“What the hell is going on?”

Story: It’s 1982 and couple Denise and Greg Platt look like the model family with their two kids, cute doggo, and lovely house in the suburbs. But when strange lights start flickering outside, their suburban oasis starts to experience weird occurrences. That’s not the worst of it; one morning that flicker turns into an all-out shift in reality. Well, at least they get to see what dinosaurs really looked like? Maybe not the best thing that’s ever happened to the neighborhood.

Genre I’d put it in: Spielbergian Stories
Release Date: 2026
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original:
Animals okay?: Dinosaurs. Suburban pets. Not as much carnage as could be, but still there are moments that can hit really hard. Lead pupper survives though!
Special Shout-out: To writer/director David Robert Mitchell for naming his lead Denise. I am nothing if not easily swayed by seeing my rare-ish name in movies.

Gotta say: Street feels like E.T.-era Spielberg meets Jurassic Park. It’s fun, action packed, and delivers several emotional gut punches in between the action. I’m calling it now – this is a film that’s gonna clean up on streaming. But you’ll want to see all that glorious dino action on the big screen, if you can.

Yes, the premise is crazy. Why their street? Why did the prehistoric/80s swap happen? Will it happen again? None of it is answered. Then again, the same thing can be said of Mitchell’s It Follows. (At least of this writing – a sequel is in production.) Follows was still fascinating. And so is Street. I’d say the story is even more intriguing, as we get no answers. Just a good look at how this family, and – and a few of their neighbors – handle the crisis.

The art direction, costuming, and set design are almost* immaculate. As a gal who was a kid in the 80s, I remember those suburban color choices, that wood paneling, and the Jordache jeans. Let’s face it; the early 80s was simply a design and fashion hangover from the 70s. And this film nails that vibe. Anne Hathaway’s Denise looks like the super-cool teacher/neighbor from that era and the rest of the family looks suitably styled without being overly stylish. It’s a happy normcore medium.

With Hathaway and Ewan McGregor as leads, expect some top notch acting that helps hark back to early Spielberg films. The whole “this premise is nuts, but the cast lifts it up” from films like Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind is equally visible here. Is it as good as those classics? I mean, no. Street sometimes has issues with pacing, and background characters are cardboard cutouts even with the actors’ superb chops. Still, Street had me honestly engaged a solid 90% of the time, which is better than, well, 90% of other films out there right now.

This bonkers premise delivers a satisfying time at the movies, embodying the idea of a popcorn flick perfectly. The first watch is a crazy rollercoaster, but with the way things wrap up for Denise and her family? I can see myself returning to Street as a comfort watch.
 

#Protip: that bit about almost immaculate design? Well, I’m the kind of weirdo who looks at this film’s bowls of cereal and noticed something. While the family’s box of Fruit Loops says it’s got “orange, lemon and cherry” flavors/colors? There are also blues and greens in their bowls. Those flavors/colors didn’t come out til *checks Wikipedia* the 90s. Thank you for indulging my weird cereal fetish.