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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Whenever I talk to people about my love for movies, I seem to always refer back to a story my parents used to tell. The time is 1982, I am 18 months old, and my parents have taken me to the movie theatres for the first time. The movie was Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and I sat in that movie theatre in awe of what was playing in front of my young eyes. E.T. is the one that started it all for me and the movie will always have a special place in my heart. So it is with great pleasure that I share with you #24 on AFI’s Top 100.

E.T. is the incredible story of a friendly little alien left behind on our planet. E.T. wants nothing more than to go home and quickly befriends a boy named Elliot (Henry Thomas Gangs of New York). The lonely boy tries very hard to hide his new friend from his mother, all the while trying to help E.T. find his way home.

Even though I have a soft spot for E.T., I can see why many have hailed this as one of Spielberg’s greatest.  I slightly disagree, but I see the argument quite clearly. Like a few other of his movies, E.T. solely rests on Spielberg’s shoulders has far as the movie’s success. Spielberg tells this story through the eyes of a 10 year old boy who feels alienated from all the adults in his world. This point is greatly accented through most of the movie when most of the adults are filmed from the chest down, giving them no discernable characteristics for most of the film.

The reason I believe that E.T. is on the AFI list is because this film breaks generational boundaries and can be enjoyed with the same childhood innocence as if it was 1982 all over again. Stories of unlikely friendships and the quest to feel like you belong, is timeless. 

Everyone should see E.T. at least once in your life and witness a movie that defines what friendship and sacrifice really mean. If you haven’t seen it when you were young, sit down with your kids or nieces/nephews and experience the heart-warming effect that little alien will have on you and the people surrounding you.

The Verdict: Worth Your Time.