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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.
Director: J.J. Abrams
Writer: J.J. Abrams
Staring: Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka and Kyle Chandler
Elle Fanning
Kyle Chandler
J.J. Abrams
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Director JJ Abrams delivers the most pleasant surprise of the summer. “Super 8” is a combination of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “ET,” and “Goonies,” all rolled up into one. No wonder Steven Spielberg put his name on the film as an Executive Producer.
The film opens in 1979 at the funeral of Joe Lamb’s mother who was killed in an industrial accident at the local plant. Joe, wonderfully portrayed by teen Joel Courtney, is visibly broken by his mother’s death as he is shown to have never had a strong relationship with his father, the town deputy sheriff.
One night Joe and a group of his friends ala Goonies are out filming a Super 8 short when they are witnesses to a train accident which leads to a series of strange events in the town. One of the friends, Alice, is the daughter of a local bum that is seen being thrown out of Joe’s house on the day of the mother’s funeral. Alice is afraid to hang with Joe because he is the son of the sheriff.
The film continues as the town is put into more and more danger because of the train accident. In fact, the Air Force gets involved in the cleanup of the accident for reasons that eventually become clear to not only the kids, but the audience as well.
The secret to the movie is shown through a series of flashbacks and amateur detective work done by the gang of kids. In addition, the Super 8 camera used by the kids was left running during the train wreck and has filmed some very interesting phenomenon. I don’t want to give away much more of the plot so I will stop here. However, it is not a spoiler to say that a relationship develops between Alice and Joe along the way.
I did not to see this film when it first opened because it appeared to me to be more of a film for teens and pre-teens. It also appeared to be the same old, same old. However, on the night that I saw it, it was the only film starting at a reasonable time. Imagine my shock when I saw a warm, family film with modern special effects. If this film had been made in the 1980’s it probably would have been the highest grossing film of the year. Unfortunately, it wasn’t and it has disappeared among all of the tent-poles released this summer. It should have been seen by more.
Elle Fanning gives a breakout performance as Alice. After this film, most people will put her in the same league as her now adult sister Dakota. Her range of emotions and character development show she has some great acting chops and will probably have a career long into her adult years.
Lastly, there is almost nothing about this film that would bother anyone from a moral stand point. In fact, other than some mild cartoon violence, the film is acceptable for all audiences.