"Super 8" -- Reviewed

Not many films give off the amount of nostalgia as this one has. J.J. Abrams was definitely paying homage to Steven Spielberg and other prominent filmmakers from the late 70s to 80s. Films like "E.T.", "Goonies", and "Stand by Me" are films that are somewhat similar to "Super 8". Many people have mentioned the film as 'nostalgic' and some may even deem this as a bad thing but they're wrong. Nostalgia was intentional by Abrams. He made a film that embodified all of the films he loved so much as a child. Perhaps, these films from childhood made him want to become a filmmaker all together. The script was hilarious and the very talented young actors that contributed to the funny dialogue should be praised. You remember in "The Goonies" when the kids' lives were in danger yet they still cooked up jokes? Yeah, that's a big part of "Super 8". Abrams wants audiences to have the most fun possible. The friendships and relationships that were examined were extremely effective and this is what truly drives the film and not necessarily the 'the creature'. The child actors are something else. Actually, every actor is in top form. The director doesn't really insult the audience either. He knows that revealing bits and pieces of information gradually will keep the audience guessing. Initially, I was afraid that the film might not hold up to a different age demographic say 13-18 or 50 and older. I thought that I just liked the nostalgic adventure but I've been hearing from others that haven't been exposed to the films that defined the 70s or 80s and they still really enjoyed the film. After the screening, I had to digest the film from that angle. I just wasn't sure if the film was only trying to appeal to one particular group of people. I believe now that the director was trying to appeal to one particular group of people and everyone else through a similar, storytelling pattern. A storytelling pattern that defined a particular era.

So, there were some 'holes' with the plot line and a particular scene that doesn't make sense - 'truck derailing train' but this can easily be overlooked, especially because these 'holes' are not what "Super 8" is all about.

"Super 8" remains my favorite of the summer films thus far even though it's not technically summer. Be sure to catch a video during the credits as well.