My new favourite movie

Rating: 10/10 (7 January 2012)

I loved this movie so much that I created an IMDb account just so I could write a review. This movie is full of great action and effects, mystery and intrigue, but what makes it so much better than many recent movies with similar themes is that it is full of heart, and characters that you really care about. The entire thing is laced with emotion that, at several points, you can really feel in your heart, and this is helped along by the beautiful soundtrack.
Elle Fanning's performance makes me think that she is set for an Oscar one day (she's less annoying than her sister, let's put it that way), and although child actors are often extremely annoying, this certainly wasn't the case in this movie.
What I found especially enjoyable about this movie was all of the allusions and references to some of Spielberg's greatest early work (Close Encounters, ET). Of course, he was the producer, but this is not a lazy copy. Although you can predict some of the main plot points, there is not a moment of this film that is boring, with each individual scene throwing up a surprise, stunning action, snappy dialogue, or emotion.
I think this is a movie that most people will like. It's a story of healing, friendship, and homesickness, but it also has some awesome explosions, and a pretty scary...well, you'll see...