I'm baffled by the fact that people hate this movie because it's 'unrealistic'

Rating: 9/10 (18 November 2007)

...I'm sure realism is exactly what Spielberg was trying to achieve with a fictional, SCI-FI movie. That's the poorest excuse I've ever heard for disliking a movie, and I understand opinions are opinions but I'm quite sure Spielberg knows more about great cinema than the ignorant people on here. Anyway, moving on...
Of course the story is sentimental and I guess people could call it "cheesy", but thats why it sticks with so many people. It brought them to a place they never felt before the first time they saw it. Personally, I still love this movie because of the emotional aspect.
I don't think I would like this movie nearly as much if not for the cast. Dee Wallace and Peter Coyote are amazing. Robert Macnaughton is completely underrated, he's perfect as Elliott's brother Mike. And as Elliott, Henry Thomas is the heart and soul of this movie. He's really cute without being totally annoying (unlike Drew Barrymore, who's only purpose there, it seemed, was just to be cute), and captures the character of Elliott perfectly, I can't even imagine anyone else playing him, he was just perfect. I still start to tear up whenever he does.
I really don't know what else to talk about. People seem to either love or hate this movie. If you haven't seen it yet, don't go by what people say on here, not even me. See it for yourself and decide.