E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1982, Universal Pictures
Ranked as one of the greatest science fiction films ever made according to Rotten Tomatoes, in my book E.T. stands as one of the most saccharine, overtly manipulative films of Steven Spielberg's career. Implausible and at times eye-rollingly silly, it strikes me more as a kiddie movie dressed up in budget-busting special effects. Everything about the titular alien is just plain dumb, and when he lofts our young human hero into the air on his bicycle—complete with a precisely-timed silhouette against the Moon (which became the Amblin Entertainment logo)—I lost what little interest I still had in the film. Seriously, the praise heaped on E.T.—Spielberg even received a UN Peace Medal for it—just makes me want to gag.
DKS 12/17/17
GRUMPY OLD FART-O-METER® Rating:
