It's been maybe 15 years since I was completely frightened by this movie. Aliens easily gave me nightmares, but perhaps that was because I had watched the film, Fire in the Sky (what were my parents thinking?).
But now that time has passed and I've matured to a level where cute Yoda-like aliens don't offer quite the terrifying shock it did, E.T. is a euphoric magical dream. It may be too scary for kids, but the irony is that the film is about a childhood journey. Rather than taking the perspective of a father who wishes to revert back to his childhood imagination, children in this film take the main protagonist role and live the dreams of an enchanting experience. Moreso than any of his other films (that we have watched in class), E.T. is the closest Spielberg has reached in term of grasping the fairytale vibe. The plot revolves around something along the extraordinary that affects the lives of the ordinary (the children). Although it deals with aliens, the film is barely a science fiction film.
Watching the film, I became victim of what Spielberg had intentioned for his viewers. I reverted back to a youth mentality, surrounded by this fantastical tale of magic. I became a kid once again watching the film.
