Timeless Movie Magic

Rating: 10/10 (4 November 2018)

Rewatched Spielberg's classic, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, again, and yes, it still maintains that magic it always had.
Having not seen it since the multiple times I watched it as a kid, you now notice all the things you missed originally. Spielberg basically set out to make the entire movie from the viewpoint of Elliott, a kid. Camera angles are from a kid's point of view, adults ignore him, older brothers are annoyed by him, it's all there, I just never noticed the first time because I was exactly Elliott's age then. I mean, we never even see his teacher's face, not once. It's like he's Charlie Brown's teacher too!
Another thing I realized watching this as an adult is that the government agents are not as evil as I found them to be the first time. Peter Coyote's character (who is never even given an on screen name) doesn't want to dissect E.T., he's basically Elliott as a grown-up, fascinated and wanting to learn from this alien tourist. He and his team in space suits all seemed so ominous back in the day, but watching it now, you realize they did try to save him and weren't out to chop him up and study him. Well, not until after he was already dead.
John Williams' score is almost another character in this movie. So ideal and beautiful, no wonder he's legendary.
Dee Wallace kind of breaks your heart a little, as an adult we now know she's heartbroken that her husband has run off to Mexico with some bimbo...and he hates Mexico! My parents were split up when I was Elliott's age, and I was a little isolated and in need of a friend then too. Hmmm, why is it I related so much to this movie?
Basically, this movie was an instant classic. All the pieces (not necessarily Reese's!) came together in perfect unison to make this movie. It still creates that sense of wonder and universal sense that although we may be different we can still find ways to love each other. Cornball, I know, but who doesn't love a bit of cornball once in awhile?