Both a classic film for kids and a remarkable portrait of childhood.

Rating: 10/10 (27 June 2010)

When an alien spacecraft is disturbed in a Los Angeles suburb, one of its crew members is left behind and befriends a small boy (Henry Thomas).
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was a stupefyingly successful box-office fairy tale by director Steven Spielberg, many of whose family films work so brilliantly because he taps into the child-like sense of wonder that lies at the heart of everyone's earliest film-going experiences. This one could hardly be simpler, but it is literally unimprovable, and works at all levels for all audiences. The film was re-released in 1985, and then again in 2002 with altered special effects and additional scenes. Spielberg believes E.T. epitomizes his work.