Super 8 (2011)

It's refreshing to see a summer movie that isn't a sequel, prequel or remake. It's also very exciting to see J.J Abrams pay homage to director Steven Spielberg. He wanted to say thank you to Steven for directing and producing great films like E.T, Close Encounters, Indiana Jones and The Goonies. I think it's fair to say we are all grateful to Steven for those films.

As a kid J.J would use his Dad's super 8 camera (hence the title) to make films with his friends. No one knew at the time J.J would grow up to work in T.V and movies and make such great work like LOST, Star Trek, Mission Impossible 3, Cloverfield and now Super 8.

Super 8 stars a group of kids who are making a zombie film. They live in a small town called Lillian (named after J.J's Grandmother). They go to film a pivotal scene at a train station were they witness a massive train crash. The boys (and girl) soon realise that something has escaped from the wreckage and weird things that can't be explained start happening in the town.

The film is a joy to watch over the course of 112 minutes and has a sense of wonder that you just don't get in most films made today. In fact the only films that did nail that sense were those of Spielberg (and possibly Lucas) If you're going to pay homage to a director, it may as well be the master of film. The film has a emotional side that you saw in films like E.T and The Goonies but gives you enough action to keep the modern day audience entertained.

Of course we need to talk about J.J Abrams who has made another very strong film and is proving to be a master at his craft. J.J has admitted this is a semi autobiographical film (minus the alien invasion) about the time when he was growing up and the films he made over the summer holidays with his friends. The main star is a kid called Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) who has just lost his mother in a accident at the mill. His father (Kyle Chandler) is the deputy sheriff and is struggling to cope with the loss of his wife. It's interesting to see quite a few of J.J's films have a kid who has lost a parent in someway, whether it be Captain Kirk in Star Trek or half the cast in Lost.

The child actors in Super 8 are all amazing. They're a typical group of kids who range from cute, fat, clever, nervous and eccentric but are all fresh-faced and likable from start to finish. This is also where the story gets it's main heartbeat with the friendship of Joel  and the only girl of the group Alice (Elle Fanning). Both of them are trapped with Fathers who don't seem to understand them and their relationship is put at risk due to Alice's father being connected with the death of Joel's mother. Abrams has also explained that these kids are on the verge of becoming teenagers and is a coming of age story before an alien invasion movie. It's great to see that Abrams managed to keep both story lines going without heading off on one and leaving the other behind.

Super 8 is a great film that's possibly the best you'll see this summer.  Super 8 reminds me of the films I watched when I was a kid and the reason I fell in love with movies. If you love movies then you owe it to yourself to see it.