During the summer of 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.During the summer of 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.During the summer of 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.
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Featured reviews
Best 2011 Movie
Steven Spielberg and J.J Abrams working on a project together. That idea alone is great however the finished project is a masterpiece. I was expecting a lot when I walked into the theater, when I walked out, not only were my expectations met but it was much better than i thought it would be. Let's start off with the actors, they all did a great job, but I was really impressed with Elle Fanning's acting, she added lots to the movie. I know it won't happen for this movie but I think she deserves an Oscar for her performance. Next, let's talk about the overall movie, it was great, it had, action, comedy, Mystery, romance, and suspense. The special effects were amazing, best this year. Now, the ending, i'm not going to say what happens, but many people hated it but I thought it was perfect, great way to end the film. Overall, suspense, action packed movie with great special effects and great acting from underrated stars makes the best movie of 2011, and one of the best movies ever. 10/10
Absolutely Charming
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.
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.
A nostalgic lens on loss and growing up
J. J. Abrams' Super 8 isn't just a sci-fi thriller-it's a bittersweet time capsule of childhood, loss, and the fleeting magic of innocence. Set in 1979, the film follows a group of kids making a zombie movie on their Super 8 camera, only to witness a catastrophic train crash that unleashes something far beyond their understanding. But beneath the lens flare and monster mystery lies something far more poignant: a story about broken families, grief, and the inevitable passage of time.
At its heart is Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney), a boy still reeling from the loss of his mother, and his complicated relationship with his emotionally distant father. The film beautifully captures that aching, unspoken void between them, where words fail but silence speaks volumes. Elle Fanning delivers a breathtaking performance as Alice, a girl with her own painful burdens, and their shared moments feel raw and real-two young souls quietly searching for connection in a world that feels too big and too cruel.
While the sci-fi spectacle unfolds in thrilling ways, it never overshadows the movie's core theme: growing up means learning how to say goodbye. Whether it's to a parent, to childhood dreams, or to the belief that life will always be simple, Super 8 reminds us that some things-like an old film reel-can only be cherished as memories.
Super 8 is more than just a Spielbergian homage-it's a deeply human story wrapped in a monster movie. The alien may be terrifying, but the real fear lies in the things we can't control: loss, change, and the painful beauty of growing up.
At its heart is Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney), a boy still reeling from the loss of his mother, and his complicated relationship with his emotionally distant father. The film beautifully captures that aching, unspoken void between them, where words fail but silence speaks volumes. Elle Fanning delivers a breathtaking performance as Alice, a girl with her own painful burdens, and their shared moments feel raw and real-two young souls quietly searching for connection in a world that feels too big and too cruel.
While the sci-fi spectacle unfolds in thrilling ways, it never overshadows the movie's core theme: growing up means learning how to say goodbye. Whether it's to a parent, to childhood dreams, or to the belief that life will always be simple, Super 8 reminds us that some things-like an old film reel-can only be cherished as memories.
Super 8 is more than just a Spielbergian homage-it's a deeply human story wrapped in a monster movie. The alien may be terrifying, but the real fear lies in the things we can't control: loss, change, and the painful beauty of growing up.
first 80 minutes : great!!! last 30 minutes : horrible!!!
I have never seen a movie which could be divided to two parts of "absolutely amazing" and "boring and childish". The first 80 minutes is awesome, I was shocked by how good this movie was as I had seen some bad reviews on IMDb but then the cheesy part kicked in and ruined the whole thing.
First thing that comes in to everybody's mind when they see the first scenes is that this movie is so similar to et! The style is the same, the theme is the same, it even happens in the same era with the same kind of neighborhood which is kinda cool and nostalgic for my generation. Super 8 seems like a fan-made dedication to Spielberg but it just didn't work quite well.
From the actor's performance perspective; Elle Fanning's performance was breath-taking, and she saved some scenes. She's got potential to be a big star in the future. Kyle Chandler on the other hand was just plain and simple awful. He made the whole thing look kinda funny and stupid.
From special effects and sounding perspective, I'd say it was stunning. One of the best I have seen in the genre in years as you would expect when you see Spielberg's name on the screen. There's this big scene at the first half an hour into the movie where you just get nailed to your sit due to the load sound which should have been annoying but it was not. It was awesome. You don't see this in Germany often but after this specific scene, the audience gave Abram an standing ovation!!! It was awesome. Of course at the end, everyone was angry because he ruined the whole thing with a very cheesy "et-like" ending but all in all it was worth the money, better than most of the movies in the last 6 months, I would say.
I'm giving it 6/10 because first of all, I expected so much more from the creator of Lost and second of all, the last 30 minutes is really bad and the ending is just pure garbage. They used some cgi stuff which was very impressive but didn't quite go with the theme of the movie and was really inconsistent. All in all, it doesn't deserve the crap that it's getting in the reviews but it quite doesn't deserve the praises either. It's only OK
First thing that comes in to everybody's mind when they see the first scenes is that this movie is so similar to et! The style is the same, the theme is the same, it even happens in the same era with the same kind of neighborhood which is kinda cool and nostalgic for my generation. Super 8 seems like a fan-made dedication to Spielberg but it just didn't work quite well.
From the actor's performance perspective; Elle Fanning's performance was breath-taking, and she saved some scenes. She's got potential to be a big star in the future. Kyle Chandler on the other hand was just plain and simple awful. He made the whole thing look kinda funny and stupid.
From special effects and sounding perspective, I'd say it was stunning. One of the best I have seen in the genre in years as you would expect when you see Spielberg's name on the screen. There's this big scene at the first half an hour into the movie where you just get nailed to your sit due to the load sound which should have been annoying but it was not. It was awesome. You don't see this in Germany often but after this specific scene, the audience gave Abram an standing ovation!!! It was awesome. Of course at the end, everyone was angry because he ruined the whole thing with a very cheesy "et-like" ending but all in all it was worth the money, better than most of the movies in the last 6 months, I would say.
I'm giving it 6/10 because first of all, I expected so much more from the creator of Lost and second of all, the last 30 minutes is really bad and the ending is just pure garbage. They used some cgi stuff which was very impressive but didn't quite go with the theme of the movie and was really inconsistent. All in all, it doesn't deserve the crap that it's getting in the reviews but it quite doesn't deserve the praises either. It's only OK
Been there, done that
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.
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.
Did you know
- TriviaAs teenagers, J.J. Abrams and his friend Matt Reeves (director of Cloverfield (2008) were hired by Steven Spielberg to restore some of his Super 8 home movies.
- GoofsAfter the train wreck, Alice's car is dirty, covered in ash and debris When the kids get in the car to leave the train station, the car is clean.
- Crazy creditsCharles Kaznyk's completed zombie movie is shown during the closing credits.
- Alternate versionsIn the original theatrical version some shot of Jen Kaznyk walk to Donny in the evacuation center are cut from the DVD version
- SoundtracksDon't Bring Me Down
Written by Jeff Lynne
Performed by Electric Light Orchestra
Courtesy of Epic Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Publishing
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $50,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $127,004,179
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $35,451,168
- Jun 12, 2011
- Gross worldwide
- $260,095,986
- Runtime
- 1h 52m(112 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
- 2.39 : 1
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