*batteries not included (PG, 1987)

Set in an impoverished section of New York City, *BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED tells the story of honest, blue-collar citizens threatened with eviction to make way for a modern housing complex. The tenants find their prayers answered by an unlikely source: mechanical alien flying saucers. The saucers have the uncanny ability to restore the decrepit apartment complex and defend the tenants from their evictors. It's a quintessential movie of good people vs. bad people.

Although the film often drags at points, its message is warm and heartfelt. The movie emphasizes the notion of standing up for one's beliefs. One major flaw is Jessica Tandy's character. Her performance as a senile wife is not credible as she teeters in and out of senility like a metronome. Attention is directed toward the struggles and triumphs of the characters. The relationships between the characters are mature, but not overly complex for a child to understand. *batteries not included features a unique plot and conveys an overall positive message that both children and adults will appreciate.