Gremlins

Some movies change filmmaking, though not in the way they intended. Submitted for your approval: Gremlins, the 1984 “mischievous creatures” movie set at Christmastime, produced by Steven Spielberg and filled with tons of kid-oriented toys, fast-food tie-ins, and an adorable “Mogwai” at its center. Surely, the perfect family entertainment, correct? Oh, sweet lord in heaven, no. Director Joe Dante brought the dark humor and violence of his previous horror films, such as Piranha and The Howling, to the gleefully sadistic title creatures, who straight-up murder people and straight-up get murdered in ways involving electrocution and the abuse of kitchen appliances. Suffice it to say that children screamed and cried, parents protested (or, in my case, forbade me from seeing the movie for many years), and the PG-13 rating was instituted to minimize childhood trauma at the movies. Today, it’s the standard rating for most big-budget films, because you can’t just sneak in without an ID like you used to. Despite all its controversy, Gremlins remains a certified eighties classic, with merchandise coming out to this day, including a recent set of two-packs from toy company NECA, which features the Gremlins caroling like they do in the film. Enjoy the holiday darkness, along with food, science stations, live music by Loos Change, and the museum’s own Amanda Hapeman explaining the (incredibly wonky) science behind the movie at this special event. —Zack Smith