Super 8

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A bunch of pre-teens, who are making a super 8 film (because it's 1979, and digital doesn't exist yet), witness a mysterious train crash, and as they put together the pieces, start to realize that there is an alien force involved.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Riley Giffiths, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, Ryan Lee, Gabriel Basso, Zach Mills, Noah Emmerich, Richard T. Jones, Jessica Tuck, Joel McKinnon Miller, AJ Michalka, Brett Rice, Michael Hitchcock, David Gallagher

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Go! The story is hoaky as all hell, but the kids are adorable in a way that reminds you of Goonies and Stand by Me.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you stay for the Super 8 movie, which plays in its entirety about 45 seconds into the closing credits.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're going to, it'll be at both Elle Fanning's amazing acting, and the boys' reaction to it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most Steven Spielberg-like movie since the 80s.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The lead in this movie, Joel Courtney, has not a single credit to his name. He must've been very intimidated playing up against an old pro like Elle Fanning. Joel's co-star, Riley Griffiths, also breaks out as the amazingly talented fat-kid, so I'm assuming he'll grow up to look like Jerry O'Connell, and marry a gorgeous super-model.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It's impossible not to think that the filmmaking aspect of the story is a little autobiographical to J.J. Abrams. Furthermore, if you don't think that, somewhere in the back of your mind, these 11-year-olds' level of expertise quickly starts to seem completely improbable for their ages... Of course, I'm talking 1979 11-year-olds, not the ones we see today. (But in all fairness to Generation X, digital is way easier to master.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I've heard mashups of music, I've seen mashup shorts on the web, but this is the first time I've seen a feature film mashup. Along with being part Goonies, and part Stand by Me, it's also part War of the Worlds, part Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and there's even some elements that are strangely similar to Kung Fu Panda 2.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: You're probably wondering why they decided to place this film in 1979. So was I. But I concluded that it was in order to use super 8 film. Then I wondered why it was so important to them to use super 8, when this film could have easily been in modern times... And I have yet to come to a conclusion. Let me know if you have any theories!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Super 8 Trailer

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