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DVD Super 8
 Run time: 112 min Rating: 7.1 Genres: Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller Director: J.J. Abrams Writers: J.J. Abrams Stars: Elle Fanning, AJ Michalka, Kyle Chandler |
| Storyline In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined. Written by Official site |
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| Plot Keywords: group of friends, train crash, make up, disappearance, small town | |
| Details: Country: USA Release Date: 5 August 2011 (UK) |
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| Box Office Budget: $50,000,000 (estimated) Opening Weekend: $35,451,168 (USA) (10 June 2011) Gross: $126,975,169 (USA) (23 September 2011) |
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4 comments
Super 8, derivative and disappointing at its best, can be summarized using elements from the other sci-fi/thrillers that Spielberg either directed, produced, or exec-produced.
Some annoying kids find a map (Goonies) – including a fat kid who likes to eat (Goonies) – and they come up against the military which is trying to track down an alien on the loose (E.T.).
The creature has created issues for the townsfolk who express concern at a meeting with the sheriff (Jaws) and they eventually have to evacuate because of a made-up disaster (Close Encounters).
The alien, who is a really a spider (Arachnaphobia) that has been collecting items so that he can get home (E.T.), has the ability to make a psychic connection with humans (Close Encounters). One of the kids has a seemingly useless obsession that winds up helping to save the day in a climactic sequence (fireworks here and inventions in the Goonies) however the creature is much too smart to fall for such a trick (Jaws – "he's either very smart or very stupid"). An old guy, who is an expert on this creature (Jaws) winds up dying while the army shoots through the town and tanks roll (War of the Worlds).
Then the characters put the story together in one long expositional scene and we are not really sure how they figured it all out (Minority Report). It seems the monster is really a misunderstood good guy (Goonies) who makes a connection with our hero (ET, Close Encounters) and then flies home (E.T), but not before a lot of missing people are returned (Close Encounters) and lots of appliances fly around (Poltergeist).
The End.
As an homage to the Spielberg films of the 80's, this movie succeeds. As a piece of original entertainment? Nothing happening, folks. Now, if you're a kid and have never seen The Goonies, Jaws, ET, War of the Worlds, and Cloverfield, you may think this film is absolutely wonderful. And judged through the lens of cinema history, it may well be looked upon as a culmination of all that came before.
Let's just hope that the future is filled with something in rare supply: originality.
It's not that I wasn't entertained, it's just that I expected something more.
And I suppose that's another problem with getting older. There aren't as many surprises left in the world.
The film is about a town mystery looked through the eyes of children. From the early part of the movie, you feel like something powerful and dangerous is lurking around and is going to jump out on you at any moment. Ever-multiplying questions tease your brain and a suspense is building up at the back of your mind right up to the end of the story.
The acting was very convincing and drawing although the movie suffers from its mediocre ending. A few times I felt that the logic and the flow of the plot were a bit unrealistic and artificial. I wish that the story was focused more on the mystery and the children's reactions without all the insignificant distractions and one-dimensional minor characters.
After being disappointed by a series of recent movies, this one was refreshing and heart-fluttering. It flings us back to the adventure-seeking and truth-chasing time of our childhood. If you are into tantalizing sci-fi thrillers like this movie, I recommend 'Somewhere carnal over 40 winks' as your summer read.
I don't make movies or review them. I am simply someone who loves going to the movies and have seen more than I can count. I was waiting for Super 8 for about 6 months. I saw the early trailers, was involved in the viral campaigns. I was amped to go and experience another great JJ Abrams film.
Like many reviewers I started on a high then at about half way my opinion of the movie had gone down a lot.
I watch a lot of movies and like to think I know a good movie when I see one. For me it's simple. Was it interesting? Was it entertaining? Was it original? This is what makes a great movie to me. Super 8 was not a great movie.
The best way to describe Super 8 is take ET and put it in a blender with Cloverfield. But it just doesn't feel like it blended how it should have.
The are too main stories…little kids having adventures, growing up and falling in love. Other the other side a monster attacks the city cloverfield style. The kid parts are filmed in a very ET 80's cinemas style. The alien parts are modern with CGI and at times it honestly doesn't feel like you are watching the same film.
Don't even get me started on inconsistencies of this movie… like a man driving into a speeding train derailing it and SURVIVING? lol… seriously?
Super 8 feels very much like a fan made dedication to Spielberg but it just didn't quite work.
I will say the kids were excellent actors and I would have been more entertained just watching a movie about them with no alien. Elle Fanning out acted every one, even the adult cast. She proved to be an amazing young actress portraying a maturity far beyond her age. But with the other characters I had no real emotional attachment to them. I didn't feel sorry for the alien, was I supposed to?
Like I said I am simply a movie buff and to me this was not anything special. I'm surprised by all these 10/10 reviews, because this movie had nothing new that you haven't seen in 50 other films. I think it would have made 2 great separate films, where they could have taken their time to build the story. Combined though I would say wait for DVD.