Amazon.com Essentials:
Steven Spielberg's 1982 hit about a stranded alien and his
loving relationship with a fatherless boy (Henry Thomas) struck a
chord with audiences everywhere, and it furthered Spielberg's
reputation as a director of equally strong commercial sensibilities
and classical leanings. Henry Thomas gives a strong, emotional
performance as E.T.'s young friend, Robert MacNaughton and Drew
Barrymore make a solid impression as his siblings, and Dee Wallace is
lively as the kids' mother. The special effects almost look a bit
quaint now with all the computer advancements that have occurred
since, but they also have more heart behind them than a lot of what we
see today. --Tom Keogh
