The best Disney movie that Disney never made, one critic remarked after seeing
E.T.. This sums it up quite well, except that on second viewing of this
movie I realized that Disney could never have made E.T. - it is simply
too personal an affair and could only have been made by Steven Spielberg
himself.
It is the pure wish fulfillment of a lonely kid living in the suburbs (i.e.,
Spielberg). Sure, it is the old A Boy and His Dog (1975) plot re-done for
modern audiences (A Boy and His Alien?), but Spielberg's craft is so assured that
one can only stand in amazement that he never won his Oscar for this one (the
Academy having chosen instead the very Tailor-made-for-An-Oscar and pretentious
Schindler's List.)
All the right strings are pulled: one cries, laughs and cheers at all the right
places - just like Spielberg intends us to do. If you haven't seen this film yet
you must be the only person on the planet not to have. Rent it immediately!
Review by James O'Ehley from The
Sci-Fi Movie Page. |
