Super 8

It's the late 70's in small town Lillian, Ohio, Joe Lamb is sitting outside his house while inside is the wake for his mother who died at an accident in the town chemical plant. His dad is a police deputy who leaves at one point when one guest's sympathy call is unwanted and is taken away in handcuffs. Four months later, Joe is getting out of school for summer vacation and his best friend Charles has added new script to his zombie movie and is anxious to get filmed. Best of all he's asked Joe's dream girl Alice Dainard to play the wife and she not only agreed but will drive them to their location shoot.

The kids slip out at midnight with Alice (Elle Fanning) illegally at the wheel in her dad's car. The film crew is being directed by Charles (Riley Griffiths) who wants to enter his super 8 zombie movie in the Cleveland Film festival. At the abandoned train station is braces-wearing cameraman and pyro obsessed Carey (Ryan Lee), awkward actors Preston (Zach Mills) and Martin (Gabriel Basso). Joe (Joel Courtney) is in charge makeup and special effects. Alice impresses everyone with her acting skills. As they are filming a speeding train offers a chance for as Charles says “production values”. Except something happens that changes the lives of the kids and the town. Soon there are Army trucks invading the town.

As an homage to the Spielberg who also produced the film, it has all the usual elements with the awe struck faces looking out in wonderment and an old school storyline construction. There's nothing to bog down the plot. Each piece reveals itself in it's own time while we enjoy getting to know the characters. The kids act like real kids and not the wiseacre precocious miniature adults on Nickelodeon or Disney. Details like messy houses that look like families actually live there, distracted adults, and suburban middle American homes. Small towns where everyone pretty much knows everyone else. There's also a heart felt story about the kids and dads who have to find a common ground. The only complaint is the actual alien looks like most movies extraterrestrials and it didn't quite satisfy. Other than that, the performances were excellent. Kyle Chandler and Ron Eldard as the opposing dads bring it all home in the third act. Elle Fanning makes you forget that she's the sister of Dakota has a great screen presence. Riley steals the movie as Charles the budding director. Anyone who has picked up a camera to film will relate to his enthusiasm.

JJ Abram's kept the story of this film under wraps while filming so details hopefully will not be revealed as reviews are made available. Because it's best not to know anything about the movie before seeing it to keep intact the sense of surprise. Lets just say there's a train wreck that may possibly be the best since The Fugitive. In a season of prequels and sequels, this one stands out as being the Inception of last year. The one where you have to see and recommend to others. Don't forget to stay for the credits when Charles movie “The Case” is played.
(Review by reesa)