By KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions
Many people who attended the 1982 Cannes Film Festival remember E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as an overwhelming force that so captured everyone’s heart and interest that “phone home” was the catch-phrase along the Croisette. The darling of that prestigious film fest that year, E.T. (one of the titles for the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Search, now out on DVD and Blu-ray) has stood the test of time and equally delights a new generation, as our KIDS FIRST! youth film critics’ reviews attest: “This quirky family classic is a favorite of mine,” says Blake Hawes, age 15. Julianne Noone, age 12, rates it “six out of five stars because it’s absolutely amazing, entertaining and enjoyable.” “This is the best sci-fi film,” says Cheyenne Nguyen, age 8. “Steven Spielberg, even in the 1980s, went above and beyond to create something new,” says Victoria Burns, age 14, comparing the film’s special effects favorably to what has evolved now, 30 years later.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Reviewed by Blake Hawes
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is an instant classic. It is one of Steven Spielberg’s best movies: an adventure about a young boy named Elliott and his adventures trying to get his new alien friend E.T. back to his planet. It is a heartwarming journey full of memorable scenes and incredible lighting and photography.
This quirky family classic is a favorite of mine and is a part of my childhood. E.T. has some of the most amazing music I have ever heard in film. “Turn on Your Heartlight” by Neil Diamond is the main theme of this movie, and a good one at that.
The storyline and character development are extremely well done. By the end of the film, you have an emotional attachment to the majority of the characters. The scene where Elliott and E.T. are riding bikes and then suddenly start to float into the air over a silhouette of the moon is fantastic photography at its finest.
Overall, I give the movie five out of five stars. I find this movie suitable for all ages. Check this flick out on HDNet Movies later this month.
KIDS FIRST! is a project of the Coalition for Quality Children’s Media, a national, nonprofit organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children’s media.
