Overtly nostalgic movie about a bunch of kids stumbling on a secret weapon blunder while making a zombie flick. Yes, it is an obvious hommage to Spielberg, that much have been said.
The kids are remarkable, everyone of them. In fact, as soon as the movie moves away from them, it suffers, althought Kyle Chandler, reliable, does a good job with non-verbal acting. The one kid I liked most was the "directing" one, reacting with slight disgust at the thought that his own sister (she must have been ugly when younger) could actually be attractive to others, but all of them had their quirps that made them likeable in their own ways.
When compared with contemporary Stephen King's "It" adaptation, which is similar in many ways, it is less lurid and graphic, and adults are less of a threat, but the nostalgia factor is doubled. I especially liked the middle-class settings and realities, the small Ohio town. My favorite moment was when they actually showed the full movie the kids made ("The Case") during the end credits, which makes it the most agreable end credits I ever witnessed.
Alas, not all was perfect and the main CGI creature is somewhat of a wet petard, and some characters were less than convincing, like the stoner guy. It is however a movie with a heart. Or maybe it's me who's getting too old.
