E.T. (PG, 1982)

A young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas) discovers an extraterrestrial that had been left behind by his fellow aliens hiding near his house. After he brings E.T. home, it becomes clear that the benevolent otherworldly creature Elliott dubs E.T. can't survive in Earth's atmosphere and must return to his home planet. While hiding E.T., Elliott develops a close friendship and a connection that binds them to each other. With the help of Elliott, his siblings, and their pals, E.T. sends a rescue message to his planet, but Elliott all of a sudden finds himself facing government scientists who want to capture and study E.T. instead of allowing him to return home.

It's difficult to review a movie that was a cultural touchstone of one's childhood, because there are personal memories enmeshed with the movie itself. Although kids no longer dress as E.T. for Halloween or recite his famous line, "E.T. phone home," the kind extraterrestrial remains one of the most recognizable creatures in movie history, and that is due to director Steven Spielberg's genius. Not only is the movie a sci-fi adventure with unforgettable images (the flying bicycle scene alone is worth the cost of a rental), but it's also a family drama (divorced mother trying to raise three kids without her ex's help; children who are wary of trusting adults) and beautiful exploration of a unique friendship (the special connection E.T. and Elliott share is precious).

The performances, especially the kids -- Thomas, 6-year-old Drew Barrymore as Elliott's baby sister Gertie, and Robert Macnaughton as his older brother Michael -- are exceptional and genuine. Dee Wallace, who a year later also played a besieged mother in Cujo, perfectly captured the frustration and at-times insanity of single parenting, which in the early '80s was an unconventional family structure in movies. John Williams' score soars, and the special effects are still dazzling, even if younger audiences are used to much slicker by now. After more than 25 years, E.T. continues to tug at heartstrings and prove Spielberg is a master storyteller.