Rating: 
Summary: Steven Spielberg's masterpiece
Review: Steven Spielberg's masterpiece E.T The Extra-Terrestrial is one of the director's most personal films and without a doubt one of his best. Re-released with extra scenes and digitally-enhanced visual effects, the journey is made even better than when it was originally released in 1982.The idea was a perfect film for Spielberg as a director, playing into one of his greatest strengths: directing children. Known from JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS and 1941 for creating charming performances from young children (many non-actors), Spielberg found a strong trio of youngsters for the three Tyler children, Elliott (Henry Thomas), Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and Gertie (Drew Barrymore). The majority of the weight of the film lies within Henry Thomas' performance as Elliott, as he is our link to E.T. Thomas gives an incredible performance, shining alongside his lovable alien co-star and together, Thomas and E.T.'s performers truly make you feel the love these two beings have for each other. Spielberg's trademark for his early on films was extraordinary events taking place in a commonplace setting. E.T, Like Duel, Jaws and Close Encounters before it, is centred on the strong Spielberg trademarks. John William's score for the film is one of the best for the Spielberg/Williams collaborations, and one of the most memorable. When E.T. opened it became the biggest picture of all time up to that point (it held that distinction for 11 years until Jurassic Park's release). And with the re-release's strong box-office, E.T is surely one of the best motion picture experiences of all time.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Film Ever
Review: I saw this film when I was 11 and I just saw the re-release. Looking through a 21st century lens, it's more magical now than it was twenty years ago. It has what current films lack: innocence, originality, selfless endearing characters, and a story that captures the heart. This film actually tells a story. Despite the groundbreaking special effects employed in this film, it was no vehicle for the special effects crew to show off--F/X was used to further the story rather than the story being used to further the F/X, which doesn't exist in modern-day films. Steven Spielberg aims for the gut and succeeds. It's his most personal film to date and the best work of an artist comes from within. There are too many memorable scenes to list. Among them are the first encounter between Gertie (Drew Barrymore) and ET, ET chasing after her with his arms raised as she is forced into the closet by her brother Michael (Robert McNaughton), ET following a trail of Reeses Pieces left by Elliott, ET dressed as a woman by Gertie, and of course, Elliott and ET flying on a bicycle silhouetted against a full moon. The re-release contains 4 additional minutes of footage left out in the 1982 release. The scene of Elliott and ET taking a bath is humorous but that of the mother, Mary (Dee Wallace), looking for her children on Halloween night is superfluous. Somewhat objectionable is the PCness of the new version. The Feds' guns are replaced with walkie-talkies and Michael's Halloween costume is referred to as that of a "hippie" rather than "terrorist". Such changes are subtle and won't be apparent to the viewer unless one was looking for them. The DVD will include both versions so purists shouldn't fret. The performances are impressive. The main characters--the three children, their mother and ET--are developed throughout the film. The children don't pander to the audience with the affected cutesy routine coached to present-day child actors. A pre-substance abuse Drew Barrymore is adorable as Gertie and Henry Thomas is a natural as the lonely and melancholy Elliott. Robert McNaughton, now out of the acting business, is undeservedly ignored by the entertainment industry--they should give him a worthy role for a comeback. The best performance, however, comes from the alien creature. He is smart, mischievous, sensitive and sweet. One forgets he's a wrinkly rubber puppet and perceives him as the cutest/cuddliest creature in film history. As indelible as ET is in our hearts and minds, it did not win the major academy awards. Spielberg mistakenly overmarketed this film through selling all sorts of ET products, i.e. cereal, toys, clothes, stickers, which created a backlash. ET was thus aced by Gandhi for the Best Picture and Director Oscars. In hindsight, Gandhi is a by-the-book biopic and ET is an endearing original film every generation will see and love. The phrase "ET phone home" will be in the lexicon of the English language for quite some time. As ET says in his farewell to Elliott, "I'll be right here". PS: Watch this film with a box of tissues. Grown people in the theatre who saw this film as children still cried their eyes out (myself included). I sometimes wish Elliott left with ET for a happy (happier?) ending.
Rating:
Summary: "I'll Be Right Here!"
Review: Back in 1982, a little squashy fellah from a faraway world made history. E.T. was brought to movie screens under the surefire hand of director Steven Spielberg and it has yet to leave the cultures immediate memory. With magic to spare, this film has become the ultimate family film. What child has not dreamed of befriending an alien... especially one that allows for flight! Spielberg's story telling is in top form as he relates this story he created while working on CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. And his work with composer John Williams again creates a wonderful marriage. The scene where Elliot and E.T. first take flight on a huffy is pure magic. Absolutely jaw-dropping. Now, twenty years later we revisit the classic film with a minor facelift. As is often the case, the changes are sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. The most obvious change is the addition of a scene where E.T. plays in a bathtub while Elliot talks to his mother on the telephone. The alien is very funny in the scene and young children should love the addition. Otherwise, the scene adds no value to the film and in fact, Elliot's phone conversation is redundant and annoying. Also included is a questionable scene where the mother finds two of her children, Michael and Gertie, walking aimlessly in front of a violent Halloween vandalism. Again, no value added to the film. Maybe they were trying to give Drew Barrymore more 'cute' dialogue, but the treacherous backdrop totally distracts. Purists will also notice the last scene has been re-cut to make more spatial sense but that will remain minor. The best changes for this Twentieth Anniversary release involve the computer-generated face-lift for the alien. Not only did they add life to some of the more unnatural looking facial effects, they have improved his movement. The creature's track-like movement always struck me during his opening escape. Now, the creature bounds desperately in a manner more accurate to his physicality. The last change of note for this version was the removal of FBI gunmen chasing the children. Now, FBI agents with walkie-talkies hunt them. With all the changes, the film is still a wonderful experience for the whole family. This will help introduce the film to a whole new generation. Maybe, they will reissue another version in twenty more years... Maybe then, E.T. will phone home on a cell phone...
Rating:
Summary: E.T. Where is the DVD?
Review: E.T. is a great film. I had to rate the DVD with stars , when it isn't even available??????? A lot of my friends were upset when we heard the theatrical re-release will include "computer" generated scenes of E.T....etc.....We would want the original film released on dvd!!!! The whole beauty of the ORIGINAL E.T. film, was just that........it was a great Spielberg movie, made with what he had available to him at that time....why should it be changed? What makes us think a great movie maker like Spielberg would want to change his original great work....does Spielberg need the work? I doubt with his talent that this is really the case......or is it a financial decision , maybe from the studio? If enough people rally for the original, maybe we will get it on DVD , in the pure first rendition.......and then, when the altered version comes out...the people who want that one...... can buy it!!!! Let us who love the original E.T. character puppet have our DVD!!!!! AND if it is changed, I hope the DVD release is FIRST from the original filming, with any added trailers, scenes, and of course......widescreen!!!!! I have it on VHS but want the original on DVD...PLEASE!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Extra Teriffic!
Review: E.T. was not my favorite Spielberg flick. I thought at the time ,when it first came out, Speilberg started catering to the very young audience and was disappointed in his lack of interest in making 'serious' films. After seeing this new version I now have to move it up on my list and consider it a film for all ages. The new version has (according to the person at the ticket booth) 6 added minutes. From what I recall most of this new footage involves E.T. taking a bath. It doesn't add much to the story but was nice to see. The picture quality is fine and doesn't look aged at all. If the rumor is true that details were added they aren't readily visible. I would consider that a plus. The soundtrack is STUPENDOUS. It was no slouch before but now the effects are dazzling! I have no doubt that my new found involvment viewing this film is heavily do to this revamped sound. A friend of mine recently asked why are they releasing E.T. again. My only response could be considering the lack of quality of good films out today, everyone should see this on the big screen. It is a jewel. You will experience all sorts of emotions with your viewing: excitement, sadness, joy, laughter, etc. I haven't had such a good time at the theater for so long and cannot make a higher recomendation.
Rating:
Summary: E.T. is not a movie, it's an exciting emotional experience!
Review: "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" is the touching story of a young, fatherless boy in 1982 Nevada named Elliot who finds an alien who was left behind on Earth by his people. This alien possesses great abilities such as levitation and healing powers. Soon Elliot become emotionally linked and they can feel each other's feelings. Elliot soon shows his siblings the alien but keeps it a secret from everyone else. They teach him how to talk and name him "E.T.". The only problem is that government agents know he exists, and they are looking for him for scientific study. The only way to keep E.T. safe is to find a way to get him back home. But will they be able to say goodbye to each other? This film is undoubtedly Steven Spielberg's most personal for he lived under the same circumstances as Elliot in his youth. Maybe that's why this movie is so great. It created a worldwide phenomenon in 1982 and was even the highest-grossing movie of the year until it was overtaken by Jurassic Park, another Spielberg film, in 1994. The movie was relatively low-budget at $10 million, only one third of other big movies at the time. The casting was perfect, especially Henry Thomas as Elliot, Drew Barrymore as Elliot's sister Gertie (in her first on-screen role), Dee Wallace Stone as Elliot's mother Mary and Robert McNaughton as Elliot's brother. The emotional value and drama was heavily supported by a flawlessly stunning musical score by John Williams, conducter of music to "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones". E.T. was a superbly built and operated animatronic robot created by Carlo Rimbaldi and his highly-trained special effects team. E.T. the alien was obviously made with a lot of heart for it is unbelievably real. This movie amazed audiences all around the world in 1982 and is now back in 2002 in a 20th Anniversary release. This new release includes digital mastering for optimum picture and sound quality, new footage, and digitally enhanced special effects. I saw the 20th Anniversary in theaters yesterday and I had mixed opinions. The digital mastering of picture and sound was great, but the new footage was interesting at best and unnecessary. New scenes include Elliot measuring and weighing E.T., Elliot showing E.T. the bathroom and bathtub, plus Elliot's mother going into town to find his siblings and gettin her car egged. The digitally enhanced special effects was a major disappointment. The original, robotic E.T. was there one second, and then a definetly-noticable and worse-looking digital E.T. the next, switching back and forth. The digital E.T. has too small a body, too small a head, too big of eyes, and unrealistic facial expressions. E.T.'s spaceship was also digitally enhanced needlessly. The original special effects are classic because they are a sign of the times. It's sad, because in an effort to make the movie better they actually made it worse. The guns were also pointlessly edited and replaced with walkie-talkies, and the small amount of language is also edited. The humor, drama and emotional impact are still present yet these new changes are sort of annoying. Seeing this movie in theaters for the first time was still amazing if you look past the extra stuff. All together, I prefer the original 1982 "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" for the REAL E.T. experience. The 20th Anniversary can be summed up as the 2002 weaker and censored version of E.T. I was lucky enough to purchase the now Collector's Item first-edition 1982 E.T. release. I suggest you go to this movie in theaters and take your children so they can see this movie the way it was meant to be seen with great picture and sound thanks to DTS Stereo and THX Digital Mastering Services. It will make you laugh, cry, and jump out of your seat in excitement. So "be good" and see this movie today! You will never forget it.
Rating:
Summary: Paying Homage to STAR WARS and STAR TREK
Review: The re-release of ET shows that the movie has really aged well and the new ILM effects blend with the original footage very nicely. Countless references to STAR WARS appear in this movie, as Steven tips his hat in salute to his friend George Lucas, and yes there is one reference to STAR TREK when one of the kids asks if ET's parents just "Beam him Up."
Rating: 
Summary: E.T.: The Emotional Triumph (20th Anniversary Edition)
Review: I first saw "E.T." when I was 7 years old. My parents took me, and after enduring a hideously long line-up, the sound conked out in the theatre ten minutes into the movie. We did make another, more successful, excursion a couple of weeks later. But my memories of the film have always been wrapped up in the failure of that first time, and my desire to participate in the positive hype surrounding the film. Which, I now see, has coloured my perception. With that in mind, herewith are some things I noticed, for better or for worse, upon seeing the new 20th anniversary edition of "E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial": *The bad guys, whom I always thought were carrying guns, actually had walkie-talkies... Okay, I knew about this going in. Some people here have said that the difference is barely noticeable. I suspect that's true, unless you're looking for it. I found it quite distracting: Mr. Baddie would be standing, feet apart, hands in shotgun-holding position, but his left hand would be empty and his right would be holding a fake looking walkie-talkie. I don't think the change was necessary, especially since it wasn't realized effectively. *E.T. bathes... There's one new scene where Elliott gives E.T. a bath. A good idea ripe for comedy, it's quite funny. But what I found distracting here, and in other scenes, is the use of a new computer generated E.T. His eyebrows are animated, his neck moves with relative ease, he appears to have actual joints in his elbows and knees, and his torso is mobile if not downright agile. E.T. has been Jar-Jar'ed, and like the CGI failure referred to by that neologism, it just doesn't work. *The acting is hit or miss... The three kids are solid, if not spectacular. Henry Thomas (Elliott) does little more than look wistful, while trying to rein in his pre-pubescent falsetto. In his more emotional scenes, to his credit, he never goes over the top. Although he does get pretty close sometimes. Robert MacNaughton, as Michael, does well in showing that the older brother may be someone to look up to, but he's still also just a kid. And Drew Barrymore, as Gertie, gets by on precocious charisma and wide-eyed stares. Which, frankly, is more than enough. I don't think Drew has been this believable and funny in any role since. Dee Wallace, as the oblivious mom, has a few moments in which to show emotional pain. Her recent divorce from her husband, while allowing for some depth of character, also provides the movie's underlying theme: her kids just want their father, or barring that, a father figure. But her comic moments, like the bedroom-farcical scene around the refrigerator, just fall flat. Thankfully, she's not a terribly important character. Neither is Keys, aptly named, and played by Peter Coyote. He's a cipher, a faceless (for most of the movie) bad guy, who inexplicably turns out to be a big softie in the end. Which basically means this is an adventure movie without an antagonist. And yet it still works. Imagine that. The best acting, shockingly enough, is done by E.T. himself. Getting a giant puppet to deliver such a range of emotions (loneliness, terror, fear, joy, love, torment, anguish, not to mention inebriation) is a remarkable feat. Add to that the fact that the little guy is so damn cute, and it's no wonder this movie was a huge hit. You just can't help but fall in love with him, and rue the moment when he has to leave. *Elvis Costello is referenced. Twice... Michael comes home from school one day, goes to the fridge for a snack, and heads up to his room, where Elliott is waiting to introduce him to a new friend (guess who). All the while, he is tunelessly singing Elvis Costello's "Accidents Will Happen". Later, in Elliott's room, you can't help but miss the prominent Elvis Costello poster next to the door. So, what gives? What is my most favourite new-wave punker doing in a Steven Spielberg movie? I can't explain it, though I'm glad he's there. Maybe the line, "She says she CAN'T GO HOME without a chaperon" partially explains things. *It's kind of a flimsy little flick... So I'm listening to the John Williams score, and I think to myself, "Would this movie have any emotional weight without the music?" I dare say not nearly as much. Many deride Williams as a purveyor of simple, shlocky, and oppressive melodies. But his music here, less memorable than his other Spielberg offerings, really carries the emotional load. Screenwriter Melissa Mathison does little to let us in on the family's background (that one snippet about the absent father just doesn't cut it), and Spielberg is a little too concerned with the here-and-now to deal with the backstory. It becomes Williams' duty to tug at the heartstrings. He's up to the task, but you can't help but feel manipulated after you've left the theatre. *Spielberg really idolized George Lucas' success... Countless Star Wars references abound. From Elliott's toys, to two separate Yoda moments (MacNaughton does a spot-on Yoda impression), Lucasfilm runs rampant here in Amblin country. I can't tell if these cross-promotional references are playful or competitive. Regardless, it's interesting to see a filmmaker admit to his lofty but personal place in the cinema universe. *"E.T." is an over-powering emotional experience... Even for the most hardened cynics like myself, a certain amount of welling-up will occur sometime before the credits roll. And I guess that's the ultimate measure of this film's success. For no matter how much tinkering Spielberg has done, or how many mistakes he made the first time around, you can surely say one thing about this movie: it aims for your gut, and hits it dead-on with full force.
Rating:
Summary: An all-time classic
Review: When this movie lost the Oscar to "Gandhi" in 1983, I predicted that the children who had seen "E.T." the previous summer would be taking their own children to see it twenty years later while "Gandhi" gathered dust on archive shelves. This Easter weekend, I saw my prediction come true, as three generations of my family went to see the new theatrical release of "E.T." The music still lifts you twenty feet into the air when the bicycles take off into the sky, the scene when E.T. is dying still makes everyone cry their eyes out, and kids still come out of the theater imitating E.T.'s croaky voice as they repeat "E.T. phone home! E.T. phone HOME! E.T. phone hooooooooome!" The film is definitely a hit with the new generation, which confirms my opinion that kids these days are all right!
Rating:
Summary: The Jewel in the Crown that belongs to Steven
Review: When, at my age, I am asked what are my favorite movies of all time I do not hesitate: Star Wars and E.T. The pleasure that those movies gave me as a twenty-something still give me the same sense of wonder and enjoyment as a forty-something. I was thrilled when this movie returned to the big screen because I am able to take my 6 year old to see it for the first time the way it was meant to be enjoyed...LARGE! I was and am a great fan of the science fiction genre, more in the short story form than film. But some movies just do the story justice. The children actors in this movie are awesome, it carries plenty of action as well as suspense, and there are times when the movie is just funny as it could possibly be. If you have never had the opportunity to see this one on the big screne, prepare yourself for one of the movie treats of your life!
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