The Spielberg Glow
Before E.T. made aliens cuddly and Jurassic Park made them hungry, Spielberg gave us Close Encounters. It’s a movie that treats the arrival of extraterrestrials not as a threat to be managed by the military, but as a scientific and spiritual event. For a kid, this is a great way to introduce the idea of 'the other' without the baggage of a war movie.
Pacing and the 1970s Hurdle
You have to be intentional about when you put this on. It’s over two hours long and it takes its time. The movie spends a lot of energy on the domestic breakdown of the Neary household. It’s noisy, there’s a lot of shouting, and the 70s suburban aesthetic can feel a bit drab to a modern eye. However, the 'wonder' elements—the screwball behavior of the electronics, the mail trucks, and the iconic light shows—are still magic.
The Abduction Factor
If you have a sensitive kid, do not leave them alone during the scene where the little boy, Barry, is taken. Spielberg uses every horror trick in the book: the vacuum cleaner turning on, the screws unscrewing themselves, the dog barking at the invisible. It’s masterful filmmaking, but it’s high-octane nightmare fuel for the under-8 crowd.
Ultimately, this is a movie about being part of something bigger than yourself. It’s a great bridge into more complex sci-fi like Arrival or Interstellar. Just be prepared to explain why the dad doesn't say goodbye to his kids at the end.
