Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) **** [Double Feature Pt. 2]

I'm in the minority that likes Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) more than Gremlins (1984) (my review here). It's possibly the most fun sequel ever made. 

In much the same way that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) (my review here) satirizes The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) (my review here), Gremlins 2 provides jokes at the expense of the first film. It also adds layers of meta humor that include references to Busby Berkeley and films such as Marathon Man (1976) (my review here), The Wizard Of Oz (1939) (my review here), The Phantom Of The Opera (1925) (my review here), and Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)—which Gremlins composer Jerry Goldsmith also scored.

Gremlins 2 is a literal live action cartoon. It's really fun to witness director Joe Dante get the OK to go completely crazy (particularly in such a big budget mainstream film) and let mayhem take over. The film is filled to the brim with whacky characters and an even whackier assemblage of creatures. There's so many incredible creations brought to life by the brilliant visual f/x. The cast is a blast—cameos and character actors galore (plus it has more Dick Miller than its predecessor, which is never a bad thing). I do love that Key & Peele skit too.

You can find my Joe Dante Feature Films Ranked list here.