‘Once my tummy stopped shaking, I was absorbed by the scale, spectacle and wonder’: your Steven Spielberg film favourites

Guardian readers selected E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as their favorite Steven Spielberg film, with one reader recounting their first cinema experience at age eight in 1982 at Bolton Odeon. This viewing marked the first time the reader experienced profound sadness and happiness simultaneously, a reaction to the film's emotional impact. The experience occurred during an outing organized by the Gingerbread Club, a single parents' organization that provided social support during a time when single parenthood carried a social stigma. The reader's mother was a member of this group, highlighting the film's connection to personal and community experiences. The article also references a previous list of writers' all-time favorite Spielberg films, suggesting a broader discussion about the director's seminal blockbusters.