History Film / MacAndMe

* TheMockbuster: Of ET.

A 1988 MerchandiseDriven knockoff of ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', commonly regarded as one of the worst Hollywood movies ever made.

A clumsy scene in which Eric rolls off a cliff became a RunningGag on ''Series/LateNightWithConanOBrien'', and later ''{{Series/Conan}}'': Whenever Creator/PaulRudd is a guest, Rudd will play that clip instead of one from whatever film he's promoting at the time. ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' tackled this one at the top of Season 12 -- coincidentally, both show and subject turned 30 years old that year. For the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode recap, [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S12E01MacAndMe go here]].

* MarsWantsChocolate: The aliens need Coca-Cola to survive. [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer No, really.]]

* MundaneMadeAwesome: Eric and then his mom describe a lot of cars on the road as being "Pretty niiice!". Keep in mind they claim that they haven't seen that many cars on the road [[CriticalResearchFailure and they're from Chicago]].

* ProductPlacement: This might be the all-time record holder (though it might share this distinction with ''WesternAnimation/TheEmojiMovie''), as some of the placement serves minor plot points. The products in question are:

* DisappearedDad: We're not told why.

[[caption-width-right:300:[[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 You know, sometimes I feel kind of squished, like that And between Mac and Me.]]]]

A clumsy scene in which Eric rolls off a cliff became a RunningGag on ''Series/LateNight with Creator/ConanOBrien'', and later ''{{Series/Conan}}'': Whenever Creator/PaulRudd is a guest, Rudd will play that clip instead of one from whatever film he's promoting at the time. ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' tackled this one at the top of Season 12 -- coincidentally, both show and subject turned 30 years old that year. For the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode recap, [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S12E01MacAndMe go here]].

->"[[Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial E.T.]], call lawyer."
-->--'''Richard Harrington''', ''The Washington Post''

* ArtisticLicenseGunSafety: The cops in the movie have ''terrible'' trigger discipline, including keeping his finger on the trigger of a loaded service revolver at all times. Unsurprisingly, this lack of safety gets [[spoiler: Eric]] shot when the cop trips.

* ArtisticLicensePhysics: A planetary probe like the one shown in the movie is pretty much impossible given our current level of technology. They clearly based it off the lunar landers, but taking off again from the moon was only possible because of its low gravity. The Mac's planet clearly has a much higher gravity (as proved by the fact that it ''has an atmosphere'', and apparently an Earth-like atmosphere considering the aliens can breathe here). While we have landed science probes on other planets, like Mars, they were never able to take off again, and instead analyzed their finds on site and sent the data back to Earth using a high-gain antenna. There is a probe sample-return mission scheduled for the future, but that probe will also not take off, it will launch its sample capsule into space, where it will be picked up by a passing satellite. That mission also isn't scheduled until ''2026''. Now, as for the fact that the Macs' planet is apparently not in our star system...

-->-'''Richard Harrington''', ''The Washington Post''

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Nobody seems especially puzzled by the stuffed bear Eric insists on bringing to the party at UsefulNotes/McDonalds; even after Mac ''stretches his arm out reaching for a cola'', it's quickly glossed over.

* FunWithAcronyms: The alien child is referred to as "Mac" by Eric, who explains it as being an acronym for '''M'''ysterious '''A'''lien '''C'''reature. Of course, it also serves as ProductPlacement for [=McDonald's=] and their most popualr sandwich the Big Mac.
* HandicappedBadass: Eric, for a given [[WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld very adolescent]] definition of "badass" – Chuck Norris he ain't, but you gotta admit the wheelchair stunts are pretty impressive.

* CharacterAsHimself: Ronald [=McDonald=] is credited as this.[[note]]He was actually played by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squire_Fridell Squire Fridell]], who also played the role in [=McDonald=]'s advertising from 1985-91 [[/note]] He wound up winning the "Worst New Star" Razzie for 1988!

This is to ''E.T.'' what ''Film/{{Hobgoblins}}'' is to ''Film/{{Gremlins}}''. Interestingly, ''Mac and Me'' was Creator/JenniferAniston's screen debut--maybe.[[note]]She was an extra in one scene, that possibly ended up as a DeletedScene[[/note]]

* ArtisticLicenseGunSafety: The cops in the movie have ''terrible'' trigger discipline, including keeping his finger on the trigger of a loaded service revolver at all times. [[RealityEnsues Unsurprisingly]], this lack of safety gets [[spoiler: Eric]] shot when the cop trips.

* RealityEnsues: [[spoiler: [[ArtisticLicenseGunSafety Practice safe trigger discipline, kids!]] [[SpoofAesop Or there will be]] [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace consequences!]]]]

** Coca-Cola -- This turns out to be the Earth analogue to the aliens' primary nourishment on their home planet and thus ''vital to their survival''!

* FreezeFrameBonus: Yet another item to add to the list of egregious product placement, Mac's dad can actually be seen ''flipping off'' the woman in the other car for a split second during the scene where he steals her can of Sprite, just after doing so.

* RealityEnsues: [[spoiler: [[ArtisticLicenseSafety Practice safe trigger discipline, kids!]] [[SpoofAesop Or there will be]] [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace consequences!]]]]

** Skittles -- The aliens nosh on these too, much as E.T. did with Reese's Pieces.

* Main/{{Bowdlerize}}: WebVideo/{{Phelous}} did [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1obYktp_Ilg an entire episode]] on the uncut Japanese ending of the film. Aside from the shot of [[spoiler:Eric being killed by a stray bullet being cut, a horrendously done silhouette of Eric is inserted in front of the exploding building to suggest that the impact of the explosion is what killed him. A close-up of Eric is cut that shows blood on the hands of the medic trying to revive him. All lines that use the word "dead" were dubbed over, though if you listen closely, Michael's line "He's gone?" is ''overlaid'' (not dubbed) over the line he originally said, "He's dead?" Finally, a shot of one of Mac's parents dislodging a bullet from Eric's chest is cut during the revival scene.]]

* ArtisticLicensePhysics: It's pretty much impossible, given our technology, for a probe from Earth to even land and take off again from another planet, much less manage to return home again as shown.

* FreezeFrameBonus: Yet another item to add to the list of egregious product placement, Mac's dad can actually be seen ''flipping off'' the woman in the other car for a split second during the scene where he steals her can of Sprite.

* FreezeFrameBonus: Yet another item to add to the list of egregious product placement, Mac's dad can actually be seen ''flipping off'' the woman in the other car for a split second during the scene where he steals her sprite can.

A 1988 MerchandiseDriven ripoff of ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'', commonly regarded as one of the worst Hollywood movies ever made.

* ArtisticLicensePhysics: It's pretty much impossible for a lander probe to even land and take off again from another planet, much less manage a return to Earth as shown.

* BizarreAlienBiology: Let's start with the way the aliens' bodies can twist like Stretch Armstrong without harming the creatures themselves, to the point they can be ''sucked through vacuum hoses''... and allowing Mac to get flattened and squashed out of proportion against a car windshield, but seemingly not get the least bit hurt. Then there's their dependence on the unique chemical mixture found only in Coca-Cola to survive.

* SoundtrackDissonance: The heartwarming ballad "Take Me, I'll Follow You", sung by Bobby Caldwell, appears two times in the movie. The second time is in the credits after Jara Lane's "You're Not A Stranger Anymore". The first time? During a scene in which Mac is stuck on top of a tree with dogs barking at him, while Eric and his mom are jogging after she and him have been clashing over "his" behavior.

This is to ''E.T.'' what ''Film/{{Hobgoblins}}'' is to ''Film/{{Gremlins}}''. Both [[http://www.somethingawful.com/d/movie-reviews/mac-and-me.php Something Awful]] and [[http://www.avclub.com/articles/ronald-mcdonald-approved-case-file-151-mac-and-me,36033/ the AV Club]] provide detailed recaps of the film. It was also the subject of WebVideo/{{Phelous}}'s very first review on Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses, and can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0MDcUbwKtI here]]. Interestingly, ''Mac and Me'' was Creator/JenniferAniston's screen debut--maybe.[[note]]She was an extra in one scene, that possibly ended up as a DeletedScene[[/note]]