7. E.T. (1982)
Directed by Steven Spielberg

Twenty-five years ago, E.T. invented the sci-fi weepie. And consider this: Have we seen another one since? Until Star Wars was rereleased in 1997, E.T. was the highest-grossing film of all time, and it's easy to see why. The movie is basically A New Hope crossed with Casablanca, a mixture as perfect as the chocolate and peanut butter in Reese's Pieces. The bond between Elliott and E.T., one of the most touching film friendships ever, showed that sci-fi was capable of real, glowing heart underneath its fantastical, otherworldly trappings.

POP CULTURE LEGACY The movie's other major accomplishment? Revealing Steven Spielberg as an auteur who was capable of much more than whiz-bang thrills. If not for E.T., there would likely be no Saving Private Ryan or Schindler's List.

THE BEST BIT A boy, a bicycle, an alien, a full moon, and John Williams' swelling score: Elliott's bike ride through the night sky, with E.T. stuffed in the front basket, will keep giving audiences goose bumps until much nastier extraterrestrials come along and destroy the earth. —Gregory Kirschling