E.T.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is an Academy Award-winning 1982 science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg that tells the story of a young boy, Elliott, who befriends an alien being called E.T. stranded on Earth and trying to find his way home. This film was produced by Amblin Entertainment, distributed by Universal Pictures. It was originally released to movie theatres in 1982, re-released in 1985, and then "enhanced" and re-released as a 20th anniversary edition in 2002 (see below).

The movie was written by Melissa Mathison. The design of the E.T. character was created by artist Drew Struzan, a favorite of director Steven Spielberg, while the advance and release movie posters were created by John Alvin.

An alien botanist stranded on Earth is found by 10-year-old Elliot (Henry Thomas), who, along with his older brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and his younger sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore), teaches him to communicate and helps him build a device to contact his people to bring him home. When ET becomes sick, a medical facility is set up in Elliot's home as scientists try to study ET. The scientists find remarkable evidence indicating linked brain activity between Elliot and ET.

ET, who had previously been sick after trying to contact his species outside and catching pneumonia (or some pneumonia-esque disease), miraculously recovers. Elliot helps him escape the government facility where he is kept, and the two finally reach the aliens, who have returned after receiving ET's message. Elliot knows he must stay on Earth and not go with ET.