20 awesome ’80s movies you should totally see before you die

2. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Directed by Steven Spielberg, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial tells the story of Elliot (Henry Thomas) who discovers an alien he nicknames E.T., who gets left behind during what can best be described as some sort of exploratory mission. E.T. needs to get a ride home, and it’s up to Elliot and his siblings, Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and Gertie (Drew Barrymore) to help the adorable, squishy alien before the creature falls into the hands of the U.S. government.

The bond forged between Elliot and E.T. isn’t just emotional. It’s physical and mental as well. Each fills a void in the other’s life, primarily the lack of a cohesive family unit. Elliot, a casualty of divorce and the continuing decay of the traditional nuclear family, and E.T., abandoned by his brethren on a planet where he can’t physically survive.

The film is a very personal one for Spielberg, who drew on his own experiences as a child of divorced parents when working on the film. According to the Washington Post, “E.T.” is essentially a spiritual autobiography, a portrait of the filmmaker as a typical suburban kid set apart by an uncommonly fervent, mystical imagination. It comes out disarmingly funny, spontaneous, bighearted.”

The movie was a huge hit at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time. It held this record until being unseated by Jurassic Park in 1993. Only, Jurassic Park doesn’t make an adult cry like a baby every time they watch it.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won four, including one for John Williams (Jaws) for Best Original Score.