E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Spielberg's ode to aliens is also a tribute to loners, with the abandoned ET befriended by lonely boy Elliott. It is a special, delightful adventure that entertains children and reaches the child in all of us.

The critic calls E.T. a classic that retains its magic and emotional complexity, dealing with themes of divorce and dislocation in a personal way. They single out the film's affecting power and the performances of the child actors for praise.

The critic argues that E.T. deserves more credit as one of the biggest and best-reviewed films ever, noting its massive adjusted box office and strong critical reception including a high Metacritic score. He singles out its status as a standalone blockbuster without sequels and its cultural phenomenon status for praise.

The 20th-anniversary reissue of E.T. is welcome because the film endures through its personal resonance for Spielberg, superb script by Melissa Mathison, beautiful construction, and brilliant casting that makes the simple story of a boy and his alien friend timeless. It remains one of the director's most personal works, filled with warmth and effortless storytelling.

The Blu-ray review celebrates the film's emotional power and ability to evoke catharsis through its specific suburban family dynamics and the alien's bond with the boy. It singles out the realistic portrayal of a broken home and the universal heartache turned into wonder for particular praise.

The critic praises Spielberg and screenwriter Melissa Mathison for blending old-fashioned sentiment with new technology in a disarming way, creating a funny, inventive, and affectionate portrait of middle-American childhood that avoids mawkishness through sharp detail and humour.

Spielberg has created another instant American classic with warmth and humor that works superbly on many levels and will attract all demographics. The film is a simple fantasy elevated by brilliant cinematography, production design, editing and ILM special effects, and was brought in for a remarkably low budget.

Spielberg's masterpiece about the audacity of empathy has lost none of its humor, emotion, or mystery in the 30th-anniversary edition, capturing pre-digital American childhood with its rough edges and secret gardens of imagination. The film daringly joins boy and alien at the heart while remaining rowdy and observant, free of psychobabble.

The critic calls the film Spielberg's most personal work, about his parents' divorce, and praises its convincing domestic setting for sci-fi adventure mixed with anxiety. It redefines popular sci-fi by replacing laser threats with awe and wonder, making it an endless delight.

The reissue confirms that E.T. retains its status as an instant classic, appearing even stronger on its 20th anniversary with its simple, clean storytelling and classical filmmaking style standing out against modern effects-heavy films. The restoration enhances the visuals without major alterations, preserving the director's empathy for children's perspectives and the film's quaint charm from practical effects.

The critic calls the film an enchanted fantasy about a boy befriending a gentle alien who wants to go home, predicting it may become a space-age children's classic that recycles timeless themes from earlier works like Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz. He praises the beautifully realized special effects and the standout creation of E.T. itself while noting minor reservations about the familiar-sounding John Williams score.

The critic views the film as a small, personal work that surprised everyone by becoming a massive hit, noting its autobiographical elements and enduring spell. They discuss the anniversary edition tweaks but affirm the original's appeal.

The review praises the film's timelessness and fairy-tale qualities in a suburban setting despite its age and anniversary edition changes. It singles out Spielberg and Mathison's ability to find magic in ordinary suburbia and the convincing alien creation for praise, while noting occasional overstatement in its emotional appeal.

The critic finds E.T. a child-like, idealistic suburban pastoral that defies easy criticism while inviting multiple analytical approaches. He singles out its benign, sexless alien visitor and its evocation of wonder akin to Peter Pan or religious iconography for particular note.

Spielberg invests the commonplace story of a lonely kid befriending an alien with fierce and naive magic, drawing parallels to religious mythology, but the film seems less impressive than Close Encounters, with vulgar comedy sequences and a sacrifice of truth for emotional punch.