June 7, 2011

Super 8 Movie Review

I just returned from a pre-screening of the new summer blockbuster "Super 8".  Let me preface this review by saying I don't normally see "scary" movies, I just don't like them.  I got a free preview ticket to see this and it has been so hyped I had to go.  I mean it's JJ Abrams and Steven Speildberg!  I'm not going to write too much about the actual movie until after it hits the theaters for all to see but I want to post this to say that the movie lives up to the hype.  This is going to be one of the big summer movies this year.  I don't even want to tell you what the movie is about because part of the hype of the movie is that no one really knows what it is about so I'll leave that for you to find out when you watch.  What I will say is this: It feels like a classic Speildberg movie!  It combines action/scary/funny/friends movies all in to one.  I'll give you a few movie titles that have a similar feel to parts of this movie: "Stand By Me", "Jurrasic Park", "ET", "Alien", and any movie where there are huge explosions....I also like that it didn't end the way I expected it to...things aren't always as they seem (which is classic JJ Abrams).  Abrams wrote and directed an incredible film and I expect nothing less from him...and when was the last time Speildberg's name was attached to a disappointment?  Basically go see this movie if you like comedy, action, suspense or a good story about a group of friends who stumble upon the unexpected.

The dialogue is so smart and funny...the language definitely feels like "Stand By Me" and the kid who plays Charles is like a clone of a young Chris O'Donnell...Joel Courtney does an amazing job in his acting debut as the lead of Joe Lamb...Elle Fanning does a great job here, she's got a great flick here to bring her out of the shadows of her older sister Dakota, could be her breakout movie...Kyle Chandler plays Joe's dad and the deputy sheriff in the fictional town of Lillian, Ohio (which is supposed to be near Dayton, Ohio) who goes digging into things that others don't want him looking in to.

There's a great little back story about 2 families that are connected by a tragedy which just adds a great touch to the main plot as well.

I highly recommend this movie and hope you all go see it and post comments below and let me know what you think.  After the film has been out for a few weeks I'll include more of what I think of the plot but I don't want to give any of the surprises away to you.