E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

If you have not seen this movie at least once, then I must ask you one thing: Why? E.T. is about an alien who is accidentally left on Earth by his spaceship and he befriends a young boy named Elliot who soon discovers him. I want to start by saying that the opening title for the movie is just plain eery. There's a weird and deep sound playing in the background it doesn't really sound like music. Then it just shows these short, dark figures moving around in the dark and isolated forest. I was about 5 or 6 years old the first time I saw this so I was under the assumption that this was some kind of horror movie. As the movie progresses, we're introduced to Elliot and his family. Elliot is played by Henry Thomas and he's really good in his role. Most kid actors usually suck, but Thomas is an exception. Drew Barrymore plays Elliot's little sister and she's the most well-known person in the movie. Yep, despite the success of E.T., most of the actors careers never got boosted and Barrymore was able to move on to other stuff like.....Family Guy? Anyway, I also feel the need to address a scene that scarred me as a child: The scene in the cornfield when Elliot is looking for E.T. in the beggining of the movie. It's a very creepy and tense scene and when the climax of the scene hits, your kids might end up having nightmares. When Elliot and E.T. eventually see eachother properly for the first time, the friendship starts and you immediately buy it. Elliot is the middle child in his family, his parents are divorced and you obviously get the sense that he's a lonely person in need of a companion. If he didn't meet E.T., I'm pretty sure he would become a drug addict. All the scenes with Elliot and E.T. are really well done. They're full of humor, emotion, a strong sense of curiosity and understanding and it makes for a great story of friendship. The special effects for E.T. are also fantastic. I've always preffered puppetry over CGI and this is one of those movies that shows why. It just pisses me off that Steven Spielberg went back and updated the film so that E.T. is a shallow piece of computer animation in the DVD. Not only that, but he also did a lot of stupid shit like digitally replacing all the guns with walkie-talkies. It may seem like I hate CGI, but I don't. I think it's a great and useful tool, but I just hate the people who overuse and abuse it. I'm just glad I own the original VHS copy of this movie. While speaking on technical aspects, I also have to praise the music for the film. John Williams did such an excellent job on creating a memorable score. It's an unforgettable piece of music and it's one of my all time favorite scores. Without spoiling anything, I'm also going to comment on the ending. It's such an emotional scene that always overwhelms me. It perfectly ends the movie and it's one of those things that just makes you sad. E.T. is one of my all time favorite movies and I don't see myself getting bored with it. It's a classic and if you haven't seen it, then find a way to watch it.