Super 8

Film: Super 8
Genre: Sci-Fi/Adventure
Director: J.J. Abrams
Year: 2011
Starring: Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, & Kyle Chandler






Alright, before I get to discussing the film itself, I want to gets some facts out there first. I enjoy the work of J.J. Abrams; I in no way go gaga over his name appearing on a project. Star Trek(2009) was great, LOST was good, but I would hardly call it one of the greatest television shows of all time. Are you still reading at this point? I have nothing against the guy (except maybe for the fact that he is credited for writing the screenplay for Armageddon,) but he just isn't something I would needlessly crap my pants about. Anyhow, I rather liked this movie, and it continues my like for Mr. Abrams, but it doesn't not make me want to kill someone just for a glimpse at his next project.

In the summer of 1979, a boy named Joe (Courtney) and his friends are making a movie for his friend Charles to enter into the Ohio super 8 film festival. Their film is a cheesy zombie film, but in the process of making it, great events happen. During the middle of the night, the boys and a girl named Allison (Fanning) film at a train station, while performing a scene a military train is derailed by a pick-up truck. Following a fantastic crash, something mysterious is released from the crashed train, and threatens the town of Lillian where the kids all live. After the crash many strange phenomenon happen, like power surges, and all of the dogs running out of the county. The sheriff goes missing, which leaves Joe's father: Deputy Lamb (Chandler) in charge of finding out what happened at the train crash, and what suspicious actions the military is taking.

Let me say that I love films like this, an adventure following a group of kids who have an adventure. These were popular in the eighties, and early nineties, but seem to have lost their place in the last decade. This film follows in the footsteps of films such as Stand By Me, The Goonies, The Sandlot, Stephen King's It, and even more recent films such as Monster House. These film resonate with me, for as I watch them, it makes me wish that my childhood was adventurous as these kids'. But, the innovation of video games, and the ever ominous presence of the fear of being murdered kept my generation inside for the most part.

The acting in his film is superb, without a single blemish on the face of Super 8's face. All of the young actors bring a great sense of wonderment, and essentially the mindset of yearly teens to the screen. With some movies the dialogue written for younger actors isn't particularly like how people of that age speak. But, this movie does justice to how boys in their pubescent years actually speak, so it's a nice change to see them not speak like businessmen. Along with the great young actors, Kyle Chandler gives a great performance as Deputy Lamb. Chandler is keen at playing strong characters, who don't have an incredibly strong voice. Though despite this, he is a great presence in this, juggling both the fate of the town in his hands, but also his relationship with his son.


Memorable moments:

• During the scene before the train crash, the kids are rehearsing their film. One boy, Preston acts as an extra talking on a phone in the background. His hammy acting is enough to make me chuckle at a moment.

• The surprising appearance by my voice acting hero Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson) as Izzy the car salesman.

• During the credits you see "The Case," which is the film that the kids were making throughout the movie.