There is certainly an argument as to whether Cocoon: The Return need have ever been made. Ben (Wilford Brimley) had explicitly told his grandson that he would never see him again, it serves to cheapen that scene and many other scenes of finality in the original that they 'return' for this sequel.
Another annoyance is that the hospitals and doctors that the oldsters frequent don't seem to wonder how the hell these guys have risen seemingly from the dead.
That said, it's wonderful to see the senior actors return again, and some very real issues are covered which make this more than a worthwhile sequel all things considered. The scene of sacrifice with Joe (Hume Cronyn) and Alma (Jessica Tandy) is a whirlpool of emotion and I defy anyone not to be moved by this pair of stunning performances - it really does tug on the heartstrings, as much as anything in the first movie does. It's also superb watching Bernie (Jack Gilford) move on with his life by dating the feisty Ruby (Elaine Stritch) who is more than a match for the cantankerous curmudgeon. Some brilliantly moving moments as Bernie believes he is betraying his late wife by kissing another woman...
And that's what the Cocoon movies do, they move you, they move senior citizens - disregarded by society - to the forefront of importance and rightfully so too, before we were around - they were. They deserve these films to showcase the hardships they have to go through in later life, where a great deal of them to crave immortality...these films take a look what if?...and then...is it what it was cracked to be.
Wonderful films, wonderful actors - I'll defend these movies to the end.
Another annoyance is that the hospitals and doctors that the oldsters frequent don't seem to wonder how the hell these guys have risen seemingly from the dead.
That said, it's wonderful to see the senior actors return again, and some very real issues are covered which make this more than a worthwhile sequel all things considered. The scene of sacrifice with Joe (Hume Cronyn) and Alma (Jessica Tandy) is a whirlpool of emotion and I defy anyone not to be moved by this pair of stunning performances - it really does tug on the heartstrings, as much as anything in the first movie does. It's also superb watching Bernie (Jack Gilford) move on with his life by dating the feisty Ruby (Elaine Stritch) who is more than a match for the cantankerous curmudgeon. Some brilliantly moving moments as Bernie believes he is betraying his late wife by kissing another woman...
And that's what the Cocoon movies do, they move you, they move senior citizens - disregarded by society - to the forefront of importance and rightfully so too, before we were around - they were. They deserve these films to showcase the hardships they have to go through in later life, where a great deal of them to crave immortality...these films take a look what if?...and then...is it what it was cracked to be.
Wonderful films, wonderful actors - I'll defend these movies to the end.