E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Rank 5 Reviews

Movie Magazine International

First off, let's get the obvious out of the way. "E.T.", twenty years later still has that magic. Sure, maybe it all seems sort of hokey now, this fluffy story about a dysfunctional suburban family that only finds love and truly relate to one another ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Movie Magazine International

Reel Movie Critic (Shelley Cameron)

ET is gathering a sapling from a forest in central California when the harsh sights and sounds of humans in aggressive pursuit abruptly surround his space ship. He is separated from the craft as it escapes the menacing humans and ET is left behind. He ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Reel Movie Critic (Shelley Cameron)

Moviepie.com

In case you've been living under a rock for a couple of decades, you've most likely seen the classic sci-fi/fantasy film E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, one of the biggest money-making films of all time. I've probably seen the movie a dozen times, and ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Moviepie.com

Film Blather (Eugene Novikov)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, one of my favorite movies, was rereleased this year with some added footage, and perhaps more notablyy, some things missing. It's indicative of our age of limitless political correctness that Steven Spielberg felt the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Film Blather (Eugene Novikov)

Steve Rhodes

As most of us know by now, E.T. is an alien who is accidentally left behind on earth. With gigantic, soulful eyes and arms so long that his hands drag the ground, E.T. is easily the most adorable alien ever to grace the screen. A sad but sweet creature, ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Steve Rhodes

Bob Bloom

Save for one added scene, and some enhanced special effects that give E.T. more personality, this masterpiece is the same touching feature that brought tears to millions of eyes back in 1982.I doubt any warmblooded individual can watch this film's ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Bob Bloom

Harvey S. Karten

What makes this fable a parable that compares favorably with "The Wizard of Oz"? You could mention tenyearold Henry Thomas's performance, perhaps the best rendetion by a kid at any time on the silver screen of the power of imagination, the very quality ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Harvey S. Karten

Jonathan F. Richards

No, no! It's still 1982, and E.T. is just the way you remember him. This is very nearly a perfect movie, assuming you still have some trace of childhood left in you. An Inner Child will do. Like J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, a story which Spielberg uses here ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Jonathan F. Richards

TV Guide Entertainment Network, Movie Guide

One of the most popular movies ever made, E.T. translates religious myth into cute, familiar terrain with its story of a lovable alien stranded in suburbia. Elliott (Henry Thomas) finds E.T., a visitor from another planet left stranded on Earth, hiding ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at TV Guide Entertainment Network, Movie Guide

Mark Reviews Movies (Mark Dujsik)

Some films make their homes in the heart even though small or even major details may escape the memory. As I sat watching E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial on the big screen for its twentieth anniversary release, I realized that many details were missing from my ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Mark Reviews Movies (Mark Dujsik)

FilmHead.com

The first film was unjustly ignored by the public during its theatrical release, and now it comes to video with hopes to capitalize on its critical acclaim. Following the launch of Sputnik in 1957, a giant robot lands in the town of Rockwell, Maine, which ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at FilmHead.com

Box Office Magazine

Forsaking the overload of special effects and high adventure that marked his previous successes to focus instead on a small story propelled by heart and imagination, Spielberg has made a film that will touch audiences for years to come. Forsaking the ove ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Box Office Magazine

Guardian/Observer

The digitally remastered re-release of Steven Spielberg's sublime classic after 20 years is a devastating rebuke to anyone who has presumed to patronise this great film-maker. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Guardian/Observer

Reel.com DVD review (James Plath)

That simple sentence ranks right up there with "Rosebud," "I coulda been a contender," and "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" as one of filmdom's most recognizable lines. Almost instantly, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial became as much of a ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Reel.com DVD review (James Plath)

The King's Room (Paul Perkins)

Throughout you lifetime there are things you will never forget, people or places you went to that though you heart and never let you go. Movies you have seen that over time still gives you the same feeling you had when you saw it for the first time. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The King's Room (Paul Perkins)

Moda Magazine (Brian Orndorf)

He has spent the last two years honing his chops for his other love, film criticism. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Moda Magazine (Brian Orndorf)

DVDwolf (Joe Glickman)

There's no scene worth missing...and children in the audience help enhance this film, so bring your kids instead. Bring your neighbor's kids. Heck, make it a school field trip! I went to this movie - scared! No, not fearful that I'd be abducted by ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at DVDwolf (Joe Glickman)

MovieEye.com (David Litton)

Having made quite an impact on audiences from the time of its theatrical release to the present day, Steven Speilberg's "E.T. The Extra Terrestrial" is one of the great movies of all time, a classic that lives up to the hype and popularity it has ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at MovieEye.com (David Litton)

MovieEye.com (David Litton)

My original thought upon learning that "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" was in store for a make-over was this: Why touch a classic? Why go to the trouble of making a movie, that which becomes one of the top-grossing films of all time, and captures the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at MovieEye.com (David Litton)

Jam! Movies

At the end of the movie, E.T.'s human buddy Elliott (Henry Thomas) begs the galactic visitor not to leave. E.T. tells Elliott that he will remain forever in the boy's heart and memory. Through video, E.T. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Jam! Movies

Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)

Sweet and emotional, E.T is a movie I enjoyed as a child, and still do, twenty years later. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)

One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)

It's a real pleasure to have older films like "E.T." come back to theatres, because they're so enjoyable in themselves. Unfortunately, there's a downside. They remind us of the quality Hollywood efforts used to have, fairly ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)

The Digital Bits

Ah... E.T.. Who in the world hasn't seen it and isn't in absolute gaga love with the film? I saw it for the first time on my 11th birthday. At that point, I already ate Reese's Pieces religiously, had the light up extended finger and a stuffed doll ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The Digital Bits

Film Quips Online (John R. McEwen)

Before all the E.T.-related merchandising and theme park rides, TV commercials and T-shirts, there was E.T., the film, the character, the idea. The fact that this version has a few more scenes or a newly digitized soundtrack doesn't make that much ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Film Quips Online (John R. McEwen)

The UK Critic (Ian Waldron-Mantgani)

It gets me every time. Embarrassing, that's how it is. You know the scene I'm talking about. The kids and the adults are in the woods, standing by as E.T.'s spaceship arrives to take him away. They all have tears in their eyes. They have to say ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The UK Critic (Ian Waldron-Mantgani)

The Greatest Films (Tim Dirks)

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) is the immensely popular magical fantasy movie myth. Its estimated budget of $10 million was easily recouped when it became one of the box-office champion films of all time. Steven Spielberg's very personal, ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The Greatest Films (Tim Dirks)

SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review

Steven Spielberg had become one of the hottest directorial talents in the world after the No. 1 worldwide box-office sensation of Jaws (1975). That was something that Spielberg followed up with the equally sizable hits of Close Encounters of ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at SF, Horror and Fantasy Film Review

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

He's the perfect playmate. Could anyone ask for anything more than to be befriended by someone who's a lot of fun and a great companion and turns out to be a Christ figure? So it is with the title character in "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," which it ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Movies 101 (Robert Glatzer)

The miracle of Steven Spielberg's "E.T. The Extraterrestrial," released this month on its twentieth anniversary, is that it isn't about extraterrestrials. We don't know where E.T. came from, why he's here (is he a he? a she? an it?), or any of the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Movies 101 (Robert Glatzer)

Salon.com (Charles Taylor)

Returning to a movie that delighted you when you were younger can be a dicey proposition. We've all re-viewed some once-beloved picture only to find that we no longer connect to it, that our previous affection was based on who we were and where we were ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Salon.com (Charles Taylor)

Washington Post (Desson Howe)

FOR THOSE new to 1982's "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," it's one of the all-time greats, a sophisticatedly sappy masterpiece that bucked the prevailing Hollywood vision of aliens as nasty invaders and recast them as friendly collectibles for children. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Washington Post (Desson Howe)

Decent Films Guide - faith on film

"The story of a boy and his dog," writes one critic. "Close Encounters for kids," writes another. Still others focus on the christological resonances, particularly in connection with another messianic sci-fi film, The Day the Earth Stood Still, with ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Decent Films Guide - faith on film

Matinee Magazine (Jeremiah Kipp)

There is hope for the movies, even if that means that the best film currently playing in theaters in 2002 happens to be one of the greatest films to emerge in 1982, or any year. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Matinee Magazine (Jeremiah Kipp)

Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)

...a bona fide classic that has something to offer moviegoers of all ages. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)

Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)

It is an exceptionally visual film and an exceptionally emotional film, but the kind that most of us don't mind being manipulated by. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)

Zertinet Movies (Steven Snyder)

Could Steven Spielberg have made "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" in today's world? I'm not one to sentimentalize the past, but I seriously doubt it. It is a film I know by heart. Only 21 years old, I cannot remember a time when "E.T." was not part of my ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Zertinet Movies (Steven Snyder)

Urban Cinefile (Urban Cinefile Critics)

An uplifting tale appealing to child inside us all. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Urban Cinefile (Urban Cinefile Critics)

E! Online (--)

Feel free to go sob in your popcorn. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at E! Online (--)

Hollywood.com (--)

...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Hollywood.com (--)

CountingDown.com (Daniel Baig)

If you haven't, you may be left a little lost by this "review." I'm certainly not about to recap the movie's plot. Instead, this will be more like a series of observations that came to me upon seeing this "NEW and IMPROVED!" E.T. First: This was at ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at CountingDown.com (Daniel Baig)

TeenHollywood.com (Lynn Barker)

Steven Spielberg recalls seeing kid actresses for the role of Gertie in the original E.T. and explains why he cast Drew Barrymore. "I met a lot of potential Gerties, but Drew had the part the minute she stepped into the room because she began to make up ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at TeenHollywood.com (Lynn Barker)

Baltimore City Paper (Ian Grey)

Once rightfully regarded by critics as the one-man demolition squad that destroyed the ambitious, "mature" American cinema of the 1970s via the creation of product-sprouting lowest-common-denominator blockbusters, Steven Spielberg is now enjoying an ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Baltimore City Paper (Ian Grey)

Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)

E.T. is back, and this time he's smiling. So are audiences, at our luck in seeing Steven Spielberg's children's classic on the big screen again. Time has ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Seattle Times (Moira MacDonald)

Guess the Gross (--)

Much has been written about the 20th anniversary re-release of Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Purists have decried the changes that Spielberg has made to the film. Though some of the changes (the improved CGI effects that help E.T. to ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Guess the Gross (--)

Christian Spotlight on the Movies (--)

In March 2002, the 20th Anniversary Edition of Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra Terrestrial will be released in theaters for a whole new generation. Originally released on June 11, 1982, it is hailed as one of the defining movies of the 80s, and one of ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Christian Spotlight on the Movies (--)

Hollywood Reporter (David Hunter)

Steven Spielberg's masterful film has lost none of its power to sweep the viewer away in the most 'excellent' late-20th century boy's adventure one could hope for. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Hollywood Reporter (David Hunter)

Movie Views (Ryan Cracknell)

E.T. is a film I will continue to watch over and over for the rest of my life. It is one I will never grow sick of, no matter how many times I watch it. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Movie Views (Ryan Cracknell)

Chicago Tribune (Michael Wilmington)

Some movies strike an almost universal chord, and one of them is "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," Steven Spielberg's gentle science-fiction tale about a little boy from a broken home and the lost space creature with whom he secretly bonds. Spielberg has ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Chicago Tribune (Michael Wilmington)

Entertain Your Brain! - Review

Oh the memories... Twenty years ago, my parents took me to see a new family film about a boy who befriends a wrinkly-looking alien. I was seven-years-old. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions watching that film. At first, I was scared, because it ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Entertain Your Brain! - Review

Kidzworld

Not all aliens are scary looking big-headed, beady, black-eyed creatures who've come to earth to take over the world - and your body. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is the story of an alien who accidentally gets left behind when his spacecraft visits earth. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Kidzworld

Movie Mom's review

A young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas) finds an extraterrestrial who has been left behind when his expedition of alien botanists had to depart quickly to avoid detection. He brings E.T. home, finding through their connection a way to begin to heal his ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Movie Mom's review

Movieprop.com Review

An extraterrestrial is left on Earth by his comrades and is befriended by a small boy, Eliot, and his friends. Together they seek to hide his existance from those that would do him harm. ET is the nickname given to this short but yet sweet ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Movieprop.com Review

movieviews (Jamey Hughton)

The re-release of Steven Spielberg's "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" was greeted with underwhelming box office returns (parents instead opted to take their toddlers to "Ice Age"), and that's a cryin' shame. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at movieviews (Jamey Hughton)

Needcoffee.com - 27 Second Review

I was a toddler when I first saw this, and I still remember the smallest details from that experience. It might not have been "enhanced" by Spielberg's new additions, but it's certainly worth seeing to recapture the same thrill I had 20 years ago. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Needcoffee.com - 27 Second Review

ScifiWatch

He is afraid, he is alone, he is three million light years from home. In the summer of 1982, Steven Spielberg released a movie that would soon come to be one of the biggest grossing movies of all time, surpassing even Star Wars. The story follows the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at ScifiWatch

Spirituality & Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)

Steven Spielberg's E. T. is the best film of 1982, and it is one of the finest science fiction fantasies ever made. A spaceship is spotted in a California forest at night. While the extra-terrestrials are exploring the bush, a group of men with ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Spirituality & Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)

Talking Pictures

Steven Spielberg's desire to make a low-budget film, more expressive of his personal attitudes than those he had directed before, ironically led to his greatest box-office triumph. A fully-blown statement of the ideas about childhood and escapism that ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Talking Pictures

X-Entertainment

Here's one that probably should've been reviewed much sooner, but somehow, I've only seen E.T. once in my life. Its one of the movies you take for granted and assume you've seen six thousand times like every other movie, until that fateful day where ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at X-Entertainment

New York Times (Vincent Canby)

[It] may become a children's classic of the space age. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at New York Times (Vincent Canby)

rec.arts.movies.reviews (Laura Clifford)

Only the most hardened heart should be able to resist the glow from the one that anchors this classic. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at rec.arts.movies.reviews (Laura Clifford)

Chart Magazine (--)

Has it really been 20 years? The first and, up until now, only time I saw E.T. was shortly after it opened in theatres in 1982 - I was six years old, roughly the same age as Drew Barrymore's character, Gertie. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Chart Magazine (--)

Xiibaro Productions (David Perry)

The first film my parents took me to was Beastmaster (I don't know what possessed them to do that), followed by Return of the Jedi and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. All three films opened over the course of a year, but today, I only remember sitting in ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Xiibaro Productions (David Perry)

BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)

Spielberg's classic sci-fi adventure, "E.T.", comes to a new home on DVD, and it's one plush two-disc ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)

BBC Films

Twenty years after smashing box-office records, Steven Spielberg's gentle sci-fi fable returns to screens as vital and accomplished as ever. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at BBC Films

Teen Movie Critic (Roger Davidson)

One of the world's most beloved films and THE highest grossing box-office champion domestically of all-time (until Star Wars was recently re-released that is), this is Steven Spielberg's childhood version of Close Encounters. It involves the friendship ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Teen Movie Critic (Roger Davidson)

3 Black Chicks ("The Diva")

It's not easy being ten years old, especially when you're the middle child and your parents are going through a divorce, as Elliott (Henry Thomas) is learning first hand. His fourteen year old brother, Michael (Robert MacNaughton), has taken on the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at 3 Black Chicks ("The Diva")

DVD Talk (Aaron Beierle)

Although the release of the film to DVD has been badly handled (why do I have the feeling this release could have gone a whole lot smoother?), this is actually a very nicely done set that provides both a fine presentation, both versions of the film and ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at DVD Talk (Aaron Beierle)

Haro Online

Wow. Has it really been twenty years since E.T. came out in theaters? As hard as it is to believe, it's true, and to commemorate the anniversary, Steven Spielberg (A.I., Saving Private Ryan) is re-releasing his modern classic, with some extras added in ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Haro Online

Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)

How do you explain E.T. the Extraterrestrial to a generation that has not seen this most transcendent of fairy tales on the big screen? You don't. You give a gentle shove in the direction of the multiplex, and whisper: "Seeing is ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Carrie Rickey)

Philadelphia Daily News (Gary Thompson)

Steven Spielberg is releasing a newly polished version of "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" for its 20th birthday, and guess what - it's still really good. Spielberg has added a few minutes, cleaned up some of the images, improved the colors. For the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Philadelphia Daily News (Gary Thompson)

Las Vegas Weekly (Steve Bornfeld)

Born near the dawn of Ronald Reagan's dewy-eyed Morning in America, "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" has been reborn into George W. Bush's clenched-jaw Axis of Evil era. Steven Spielberg's iconic paean to love, friendship, trust, innocence and ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Las Vegas Weekly (Steve Bornfeld)

Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)

This presents a problem for Williams completists and die hard E.T. fans, though. Which version should you get? Unfortunately, each album has its unique benefits. The original MCA pressings were all identical, with the eight concert tracks, ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Filmtracks (Christian Clemmensen)

The Cincinnati Enquirer (Margaret A. McGurk)

One of the great children's movies of all time has lost none of its charm in this 20th anniversary re-release. With only a small amount of new footage and subtly updated special effects, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial looks and sounds as magical now as the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The Cincinnati Enquirer (Margaret A. McGurk)

Movie Habit (Matt Anderson)

Aside from that small fault, E.T. still has the magic and the flying bicycle scenes, which, with John Williams’ soaring score, are still the stuff of which goose bumps are made. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Movie Habit (Matt Anderson)

City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

The suburban tract houses in Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial are bathed in pools of butterscotch light. Cinematographer Allen Daviau turns the bunk-bed clip lamps of neighborhood kids into sources of heavenly ablution; even the backyard ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

Deseret News, Salt Lake City

It's a testament to just how far ahead of its time "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" was that its special effects still hold up 20 years later. Less surprising is the fact that Steven Spielberg's magical science-fiction blockbuster holds up in several ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Deseret News, Salt Lake City

DVD Town (Henning Molbaek)

One of the most-beloved Steven Spielberg films about aliens, "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" finally arrives on DVD. It is Spielberg's story about a boyÂ´s encounter with a very friendly space alien and their growing friendship. As with "Close ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at DVD Town (Henning Molbaek)

DVDActive (Richard Schuchardt)

Love it or loathe it, E.T. is one of the most successful movies of the past couple of decades, and has finally arrived on our favourite format. In one of the documentaries included with this release, Steven Spielberg talks about the fact that the movie ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at DVDActive (Richard Schuchardt)

DVDActive (Richard Logan Powell)

Always in strong standing on the most wanted list of DVDs, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial has finally made its way to the consumer. The confusion has been tumultuous and the marketing for this disc has been anything but finely tuned (read: idiotic), but at ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at DVDActive (Richard Logan Powell)

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

E.T. still phones home. Gertie, a blond moppet, still screams when she gets her first gander at the man from outer space. And Elliott still nestles the alien into his bicycle basket and soars toward the moon, as John Williams' music sweeps us aloft with ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents

Sci-Fi: When a spaceship and its travelers accidentally leave one of their companions on Earth, a young boy finds and befriends the extra-terrestrial and then tries to help him get back home. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents

Home Theater Info (Doug MacLean)

About once every generation or so a film comes about that captures the imagination of the public and transcends being a mere movie to become part of the social conscious of the audience. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Home Theater Info (Doug MacLean)

Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

This movie made my heart glad. It is filled with innocence, hope, and good cheer. It is also wickedly funny and exciting as hell. "E.T The Extra-Terrestrial" is a movie like "The Wizard of ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

Mediasearch, Australia

It seems like only yesterday that audiences around the world were first introduced to E.T. the extra-terrestrial, and his adventure on Earth. Originally released in the early eighties, the film attained record box office attendance and was catapulted ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Mediasearch, Australia

The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)

I told myself I wasn't gonna cry. It's a silly kids' movie, and I hadn't seen it since I was a kid, so it doesn't matter that I bawled my eyes out when I was 13. That was then, this is now -- I'm a hard, cold, cynical grownup now, and that ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)

Palo Alto Online (Jeanne Aufmuth)

I risk public ridicule every time I list E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial on my all-time favorite films list. My colleagues snicker and I lose credibility with those who claim to know film and think E.T. childish and maudlin. That said, I'm going out on a ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Palo Alto Online (Jeanne Aufmuth)

filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)

Okay, while this 20th anniversary reissue makes a few changes, it's not quite that radical... but if you haven't seen this film since you were 10 years old (like me), it is well worth another visit to the movie. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)

Scott's Movie Reviews (Scott Mantz)

Sometimes, you can go home again. At least, you can when you see the 20th anniversary re-release of Steven Spielberg's timeless classic "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial." Not only does the film pack ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Scott's Movie Reviews (Scott Mantz)

Entertainment Weekly

I still remember the line of people, stretching from the box office out into the mall parking lot, as I arrived on a balmy May evening in 1982 to attend a sneak preview of Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. After ''Jaws,'' ''Close ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Entertainment Weekly

Plugged In

Originally released in the summer of 1982, Steven Spielberg's classic sci-fi heart-tugger is celebrating its 20th anniversary by returning to theaters with enhanced visual effects, never-before-seen footage and a re-mastered soundtrack. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Plugged In

Sci-Fi Movie Page (James O'Ehley)

Returning to a movie that delighted you when you were younger can be a dicey proposition. We've all re-viewed some once-beloved picture only to find that we no longer connect to it, that our previous affection was based on who we were and where we were ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Sci-Fi Movie Page (James O'Ehley)

Sci-Fi Movie Page (James O'Ehley)

The best Disney movie that Disney never made, one critic remarked after seeing ET. This sums it up quite well, except that on second viewing of this movie I realised that Disney could never have made ET - it is simply too personal an affair and could ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Sci-Fi Movie Page (James O'Ehley)

The New Yorker (Anthony Lane)

The nominations for Best Picture in the Academy Awards for 1982 were as follows: "Gandhi," "Tootsie," "Missing," "The Verdict," and "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial." The award went to Richard Attenborough's "Gandhi," a film that, like "A Bridge ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The New Yorker (Anthony Lane)

The Filmsnobs (Stephen Himes)

E.T. arrives to make sense of suburban chaos. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The Filmsnobs (Stephen Himes)

Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)

Forget Schindler and Private Ryan, this is Spielberg's masterpiece, a near perfect film directed with astonishing skill and unafraid to get sentimental ... without crossing the line into syrup. Now Spielberg has returned to the original negative, ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)

Film Monthly (Chris Wood)

Being left behind. A feeling that all of us have encountered on one level or another throughout the coarse of our lives. The unsettling feeling of being alone, unsure of the surroundings, and no clue how to get back to that familiar place, which instills ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Film Monthly (Chris Wood)

Blunt Review with Emily Blunt

Little E.T is back and as special as ever... The greatest thing about the E.T The Extra-Terrestrial 20th Anniversary release is the new technology the filmmakers are able to apply all these years later. The new generation of potential E.T. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Blunt Review with Emily Blunt

Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

Sunday we sat on the big green couch and watched ``E.T.--The Extra-Terrestrial'' together with your mommy and daddy. It was the first time either of you had seen it, although you knew a little of what to expect because we took the ``E.T.'' ride ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

Cinescape

After the success of STAR WARS in 1977, Hollywood spent millions of dollars on special effects to try and manufacture their own success - the next 'big hit.' All of these prefabrications were missing one thing-heart--until E.T. - THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Cinescape

Edinburgh U Film Society (Iain Lang)

Spielberg's "instant classic" was the hit, and provided the catchphrase ("ET. 'phone home") of 1982. In Spielberg's previous film, Raiders of the Lost Ark he attempted to return to a child-like joy in film-making. In E.T. children provide the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Edinburgh U Film Society (Iain Lang)

The (Georgetown) Hoya

This year marks the 20th anniversary of E.T.: The Extraterrestrial's release in theaters. In celebration of the great film that captured the attention of a generation, director Steven Spielberg decided to re-release E.T. for its anniversary. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The (Georgetown) Hoya

Montreal Film Journal (Kevin N. Laforest)

If we had to pick the filmmaker who had the biggest influence on world-wide audiences in the last 25 years, no doubt Steven Spielberg would be the one. Is there another director who made as much box-office smashes and critical successes, often both at ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Montreal Film Journal (Kevin N. Laforest)

The New York Times - Family Movie Guide (Peter M. Nichols)

There's the "E.T., phone home" line, of course, but also recall Elliott's cry to the frog he has just saved from dissection in his school's science lab. "Run for the river," he yells as the spared one revives from his chloroformed cotton ball and ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The New York Times - Family Movie Guide (Peter M. Nichols)

The Movie Mom (Nell Minow)

A young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas) finds an extraterrestrial who has been left behind when his expedition of alien botanists had to depart quickly to avoid detection. He brings E.T. home, finding through their connection a way to begin to heal his ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The Movie Mom (Nell Minow)

homevideo.about.com (Ivana Redwine)

I love this heartwarming, cinematic, and highly entertaining film, and I never fully appreciated it until I watched it on DVD. Steven Spielberg's "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" was a blockbuster hit in its 1982 theatrical release, and in 2002 a slightly dif ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at homevideo.about.com (Ivana Redwine)

San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)

Twenty years after its debut, Steven Spielberg's "E.T.: The Extra- Terrestrial" arrives in theaters today with more anticipation surrounding it than most summer blockbusters. Viewers returning to it, as well as those discovering it, will find it an ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)

Reeling Reviews with Robin & Laura Clifford

Twenty years ago a film legend was born with the story of a little alien left stranded, alone, on Earth. His friendship with a young boy and an overwhelming need to "phone home" touched the hearts of millions around the world. Now, it's time to dust ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Reeling Reviews with Robin & Laura Clifford

TheBoxSet.com - Complete Movie/DVD Review

In a time before every third kids movie released was pulling in $150 million at the box office without really trying, studios used to be weary of films geared towards younger audiences. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at TheBoxSet.com - Complete Movie/DVD Review

kids-in-mind

A young boy (Henry Thomas) discovers an extraterrestrial being who's been left behind when his spacecraft had to ascend in a hurry. The two become great friends while government agents are trying to catch E.T. But the boy's older brother (Robert ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at kids-in-mind

Tiscali UK

If you're Steven Spielberg, you dust down a deeply personal film you made 20 years ago, add new special effects, reinsert missing scenes, digitally remaster the sound, and enthrall a new generation of young fans. If you are a twenty- or thirtysomething ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Tiscali UK

The DVD Report (Britt Gillette)

Nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, E.T. won four Oscars and took the nation by storm upon its release in 1982. A box office sensation, E.T. formed long, around-the-corner lines of fans waiting to get into theaters and propelled ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The DVD Report (Britt Gillette)

RevolutionSF (Jason Myers)

There appear to be two main schools of thought on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. One is that E.T. is a heap of over-rated sickly-sweet junk-culture tripe. The other is that E.T. is a classic, an apogee of filmmaking, and anyone who doesn't like it is a ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at RevolutionSF (Jason Myers)

Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)

In light of that, the new material poses a troubling paradox: if the movie were so good, then why would you want to make changes? If Spielberg couldn't achieve an effect 20 years ago, it didn't show back then. Why should it be any different now? ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)

Film Freak Central

Young Elliot (Henry Thomas) discovers an alien castaway in his garden shed and lures it into his closet with a trail of candy. He introduces it to his little sister, Gertie (Drew Barrymore), and his older brother, Michael (Robert MacNaughton), pledging ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Film Freak Central

DVDActive (Chris Gould)

As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, it had been a long time since I watched the film in its entirety. Even so, E.T. is just as enchanting today as when I was a child, and this two-disc set represents fantastic value for money, especially when ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at DVDActive (Chris Gould)

Entertainment Insiders (Andy Zientek)

It was in the deserts of Tunisia in 1980, on the set of Raiders of the Lost Ark, that a director named Steven Spielberg conceived the idea of a story about an alien being stranded on Earth and making friends with a young boy. Two years later, E.T. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Entertainment Insiders (Andy Zientek)

Guardian/Observer

This is a brilliant film about the alienated and powerless experience of being a child, especially a child forced to absorb the scalding ironies of divorce; it works as a brilliant metaphor for this pain as well being a superb sci-fi ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Guardian/Observer

Apollo Guide (Dan Jardine)

E.T.'s popularity ensures it can get along quite nicely without critics analysing, interpreting and explaining why it works. It works because it touches that (uncritical, non-analytical) childlike part of us that we often need to be reminded is still ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Apollo Guide (Dan Jardine)

CinemaScreen (James Salter)

It is 20 years since the small brown alien the world came to know and love as ET first graced earthly cinema screens. Now, in a clever marketing spin, he and the film about him are back on the big screen in a special, digitally remastered 20th ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at CinemaScreen (James Salter)

UpcomingDiscs.com (David Annandale)

Surely you know the story: cute little alien is left behind by his fellows, and befriends young Elliott (Henry Thomas). Elliott and his siblings do their best to help E.T. phone home and get rescued, but meanwhile the government is also on the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at UpcomingDiscs.com (David Annandale)

Time Out

Returning to the rich pastures of American suburbia, Spielberg takes the utterly commonplace story of a lonely kid befriending an alien from outer space, and invests it with exactly the same kind of fierce and naive magic that pushed Disney's major ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Time Out

Apollo Movie Guide (Dan Jardine)

This film explores the sweet and touching relationship that develops between a 10-year-old boy and an extra-terrestrial he finds abandoned in his garage. E.T. reminds us of the good, childlike parts still hidden deep inside ourselves. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Apollo Movie Guide (Dan Jardine)

Apollo Movie Guide [Derek Smith]

E.T.'s popularity ensures it can get along quite nicely without critics analysing, interpreting and explaining why it works. It works because it touches that (uncritical, non-analytical) childlike part of us that we often need to be reminded is still ther ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Apollo Movie Guide [Derek Smith]

Jerry Saravia

Living in smalltown suburbia, Elliott (Henry Thomas) is the eight year old kid who discovers an alien outside his house. Slowly but surely he develops a relationship with the friendly alien who loves Reese's Pieces (the sales of that candy skyrocketed ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Jerry Saravia

IndependentCritics.com (Jacob Hall)

Charming and pleasant, "ET" broke box office records and bolded Stephen Spielberg's position on the Hollywood map. Charming and pleasant are nice, but for me, they have to have a little more substance than "ET" contains to have a real impact on ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at IndependentCritics.com (Jacob Hall)

SPLICEDwire (Rob Blackwelder)

For all the buzz about alterations made to "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" for its 20th anniversary release, the impact of these changes is insignificant at best. With or without them, the film remains the kind of unabashed delight that can make even the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at SPLICEDwire (Rob Blackwelder)

Reel.com (Tor Thorsen)

Two decades after it made millions of dollars and soaked billions of tissues worldwide, Steven Spielberg's sci-fi weepie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has returned for another tug on our collective heartstrings. But will little children who once sobbed ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Reel.com (Tor Thorsen)

Nitrate Online (Dan Lybarger)

After being separated from his fellow space aliens, little E.T. finds himself stranded in an environment that's fairly close to the one outside of the theater. The human family that "adopts" him is teeming with sibling rivalry. Eleven-year-old Elliot ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Nitrate Online (Dan Lybarger)

iofilm.co.uk

Twenty years on, how's the squashy fella looking? They didn't have computer generated tools in those days, only imagination and a little guy in a funny suit. Bringing E.T. back to the big screen after decades of TV exposure may be a marketing decision, ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at iofilm.co.uk

Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice

Am I the only one who's always thought Steven Spielberg's waddling, wide-eyed alien looks like what you might wind up with if you snuck into Madame Tussauds museum and set fire to the wax likeness of Ernest Borgnine I mean really, is there a character ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice

Damox - DVD Review

In 2002, one of the greatest movies of all time, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, got special edition DVD treatment with a 3-Disc Collector's Edition Set. This is the package for people that want to see the movie as they originally saw it in theaters, not ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Damox - DVD Review

Planet Sick-Boy (Jon Popick)

Back when E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial was originally released, I was smack in the middle of what the film's target demographic must have been. For some reason, though, my family never really embraced E.T. quite as feverishly as the rest of the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Planet Sick-Boy (Jon Popick)

Greenwich Village Gazette (Eric Lurio)

The OOOOOs and Ahhhhhhhhs are contagious, the cheering as Elliot, Michael and their friends take to the air as they're being chased by the Feds will still raise a cheer. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Greenwich Village Gazette (Eric Lurio)

Variety (Emanuel Levy)

This enchanting fable displays Spielberg's masterful craftsmanship as well as his belief in religious mythology. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Variety (Emanuel Levy)

TV Guide's Movie Guide (--)

One of the most popular movies ever made, E.T. translates religious myth into cute, familiar terrain with its story of a lovable alien stranded in suburbia. Elliott (Henry ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at TV Guide's Movie Guide (--)

Movie ram-blings (Ram Samudrala)

I saw E.T. when I was ten, and at that time, the excitement and suspense generated by the opening scenes, where the aliens abandon one of their kind, gave way to nausea viewing the saccharine ending. Since I can remember, I was more interested in ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Movie ram-blings (Ram Samudrala)

Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)

Twenty years ago, a homesick alien made the cover of Rolling Stone. Times have changed since Steven Spielberg's E.T. was the coolest thing around. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)

The Village Voice (Don McKellar)

The other day, leaving the cinema, I saw a poster announcing the 20th-anniversary re-release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and just as I was about to make some dismissive, smartass comment to my companion, I caught myself. I wasn't being fair. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The Village Voice (Don McKellar)

The Boston Phoenix

Spielberg kept in "penis breath" but deleted the shotguns. He added about four minutes of footage, most of which looks like a Coke commercial. Otherwise, not much has changed, except two decades of history. Where were you when E.T. the ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at The Boston Phoenix

Popkorn Junkie

I can vividly remember when George Lucas decided to re-release the "Star Wars" films, each featuring new and improved special effects and once deleted scenes. While I enjoyed the addition of the deleted scenes, I thought the beefing up of the special ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Popkorn Junkie

Movie-Vault.com ("Le Apprenti")

Once upon a time in a suburb Californian neighborhood, a lamb came down to Earth in the form of an extra-terrestrial being. It befriends one who is the least among men - a little child - and sees the world through his eyes. ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Movie-Vault.com ("Le Apprenti")

Chad Polenz

It's difficult to make a movie that can put itself forward as a "family" film and actually be enjoyed by everyone in the family. "E.T." succeeds in that area because it has a little bit of everything to it; comedy, science fiction, and an overall ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Chad Polenz

Common Guy's Movie Reviews (Paul Hall)

Twenty years earlier, Steven Spielberg gave us the classic ET the Extra-Terrestrial. Now he has remastered the original film, dug up some new sequences, and added some nuances to bring us this special 20th anniversary edition. So what did this film do ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Common Guy's Movie Reviews (Paul Hall)

Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)

A retelling of E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial from 20 years after its release. The director, Steven Spielberg, in this 20th anniversary reissue, has made use of modern CGI effects and added some digitally mixed sound updates and made some inconsequential ...read the complete E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial movie review at Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)

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