Capsule Review: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

While Star Wars ushered in the summer special effects blockbuster, it was soon followed by a much more down to earth science fiction tale. Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind may be less cosmic, but in its own way it's an equally epic tale of ordinary people trying to come to grips with unexplained phenomena. Though spattered with scary moments, the aliens here are much more likely to fill the audience with awe, and the cast – particularly Richard Dreyfuss – certainly get their obsessions across. Wonderful special effects which hold up surprisingly well.