Johnny Beeeee Goooood

E.T. (1982)

Rating: PG

Runtime: 115 minutes

Box Office (in today’s dollars): 866 million (approximately)

Characters: E.T., Elliott, Michael, Gertie, Mary, Greg, Steve, Tyler, Keys, Harvey, Science Class Girl

Cool Stuff: Reese’s Pieces, E.T.’s ship, E.T.’s flower

Cool Music: E.T. and Elliott flying theme

Cool Quote: “E.T. phone home.”

I am pretty sure this is the first VHS tape my brother Tod and I ever owned. We only had a handful by the time we got in our teens, so it’s safe to say I watched this several times as a kid. I have received mixed reviews as I have mentioned this being on my list of movies the past few months. I don’t understand the hate. E.T. is a bit scary at first but then you realize he is just as scared of you. He does all sorts of fun things throughout the movie: drink beer, dress in drag, and heal wounds.

Elliott is just a young kid trying to fit in. His dad isn’t at home, and he yells weird things like “penis breath!” But he turns out to be the hero after his science class rescue mission and he gets the girl. His brother Michael seems pretty cool and has a great trio of friends in Greg, Steve, and Tyler. His sister Gertie is a little annoying, but she’s also funny. Mary (his mom), does a great job holding the family together being a single mom and all and they have a cool dog named Harvey. There is a creepy guy named “Keys” who gets less creepy as the movie goes on.

I like candy, so Reese’s Pieces being such a big part of the movie is cool with me. E.T.’s ship appears to be a great flying machine, and the flower he keeps bringing back to life is an added treat. But the coolest thing in the movie is definitely the scene where E.T. and Elliott fly the bike in front of the moon. The music is fantastic and it is such a classic movie moment. E.T. picks up the English language pretty quickly thanks to Gertie, so his “E.T. phone home” wins cool quote, just edging out “I’ll be right here.”

I had an interesting thought watching the movie this time that somehow I never had before: I think E.T. had a plan all along to get back home, so I would say he totally Keyser Soze’d everyone by pretending to be dead to get the feds off his back.

Next movie to review: Fast Times at Ridgemont High