The summer movie season has come to be defined as a time when the big blockbuster films are released. The kind of movies that demand to be viewed with a soda and a large bucket of buttered popcorn. Movies that have big budgets, are full to bursting with special effects, and occasionally have a story worth the telling. In a summer filled with superheros, swashbucklers, sex and sequels, it is refreshing to see a movie that celebrates the magic of summer itself–that unbelievable gift of time we were given as children in which to roam and adventure and dream.
Among other things J.J. Abrams’ latest film, Super 8, is an homage to the glory days of summer during that time of life where boys and girls have one foot firmly planted in the innocence of childhood and are just beginning to step with the other over into the world of adolescence. Super 8 takes place in 1979 and follows a group of friends who are spending their summer filming a zombie movie in the super 8 format in the hopes of having it picked for an upcoming film festival. On a surreptitious night shoot at a train depot the youth find themselves the benefactors of a real train passing, something they hope will lend realism to the scene. When an accident occurs that causes a colossal train wreck, the night’s shoot is ruined and something unexpected is released into the small Ohio town that will change the lives of its residents forever.
I went to see Super 8 on opening weekend (yes, this review is late!) with very specific expectations. The film’s trailer coupled with the fact that Steven Spielberg was signed on as a producer sparked hope that this would be the kind of film that made me feel like E.T. did when I was a kid. It turns out that J.J. Abrams had those kinds of expectations as well and the result is a finely crafted film exploring friendship, family, and first love. As I sat watching the film I couldn’t help but feel a rush of comparisons to other movies that I enjoyed–the aforementioned E.T. and The Sandlot were movies that readily came to mind for their young ensemble casts. It turns out that everyone who has seen this film has had similar reactions, the most common being a comparison to Stephen King’s film Stand By Me. An apt comparison indeed.
One of the things I suspected as I watched the film was that on some level Super 8 was also a specific nod to the childhood that Abrams, Spielberg and other prominent film makers had, shooting cheap and silly monster films with friends to feed the dream of making movies. In a recent interview on NPR’s Fresh Air, Abrams confirmed as much. If you have seen the film then listening to this interview is a half hour well spent.
Super 8 has been getting some rave reviews and some criticism, which is to be expected of any summer film but most especially one with science fictional elements. In my opinion Super 8 is a sweet coming of age film focused on one young man in particular who, in this summer of burgeoning adolescence, is trying to come to terms with the death of a parent, the distance he feels from the other, and the sparks of first love. As such it has moments that are orchestrated to tug at the heart strings and it is these moments in particular that some have sneered at. Add to that the element of the science fiction community that feels honor bound to decry any moments in a film in which the “science” is bad or where there must be a suspension of disbelief and it is not surprising that you will get a wide spectrum of opinion. I have to admit that I am the kind of hopeless romantic “just looking for a good story” that probably makes hard core science fiction fans cringe. Is the film perfect? No, but it is as close as I needed it to be in order to leave the theater with an enormous smile on my face and the desire to see the film again. If I have any criticism about the film at all it is that at one moment late in the movie Abrams seems to be taken over by the spirit of Michael Bay and crafts a somewhat unnecessarily overblown battle sequence that reminds you that you are indeed watching a summer popcorn flick.
The film was cast to perfection. Unknown or little known actors and actresses fill the major roles and do so with the kind of convincing performances that lead me to believe that they must have had a lot of fun on set. Joel Courtney fills the role of the main protagonist, Joe Lamb, with a subtle authenticity that has you rooting for him throughout the film. And there could not have been a better choice to play Alice, the ‘girl next door’ that all the boys fall in love with, than Elle Fanning. It didn’t take a great leap of imagination to drift back to my own childhood days and know that she is just the kind of girl I would have been head-over-heels for. The adult actors strike just the right notes with the child actors and this ensemble cast is a delight to watch.
Of all the movie choices that you will have this summer, I contend that Super 8 is a stand-out film that you should see. If, and this might be a big if, you fit the profile of the person who this movie was made for. Although the movie features a cast of child actors, I don’t believe this is a movie made for kids…at least not for all kids. There are some very scary moments that would probably frighten younger children. In addition the entire 70’s look and feel of the movie adds a huge nostalgia factor for people like me, who were of a similar age in 1979, but I doubt will mean anything at all to today’s youth. A soundtrack of the caliber of a Cameron Crowe film adds to the appeal for the adults in the audience. Super 8 is a celebration of the heady days of boyhood, when putting together models and hanging out with friends and shooting off fireworks meant you were living the good life. It is an homage to the kind of kids who raided their mothers’ kitchens for ingredients for fake blood and made cheesy monster films and then grew up to be people like Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams. And at its heart it is a story about coming to terms with loss–loss through death and also the loss that comes along with growing up and leaving a portion of your childhood behind.
Thanks J.J., for giving me a two-hour glimpse back to my own boyhood. It is much appreciated.
Wonderful review. I really loved Super 8. It felt like an old 70s movie and I loved the cast.
Melissa: It was great, wasn’t it? I am so tempted to go see it again before it leaves the big screen. The train wreck scene alone makes it worth seeing on that scale again, but my real excuse would be that it made me feel the way I want to feel when I go see a movie and not all movies deliver in that way for me anymore.
I saw it last night and thought – I must tell Carl to go see this. I knew this would be right up your street. Glad you enjoyed it too. I thought it was great. Did you stay through the credits to see the “other” movie?
Yes I did, and thanks for mentioning that Stuart. I need to edit my review to include that piece of advice. I loved that, it was such a great idea. I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it as well.
I’ve been wavering on this one but your review has me thinking harder about seeing it. I almost always wait until the DVD is available. Is this really a must-see-on-big-screen? Otherwise I’ll put it at the top of my Netflix queue (saved for release) and see it when it comes out, likely next Spring or maybe even for the Christmas Holidays.
RkR: It isn’t ‘must see’ necessarily, although the train wreck scene is pretty cool and I was glad I saw that on the big screen. If you are wanting the theater experience and want to be sure to see an entertaining film, then ‘yes’. Otherwise it will translate just fine to the small(er) screen.
I enjoyed Super 8 a lot. It reminded me of Stand By Me for some reason. Some of my friends and I tried making Super 8 movies back in the early 70s, but we were bad at it. Creating sets and costumes was so much work.
Jim: That is fun to know about you. I didn’t really hang around with anyone who wanted to make movies or do that sort of thing, but we did write a lot of poorly illustrated SF stories (largely featuring Star Wars characters). Glad you enjoyed the film. I was kind of surprised I didn’t get the Stand By Me vibe while watching it. I couldn’t get Sandlot out of my head though. Stand By Me is a better comparison because it has a more serious tone like this film.
Super 8 was a very nostalgic film for me. I loved it’s realism more than it’s science fiction. My movie making period was very short lived. My group of friends weren’t disciplined enough to stick with anything – probably because we were all getting high all the time. I think if we had had modern video cameras and computers back then it we might would have tried harder at making films. Film is very hard to work with.
Jim: I don’t have near that excuse for my own undisciplined nature, either when I was a kid or now! 🙂 It is interesting how today’s tech advances give more people the opportunity to do amazing things. I’ve seen so many cool short things on Youtube and I marvel at people’s creativity.
Yeah, young people just don’t know how good they’ve got it. When I was a kid we had to walk miles to school, up hill both ways.
I think there are more opportunity now for kids to learn and be creative, but less personal freedom.
It was a lot of work and money to publish a fanzine back in the early 70s, but the same thing can be done better today with a blog site and no money. Digital photography is so much more creative and easier than using a darkroom. Editing video is way easier and more creative than splicing film with bits of tape. Something like Garage Band would have blown all the hippie minds back in the 1960s. And do you have any idea how hard it was to find pictures of naked women when you were a kid in the 1950s?
Ha, too true Jim. It wasn’t any easier in the 70’s living in a place that didn’t have cable! I too believe there are less personal freedoms now, at least when I compare my own childhood to the way I was as a parent. I certainly did a lot of wandering in the woods, swimming in rivers, climbing trees, etc. that I would have been terrified to let me own child do unobserved.
Whether living in the country or in the city, we ran far and wide undersupervised. Our parents rule was “don’t get hurt.” I lived in kidworld and ignore adultworld completely. A great book about growing up in the 1950s is The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson.
We had to check in every once in awhile, but other than that we just roamed around and enjoyed ourselves.
I actually have that book and need to get to reading it. I’ve read and enjoyed two of Bryson’s book, so I cannot imagine I wouldn’t enjoy this as well.
nice. i wasn’t the least tempted by the trailers to see this film, the early-Spielberg years references I’ve been hearing has provided greater interest, but this review has me giving it a second look.
You should check out the interview with him as well. It stays just on this side of spoilers for the most part and it might help you decide one way or the other. I would be very interested in your analysis of the film, so I hope you check it out on DVD or Netflix in the future if you don’t end up making it out to the theater.
I usually don’t much care for “the theater experience” because there are so many inconsiderate people talking, tapping their little keyboards, yapping on the phone, etc. Plus I don’t care for the smell of buttered popcorn (long story) and the movie stuff is the worst. I’ll take peanut M&Ms and/or red vines, thanks. So this will be a Netflix movie.
I had some peanut M&M’s at Fellowship the other day, so I’m right with you there. I don’t go to movies on Friday or Saturday nights and so by and large I find the theater crowd to be pretty pleasant. This wasn’t the case when I went on weekends. Never fun going to movies with surrounded by teenagers (no offense to those teenagers who act appropriately at the movies). I can’t justify the expense nearly as much as I used to, but I still enjoy going. Someday I’ll be getting a super large TV and then we’ll see if the theater has the same draw.
My wife and I enjoyed getting away to the theater to catch Super 8 last night. Park me in the camp that felt a Stand By Me vibe watching it and in a good way. We for one thought Super 8 was too scary for our kids but it was just right for us adults. Lots of suspense.
I for one thought all the kids were perfectly cast. We also enjoyed the fact that most of the adult roles went to character actors with one exception and the deputy while a known actor is not an A lister by any means. It was nice to have a film where the story was the focus of the movie and not big name stars.
I enjoyed the soundtrack as well and LOVED the film within the credits.
When the summer started there weren’t a lot of movies I was excited about. I could tell from the previews that this summer’s crop of superheros movies looked shaky at best and the trailer for Pirates 4 just looked underwhelming. There were a few movies though that I put down on the must see list and now I have caught the first one and it didn’t disappoint. I hope the other two flicks ( Harry Potter Part 8 and Cowboys & Aliens ) I plan to see live up to Super 8.
Great review Carl. Needed a few photos though. 🙂
Jeff: I am so glad that you guys got to go see this and that you enjoyed it. I too hope that Cowboys & Aliens is just as fun as this one was.
I agree with your thoughts on it not being a movie about some celebrity and instead was a film with people who just filled the role so that I could concentrate on the story being told.
I’ll try better with the photos in future. 🙂
I’m looking forward to Cowboys & Aliens, but I don’t have much hope that it will be any good. Westerns are my favorite film genre, and they come out so infrequently now that I have to have some hope.
I was amused by all the poor people who had rushed out when the film was over and missed that little movie in the credits. I always wait to leave until after the credits are finished. You never know when they are going to throw in something fun. A horde of people got stuck on the stairs because some people stopped to watch the little film.
Jim: Yes, I don’t quite understand the desire people have to run like the wind as soon as a movie is over. Control the fluid intake and relax!!! 🙂 Did you notice the note about all the dogs in the film being from a shelter and that all were adopted by the time the film was released? I’ve never seen anything like that before.
I’m hoping the presence of Daniel Craig bodes well for C&A, but we’ll see.
Ok, you’ve sold me! I think we have to go see this this summer. It’s been awhile since I went to a summer blockbuster.
Daphne: Please let me know what you think if you do. And hang in there. 🙂
This was one of the best movies that I have seen in a very long time. I loved that at the end of the movie they posted about the shelter dog all being adopted. I loved the little movie at the end.
Nulaanne: I couldn’t agree more. And it was very sweet about the dogs.
It was a really great film. I keep meaning to post my own thoughts about it too.
Please do John, that would be great!
I saw this last weekend and I really liked it. It made me think of films I loved as a kid like Close Encounters and E.T. and then it had a little Stand By Me vibe to it too. Overall, a great summer film, in my opinion!
Makes me happy to hear that you enjoyed it Michelle. I’m digging that others are having the same vibe I had with it.
Still dying to see this…with some popcorn and raisinettes…lol Love your review 😀
Kelly: That sounds so good. I used to buy popcorn and raisinettes all the time at the movies. Haven’t done that in ages. You need to treat yourself to this one.
Julie is a super picky sci-fi fan. Very few movies does she truly enjoy.
She liked this one quite a bit and we both enjoyed the mini film at the end.
Rob and I did a lot of cassette tape star wars recordings growing up. This kind of reminded me of that.
James: I actually said something similar to Jeff about Julie liking it which I think helped tipped it over the edge for him and Keri to go see it. They enjoyed it as well.
I bet those Star Wars recordings were hilarious! Don’t you wish you still had those? Or do you and you just aren’t sharing?
there was also a small flavor of Goonies in there especially the kid with the firecrackers! he reminded me of Jonathan Ke Quan !
A most Excellent movie! have to admit there was a tear there when he let go of the necklas!!
I think little Ellie maybe going to beat her sister Dakota!
p.s about half way thru i realized that I should have kept count on how many times I nearly jumped out of my skin!!!! lol
Deslily: Yay! I’m so glad you went. And yes, there is a bit of Goonies in there as well. The kid with the firecrackers is also what reminded me of Sandlot. Something about the way the kid looked and acted.
I choked up a few times during the movie, I have to admit. I’m such an ol’ softie when it comes to having my emotions toyed with in films and television shows.
My wife jumped out of her skin a few times too!
Hi Carl. I was on the fence about this film, but once again you’ve convinced me to go see it. You have a way of talking me into movies and books. Thanks for a lovely review.
TBM: I’m just doing to you what others do to me, so don’t feel bad! I’m probably going to see Super 8 again today for Father’s Day!
We loved Super 8. It has been on my must-see-in-a-theatre movie list since I saw the first trailer. I went with friends and some teens and we all agreed it was very entertaining movie. I was a teen in the 1970’s and I think the period setting was well done. Loved the several jump scenes.
My wife jumped a few times on Sunday even though we had already seen in the week before. That cracked me up. I’m glad you all enjoyed it, Ian. I too knew it had to be a theater viewing when I saw the first trailer. After seeing it a second time I’m thinking that I would really like to get the soundtrack.
As promised here is my thoughts on Super 8.
http://chimeradave.blogspot.com/2011/06/super-8-is-sort-of-throwback-to-those.html
Thanks for posting your link John. I’m glad you enjoyed Super 8. And sorry for my blathering contrary opinion over there. 🙂
It’s all good, I understand what you meant. I’m 30 years old but I’ve always been more interested in the pop culture of the 60s and 70s, so I’m probably a poor judge as to what the average person might be interested in.
You youngin! Heck, you’re still a kid!!! 🙂
I suspect I am a much poorer judge as to what the average person might like, LOL!
When I was first reading this post; 2nd paragraph specifically, I thought.. this sounds/feels a bit like The Sandlot. Then, I read your third paragrpah and there it was, you comparing super 8 a bit to The Sandlot. Very cool.
The movie poster itself very much gives me an E.T. feeling. I wonder if that is what they were going for.
I will most likely watch this movie once it is out on DVD or Netflix streaming.
Ibeeeg: I have no doubt, especially with Spielberg being a part of this, that they were going for an E.T. vibe in the hopes of drawing in those kids who grew up with it, who are now adults, to come and bring their own kids (although I don’t consider this a “kids” movie unless the kids are older).
Yes, you need to check this out on DVD when it comes out.