Blanketing opinions that I'll probably regret soon.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

When can I watch E.T. with my kid?

Damn, I've got kid fever. E.T. was on TV last night and the thrill of watching it with my own (future) child was the only thing I could think about.

When is it appropriate to watch this movie with a kid? I'm so clueless about age-appropriate issues that I have no idea. I remember my mother took me to see E.T. in 1982. This was the first movie I'd ever seen in an actual movie theater.

The first encounters between E.T. and Elliot were scary, so maybe there are some age issues. Age 5 ok? Watching it last night brought back the memories clearly.

And I love the small subtleties of the movie, like when Elliot calls his brother "penis breath" and the mom tries to stifle laughing while scolding her son at the same time. What a simple, cute, movie. Timeless. God bless Spielberg.
Comments:
You know, I think that would be really awesome. I'm nowhere near ready for kids myself, but was fantasizing about taking my friend Eric's son to see Batman -- except he's still an infant.
 
You are correct in that about the 5 or 6 year age is probably the younges you want to go. Camryn is almost 6 and she saw it this past year, and it did frighten her but not to the point of having nightmares, but she still thinks ET is in the wings waiting ffor her. You also have to measure the Child Emotional Maturity as well. But I would say thats about the right age.
 
That scene when Elliot and E.T. are strapped to those medical tables side by side is pretty emotional. When they're interviewing Elliot about what E.T. said to him and he responds, "He just wanted to go home", I got choked up. I ain't gonna lie.
 
I totally jumped the gun and let Natalie 3 and a half watch ET with me. It was a little too much for her but such is the risks of being the oldest.
She didn't understand most of the deeper meanings like him dying, being connected to elliot, but she got the whole phone home thing and the spaceship.

She was frightened by some stuff, but watching her dance with glee and tears when ET left on the ship is beyond words. absolutely sublime.

You're gonna love kids, and I agree, God bless Speilberg.
 
By the way, I have watched the Movie "Bridge to Terabithia" like 4 times with my daughter and I cry every time. Like a baby. Maybe it stems from a deeper memory of having read that book when I was in 4th grade. Real men cry, and can admit it.
 
@dilkman,

"Bridge to Terabithia". I'll put that on my list for when I have kids. thanks.
 
I took my son to see ET when it came out in 1982 so he was four. It totally freaked him out. He's never been the same since. He's now a lawyer.
 
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