Now Playing: Super 8 (2011)

First of all, can I just bring your attention to this awesome Super 8 poster that was released? Damn, that looks good! So yeah, as you may have guessed I saw Super 8 tonight! I did my best to avoid trailers and anything that would spoil or give away anything about it. This is one movie I really wanted to go in as blind as I could. I'm also going to keep this blog post pretty vague as the mystery is also a key part of the film. So hit the jump to find out if I thought this was worth the money to see it on the big screen, or if you should just wait for it at home.


Super 8 revolves around a group of friends in 1979 making a home movie together, but mainly it focuses on best friends Joe and Charles. The name "Super 8" comes from the type of camera and film they use for their movie. In making their movie, Charles enlists the help of Alice Dainard to be the female lead, thus adding one more to the gang. While filming, a horrible train crash happens right in front of them, and something then smashes it's way out of one of the train cars! Not long after, people, dogs, and other things around the town start going missing.

There are so many things that makes Super 8 great, where do I start? And can I even do them the justice they deserve? Basically this is a classic Amblin movie in every way. Great kids, great story, great everything. The added benefit of being made in this day and age is that now we also get amazing special effects and one hell of a creature!

Alice and Joe look on as they work on their film project. Joe really has the best shirts in all of Super 8!

The family dynamics between Joe and his father, and Alice and her father were great, and often touching. Both kids have had to deal with difficult childhoods, and the events of the movie certainly don't make it any easier on them. I also couldn't believe how good these kids were at acting! Not only them, but all the kids were totally believable as this small, tight knit group of friends who just want to make a movie. The script and dialog between them is just so good, it's hard to believe this is written, and not just a bunch of friends just talking and making fun of each other.

Then there's those moments that everyone remembers of having your first crush, and how awkward and great it was all at the same time. Super 8, just like E.T., is all about those small, subtle, quiet moments that you thought no one else in the world noticed but you. Those unique moments in our lives that everyone shares.

Joe is scuffed up and roughed up on an insane night you'll never forget

That's not to say it's all drama and no action, because that couldn't be further from the truth. The action in this movie is intense, over the top, unbelievable, fun and straight up awesome! The sets and effects are really great and have a huge scale to some of them. The CG work was also brilliant and I never once had a problem with it. I totally believed in the creature and everything that was happening to these kids.

I really don't think I've done this movie justice at all. It's all in the characters and their interactions with one another that make this movie special. The explosions and creature certainly help as well. I thought this was easy money spent seeing this and totally worth it. I urge everyone to go see it right away. Go out and see Super 8 as soon as you can and send a message to the movie studios that this is the quality movie we want more of in the theaters. I am a little troubled, as there were still quite a number of seats open in the theater we saw it in, but hopefully word of mouth can work it's magic for this film. If you have fond memories of E.T. and Goonies, see this movie! And if you ever wondered what it would be like to be crossed with Cloverfield, well now you know!