Review: E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial

#71 - E.T.

E.T. is a classic Steven Spielberg film about an alien that lands on Earth and is left behind on accident. He meets a little boy named Elliott, and they become immediate friends. E.T.'s mission is to find a way home. He becomes ill and has a brush with death, which pushes Elliott to get E.T. home. With the help of his brother and his friends, he returns E.T. to his family. E.T. finally returns home. 

E.T. has always been an adorable movie. Who can honestly say they don't like that crazy alien? Whether it be the scene when Gertie dresses up E.T. like a woman or the scene when E.T. comes back to life and keeps yelling "E.T. phone home," this film will tug at your heartstrings. Leave it to a little boy to accept an extra-terrestrial as his best friend. 

I also really love the score to this film. It's instantly recognizable as the E.T. soundtrack now that it's been out for over 30 years. The classic flying bikes scene with that music in the background gives me chills. It makes you think Steven Spielberg right away. This is a movie that defines Spielberg and the types of films that he is best known for. 

Out of the entire movie, the only scene that bothers me is the scene when E.T. is dying and what seems like the entire government is performing CPR on him. It's staged in a ridiculous way, and I find myself laughing more than feeling sad that E.T. is dying. I'm also bothered by the fact that Elliott's mother isn't very good at taking care of her kids. I know she just separated from her husband, but she leaves her kids home alone all the time - including Gertie who is like 5 years old. They kept cutting the camera to her like we're supposed to feel for her, but all I did was think of how awful of a mother she was being. This obviously happens all the time because right from the start, one of her kids is holding a poker game in the kitchen with teens smoking, and when she comes home, she doesn't even notice. All she cares about is the fact that they ordered pizza. 

Overall, I love E.T., but it's not a spectacular film. It makes me sad that Elliott will never see E.T. again. 

I give E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial 3.5 out of 5 stars.