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Can of Worms

  • TV Movie
  • 1999
  • TV-PG
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
4.8/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
Erika Christensen and Michael Shulman in Can of Worms (1999)
ComedyFamilySci-Fi

A teen is visited by aliens after he broadcasts a message into space.A teen is visited by aliens after he broadcasts a message into space.A teen is visited by aliens after he broadcasts a message into space.

  • Director
    • Paul Schneider
  • Writer
    • Kathy Mackel
  • Stars
    • Michael Shulman
    • Erika Christensen
    • Adam Wylie
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.8/10
    1.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Paul Schneider
    • Writer
      • Kathy Mackel
    • Stars
      • Michael Shulman
      • Erika Christensen
      • Adam Wylie
    • 19User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos14

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    Top cast23

    Edit
    Michael Shulman
    Michael Shulman
    • Mike Pillsbury
    Erika Christensen
    Erika Christensen
    • Katelyn Sandman
    Adam Wylie
    Adam Wylie
    • Nick
    Andrew Ducote
    • Jay
    Lee Garlington
    Lee Garlington
    • Dana Pillsbury
    Brighton Hertford
    • Jill Pillsbury
    Marcus Turner
    Marcus Turner
    • Scott Shneieber
    Malcolm McDowell
    Malcolm McDowell
    • Barnabus
    • (voice)
    Chris Davies
    • Ryan
    Marie Stillin
    Marie Stillin
    • Mrs. Nickerson
    Jessica Murdoch
    • Katelyn's Friend
    Terry David Mulligan
    Terry David Mulligan
    • Coach Trembly
    Brian Steele
    Brian Steele
    • Thoad
    Hrothgar Mathews
    Hrothgar Mathews
    • Thoad Man
    • (as Hrothgar Matthews)
    J.D. Hall
    J.D. Hall
    • Thoad
    • (voice)
    • (as JD Hall)
    Peter Kelamis
    Peter Kelamis
    • Inter-Gallactic Cop
    • (voice)
    • (as Peter Kalamis)
    Guy Fauchon
    • Hanzel
    Bruce Lanoil
    Bruce Lanoil
    • The Bom
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Paul Schneider
    • Writer
      • Kathy Mackel
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews19

    4.81.3K
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    Featured reviews

    7tanela

    Not downright awful, but not particularly amazing, either.

    I watched this movie because my favourite actor, Malcolm McDowell does a voice of one of the aliens. I was not very impressed with the story. Young children might find it entertaining for as long as it lasts, but it's not very memorable. The aliens aren't too bad, but the other effects, at the dance and the main character's supposedly high-tech equipment are pretty cheesy. The movie moves very slowly and it takes most of the movie for the premise to set in. If they had either started the movie about half way through and made a bigger deal about the adventure on the other planet, or gone in a totally different direction from the midway point, the movie might have been redeemable. However, it's not. All the characters are pretty shallow. The main character can't seem to decide if he is or isn't an alien. The bully character goes along with their plans just because he is dared which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Anyway, it's a shallow movie.
    5doomedmac

    Can of Worms...

    Is a really weird movie. But you already knew that. What you didn't know is that it is extremely mediocre and mildly entertaining.
    5Zanatos

    Did the writer die before he finished this?

    The first two-thirds of this movie are so neat and so funny, that it is such a shame when the final third is so downright stupid and remedial. It is about a boy, who feels like an outcast at home and school, that he tries to summon aliens using his satellite dish to take him away from Earth. After a lightning incident, aliens finally do hear him, and some of them come to try and take the boy away after he has had second thoughts about leaving. Some of these aliens (especially the lawyer alien) are very hilarious. But then the writing screws up when the boy his friends team up with the school bully to face an evil zoo-keeper alien. This bully-befriending and cliched evil alien make me wonder if we changed writers within the movie. That feeling ruins "Can Of Worms." Zanatos's score: 5 out of 10
    3TheMysteriousReviewer

    What Is That Disgusting Creature?!?!?!

    Can of Worms is not only one of the most stupidest, but possibly the worst Halloween movie Disney Channel has ever created. Even for straight-to-television, it doesn't excuse to be both cringy and very cheesy. Actually, being a cheesy sci-fi film is just the least of the movie's issues. The story is very basic, the visuals are a joke, the characters have almost no brain, the acting is just overacting, and the animatronics are some of the most disturbing in the worst kind of way. Honestly, I suggest to stay away from this one. Trust me, you will be excruciated the first half hour you watch it. If you want to watch a Halloween related movie by Disney Channel, go watch Don't Look Under The Bed or even the first two Halloweentown films and they are actually much more enjoyable. This is truly the sci fi Disney Channel movie that has little to nothing in entertainment. Well hey, at least we won't have to see those freaks again.
    5NAHNCEE

    sweet but no jim henson

    About a teenaged boy suffering rejection angst who messages The Universe to come and take him away because he doesn't belong on earth. The movie overall is "sweet" - no one is too awful, and nothing too terrible happens to him. The production values are so low as to become distracting; i.e., the aliens are not cute or interesting, the halloween dance has a total of about 20 participants, and his "high tech equipment" consists of a laptop and a backyard satellite dish. You have never heard of any of the actors in this, except for the kid nextdoor neighbor. I watched it because TV Guide rated it very very highly - I wonder what they were thinking of.

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the first Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) to receive a TV-PG rating.
    • Quotes

      Barnabus: Many who feel out-of-place here look down. But not you, Mike Pillsbury. You looked to the stars. Remarkable.

    • Connections
      References Sleepaway Camp (1983)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 10, 1999 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Oanade konsekvenser
    • Filming locations
      • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Disney Channel
      • Gross-Weston Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 30m(90 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo

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