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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

    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.
    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
    3brandi-ferrell

    This may be the worst movie I have ever seen

    I am trying so hard to finish this movie to give it a fair chance, but this is extremely painful. I am trying to watch all the old Disney channel original movies and I had never heard of this one before. I was excited for a moment because I like Erika Christiansen from Parenthood and the kid that plays his friend from some episodes of Gilmore girls but the excitement ends there. All the "aliens"? Are SUPER ANNOYING!! Their voices are annoying and several of them are super disturbing to even look at with their too realistic eyes and mouths attached to weird puppety bodies. Please don't waste your time like I did!
    10briannakrause

    cold sweat

    When I was a child, only at the age of 8 I woke up in a cold sweat while this movie was playing. Traumatic if I do say. I only saw the last 30 minutes of this movie but I had nightmares for the next two years. All I could remember about this movie was the aliens. Everyone thought I was lying, making things up, and after a while I did too. "It must of been a weird dream that suck with me." is what I thought. Oh was I so wrong. Fast forward ten years, I have not stopped thinking about this movie, my every waking moment, every time someone brings up the Critters franchise I have to relish in the fact that its not the movie that has been haunting my thoughts for twelve years.

    I finally found this stupid movie, my character arch is over, I can finally rest.

    Also. Mike is literally the definition of an incel and does NOT deserve Katelyn lmao.

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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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