I love this movie so much

Let's be realistic.

Don't Believe the Hype

Absolutely brilliant

I just want to take a few minutes to talk about one of my personal favorite films of all time. And as far as Spielberg films are considered it is my favorite. But firstly I want to get out of the way the flaws of the film, every film has them, even films I hold to high regard. Honestly, it's hard to find any flaws since this is a nearly perfect film in every aspect. You can't criticize the visuals since it was made in the 1980s, but I think the performances by the kids other than Thomas, Barrymore, and MacNaughton could have used some work, of course featuring also a young C. Thomas Howell, but it's not terrible. Now that I got that out of the way, let's talk about what makes this film so special and timeless. Firstly, Steven Spielberg's direction as always is masterful, especially when it came to getting the best possible performances out of the main characters, and the main characters are children. Spielberg always knows how to capture that childlike innocence in a film without being sappy, and it's wonderfully displayed here. Secondly, the main kids themselves who are the heart, soul, and blood flow of this movie each with groundbreaking performances especially by Henry Thomas as Elliott, and a cute and young Drew Barrymore as Gertie. Robert MacNaughton sort of serves as the middle man, being conflicted with the ways of an adult but still preserves that childlike wonder when he too meets ET. Thirdly, the master himself John Williams proved yet again why is one of the greatest musicians of all time. After musical hits from Jaws, Star Wars, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, he comes in here and gives arguably his best score before or after. He himself made you believe a boy and alien on a bicycle can fly. And without Williams music that bicycle scene with Elliott and ET flying across the moon wouldn't be anywhere near as iconic. Or the chase scene with the police wouldn't feel as intense without his music. And lastly but certainly not least, ET himself. It is a outstanding job on the creators of this magnificent alien. A bunch of people collaborated to make him including sound designers, makeup artists, costume artists, Spielberg, and many many others and together they made him as believable as you could possibly make him during that time. His voice is provided by Pat Welsh, and Debra Winger also contributed heavily to the character. I also don't want to forget the adult actors involved including Dee Wallace, and Peter Coyote, they too do a great job serving as a lense from an adults point of view of the film and the situations within. Overall, this is a film that should never be touched, Spielberg struck gold with this film and he recognizes that. Many films afterwards that deal with a friendship between a boy and another otherworldly being or animal have to owe it to this film. As the friendship between Elliott and ET is a friendship that people will look back on as one of the greatest. And the film itself should be considered one of the greatest films of all time. As a result this film easily gets a 10/10.

Spielberg's direction and Melissa Mathison's script never lose sight of the realistic, low center of gravity world of childhood, in which such marvelous adventures happen every day. Captivating, endearingly optimistic and magical at times, Steven Spielberg's fantasy about a stranded alien from outer space protected by three kids until it can arrange for passage home is certain to capture the imagination of the world's youth.

Consistently referenced in modern day films, a pop cultural phenomenon and rated highly as one of Spielberg's best. Unsurprisingly, I can see why! It has stood the test of time. A young boy encounters a small alien who is accidentally left on Earth. He decides to keep the alien and assist it in contacting its home so that it can return safely with its race. Think of E.T. as an sci-fi symphony. Spielberg is the maestro, waving his camera around succinctly to create a visual narrative. Each section of the orchestra is an emotion. We've got happiness, laughter, bewilderment and even sadness. Spielberg unites these feelings to create a melodic film that encompasses each emotion perfectly. I still do believe he is one of the best directors for this very reason. He is a visionary master. If he wants to make a family adventure that all audiences can enjoy, well...he's going to. And he does so consistently well. He is able to embed themes of maturity, friendship and motherhood to enhance the meaning behind the glorious practical effects. The telepathic connection between E.T. and Elliott enables Spielberg to harness imagination and utilise it for creative control. Extremely effective towards the end where illness befalls, to which I'm sure will bring a tear to your eye. The acting was consistently good, especially from the child actors. Liked how the story was told through Elliott's perspective, to which the majority of adults are hidden from view. John Williams' score once again accompanies Spielberg's vision and complements the film euphorically to create some memorable pieces of music, such as the moment Elliott's bicycle soars through the night sky. Because I'm late to the E.T. party, I have seen very similar films so I was not as astounded as one may have been back in 1982. Nostalgia definitely plays a big part in the acclaim for E.T. however, it's a competently made family blockbuster that may seem small in scale but will deliver big emotions.

"E.T." is an all-time classic that deals with the extra-terrestrial E.T. who is left behind on planet earth by his species and meets Eliott, a young boy, who gives him shelter and helps him to make contact with his fellow friends.The movie ages quite well. All the cute and funny sequences still deliver the humor and heart that was put into the production. Even the special effects, that are by all means outdated, are carried out with enough care to avoid them from looking ridiculous. It is a typical case of a film settled somewhere between a children's movie, for which it is at parts quite scary, and a plot that adults can enjoy as well. The one thing that really bothered me was that for my taste too much cheesiness is woven into the plot. When E.T. is reanimated by Eliott's love for example, I can't help but feel that that's maybe a bit much. But otherwise this is still a movie you can enjoy with the whole family and one that had quite an influence on many people's childhoods.All in all you can't do much wrong by giving it a try, either as a reminiscence from your own childhood or as a classic that you shouldn't miss out on.