Flight of the Navigator (1986)

A family film about twelve-year-old David (Joey Cramer) who's forced to deal with a frightening and unexpected change in his life. The appearance of an alien ship complicates matters further for everyone involved.
It’s a coming of age story, but not in the traditional manner. I can’t say more than that for fear of spoilers. It avoids many of the clichés that usually litter this kind of feature and makes best use of some others.
Being set in a specific era means it doesn't feel overly-dated, except perhaps for some of the music.

3½ leaks out of 5