E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial1982

77/100 E.T. has had a major influence on pop culture throughout the years, and not for nothing, being a cinematic event put on the same level as Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. At its core, however, is nothing but a decent story of childlike wonder. I think this movie's paradoxical somewhat, as you need to be a bit of a child at heart to love its story and the values it shows, but really you can't gain a full appreciation of the film unless you're old enough to notice the craftsmanship of the film. Spielberg's "poor stretch", as I like to call it, is over, or at least has taken a short break, as he remembers how to use lighting brilliantly and in unconventional ways, highlighting the "unreality" of the film and how its main focus is childlike, almost dreamlike, wonder. John Williams strikes again, and as usual doesn't miss. So many of these scenes wouldn't work without his excellent score, even if I don't exactly agree that this is his magnum opus as others say. However, there are still several aspects of this movie that have aged somewhat poorly. The story itself actually falls flat, being fairly predictable once you look past the whimsy, especially once it reminds the audience that it's a kids movie by having E.T. revive for no reason. There's also a weird scene where people invade the house in astronaut suits for some reason. It's creepy, but doesn't work all that well on a story level, just like the first scene. However, the movie really hits its stride during the climax, when Williams' score hits once the kids begin soaring on their bikes. It's really an amazing scene, especially for the 80s. Overall, E.T. can at times feel like an average movie elevated by Williams' score and a few amazing scenes, but it works well enough to make it a decently good picture. The movie may be paper-thin, but it knows it and knows how to hide it well enough to still feel magical, and that's what really matters in the end.