Part funny, part moving, entirely original.

Rating: 9/10 (1 March 2004)

I saw this movie on its first release in 1.982 (when I was 6) and a lot of times since then (the last one, last weekend on TV), and my feelings didn't change at all: it's a pleasure for me to watch this movie. It can be childish, as some users may say, but it was essentially made for children (when I first saw it I was a kid), and, like some user said, for good-hearted people (that's a thing that can't grow old).
First, I found it funny for some special moments (the first meetings between the alien and all -one by one- of the family members, when ET got drunk and caused an identical effect on Elliot, and the following scene in his classroom -kiss included-) that are simply great. Especially good was the boy who lay down to make Elliot arrive to the girl's lips, and the ride on the streets in the Halloween day, how he confused a fake "Yoda" with his "home".
Moving, because of ET's "humanity" (when he saw Elliot's finger wounded he immediately cured it and he made a sacrifice trying to save Elliot's life),
his powers (especially when he made Elliot's bicycle and later all the boys' lift and fly), his feelings (his desperation for finding himself lost in a distant planet and not finding an answer to his calls, that made him sad almost till death), and the final farewell, the final top to the movie.
Original, because it shows an alien in a different point of view. Most of the "aliens" films before (e. g., "Alien") and even after (e. g. "Independence Day" and/or "Mars Attacks") show evil aliens that try to invade the Earth and/or exterminate Manhood. This alien is good, has his feelings, and a great heart inside.
Like ET (the character), ET (the movie) has got a great heart. Watch it.