Yeah, it's a masterpiece, but... yeah, it is.

Rating: 10/10 (12 April 2000)

Alright, alright, you got me, ET is a great movie - mostly for the little moments that Steven Spielberg captures in the first half (or first two-thirds) before it becomes the big emotional spectacle that the director deals with as something he has to do as a Capra fan. What I loved was seeing the early, 'hmm' part of Elliot/ET's friendship, where its a bit like a boy and his dog, only the ET is much more curious than a dog (and he can TALK!) I can't deny this is a director at the peak of his powers. That said, my one real 'but' is in that sense it's like his North by Northwest; Hitchcock, too, was at the peak of his powers with that, making as much a symphony as a movie. It's just not 'personal' favorite of mine (I still get more from Close Encounters).
Nevertheless, also like NBNW, this is a very entertaining film at its core, with a lot of shameless laughs (Gertie SCREAMS! ET SCREAMS BACK!), and it has BY FAR John Williams greatest score. It helps that he scored some of the film without even really watching the film cause it didn't all match up. I could listen to this just as classical music, not even as a 'this track goes here, that goes there' with the scenes. If it's not Spielberg's greatest film, he still gets the greatest assist from his closest collaborator.