1982.#25 / #24
Winner of 4 Academy Awards.
Elliott (Henry Thomas) finds E.T., an alien who has been accidentally left on Earth. Elliott helps E.T. find his way home.
Sarah: This movie has been making me cry for twenty years. It started when I was three and this was my favorite movie. I used to make my parent's fast-forward the sad parts. Now, as an adult, I still sob through the majority of this movie. I love it. Henry Thomas is one of the most impressive child actors ever. (Don't believe me? Watch his screen test for the role. I just cried watching that!) This could have just been a cute kid's adventure film, but Thomas makes it more complex than that. Elliott's connection to E.T. amid his turbulent family life gives the movie so much heart. And Dee Wallace is subtly tragic as the mom ("He hates Mexico!").
But enough about my crying. This movie is damn fun. The bike chases and flights to John Williams perfect score will make you feel like a kid again. If you haven't seen this, you need to, now.
Eddie: I really want to emphasize how heartbreaking the whole family's story is. The scene that Sarah parenthetically mentioned - "He hates Mexico" - is touching and heart-wrenchingly tragic, yet minimal and subtle. It wasn't until I was much older that I realized that everyone in this movie is incomplete - not just Elliott. The movie's satisfaction is that E.T. fulfills them all: Gertie (Drew Barrymore) gets a playmate, Michael (Robert MacNaughton) gets to be a heroic older brother, Mary gets to mother her children, the government scientist "Keys" (Peter Coyote) gets to finally see an alien spacecraft, and Elliott gets a best friend.
Why You Should See it: The quick cuts between Elliott releasing the frogs at school and E.T. watching THE QUIET MAN at Elliott's home. It shows their connection and it is amazing.
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