Steven Spielberg's masterpiece holds up every bit as strongly today as it did more than thirty years ago- I only hope kids are still seeing it. Everyone knows this of course- Elliott, played by Henry Thomas, is the ten year old child of divorce who finds the cuddliest and most loveable little alien ever in his backyard, and must help him find his way home. It's funny that ET is so loveable, since his iconic design is actually more than a little ugly, but that speaks to the personality of the animatronic effects. Robert McNaughton and a six-year-old Drew Barrymore play Elliott's brother and sister, who help him try to get ET home. There's an extended Halloween sequence in the movie as Elliott and ET attempt to contact his home planet, which is why the movie qualifies for the entry today, but it's really just a magical, powerful film that everybody should still see. I hope they do.
Trailer:
