain-old-fun makes the movie worth it. It also has an ending that actually benefits off a sequel. Yes, I've seen the second movie years ago as well, but...now I'm going to have to watch it again.

**It deserves to be remembered nowadays.**

I think the 80's were, maybe, the golden age of alien movies. Between comedies or horror films, the quality is quite satisfactory and there is plenty to choose from. This film is, however, one of the least known, perhaps due to the light way in which everything was approached, and it has even fallen into unfair oblivion today. For me, it was a movie that worked better precisely because of that, not least because I'm not a particularly big fan of alien movies.

The film, in fact, is a very light and familiar comedy, pleasant and not made to think too much, nor to be an award-winning film. I really got the feeling that it was an unpretentious project that, at the time, gave very good results, having even won two Oscars, for Best Visual Effects and Best Supporting Actor (for veteran Don Ameche).

The script is quite simple: a group of friendly old timers from a nursing home, who have the habit of visiting the pool of a neighboring abandoned mansion, have just discovered that their new owners have mysteriously changed the water with gigantic stones from the bottom of the sea: now, in addition to being warm, the water seems to have the ability to restore their youthful vitality and health. What they don't know is that the stones are, in fact, emergency pods left by an alien civilization that had an exploration base in the sea, nearby, which we learned to call Atlantis... and that the new owners of the abandoned house they are really aliens from a rescue team that came to collect the pods left behind thousands of years ago.

The film has a great cast that includes venerable names such as Don Ameche, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Wilford Brimley and Jack Gilford. In fact, and despite the merits of younger actors like Steve Guttenberg and Brian Dennehy, it is a film made to allow veteran actors a good opportunity to shine and show that age is numbers. I think I won't be exaggerating if I say that everyone enjoyed the film well and showed that they are doing very well, and that talent doesn't fade with age. I especially liked Brimley and Stapleton. Guttenberg has done better in other films, and Tahnee Welch doesn't do very well here either.

On a technical level, it's a very well-made film: the cinematography extracts the best of the sunny and seemingly paradisiacal environments of the places where the film was made, and the visual and special effects used fulfill their role in the film very well. We might even think that there are some cheap clichés, like the light on the boat, or the flying saucer, but as I said above, it's a light film, and we're only being unfair or overly demanding if we think about things like that. The soundtrack was in charge of James Horner, with whom Howard will make a series of films, and fulfills his role very well, without much fuss.

_**Discovering the "fountain of youth"**_

On the surface "Cocoon" (1985) is about elderly folks at a retirement home in Florida unknowingly finding the "fountain of youth" via a pool on an adjacent property. A peculiar group of people rent the property to store boulder-like objects they take from the bottom of the ocean. As such, the pool acquires healing powers and restore's the old folk's youthful vigor.

Steve Guttenberg stars as the likable protagonist, the boat owner/operator who helps the people get to the objects in the ocean, but he has no idea what's really going on. The stunning Tahnee Welch, Raquel's daughter, plays one of the members of the peculiar group to whom Guttenberg's character takes a liking. Unlike Raquel, who's known for being a bit biyatchy, Tahnee shines with a winsome disposition. Brian Dennehy is also on hand as the leader of the odd group, and he does very well.

Most great movies have a deeper subtext, and so it is with "Cocoon." The story is a commentary on aging, death, grieving and the yearning for eternal life. The people of the peculiar group are types of angels or, better yet, the redeemed in glorified bodies. What they offer is the gospel, the key to eternal life in the "new heavens and new earth, the home of righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13). By "the redeemed in glorified bodies" I'm referring to the glorious bodies that are promised to believers at the time of their bodily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:42-44); these bodies will be imperishable, powerful and spiritual (not carnal) in nature. Believers will be able to defy gravity with these new bodies, walk through doors and teleport from one place to another, all of which can be observed in Jesus Christ after his resurrection.

Needless to say, "Cocoon" has an incredible subtext. But it's not necessary to get so deep. This is just an entertaining movie with a good heart. More than that, it's inspiring. On the downside, the final act is overextended and should've been trimmed down.

The film runs 1 hour, 57 minutes, and was shot in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg area of Florida with the underwater scenes done in the Bahamas.

GRADE: A-