Super 8

J.J. Abrams, Master of the Marketing Campaign, Lord of the Lens Flare, is one of the few people who's name has been etched in stone on my ultimate dinner guest list. Steven Spielberg's name is another. If only I had a good set of china...
Abrams (Lost, Star Trek) has both written and directed Super 8 with Spielberg (do I really need to put something in here?) wearing the Executive Producers hat. Add to that a score by Academy Award winner and Lost composer Michael Giacchino, and the rest of the dudes from Bad Robot, and you've got yourself the makings of a very fine film.
Young director Charles (Riley Griffiths) is making a film for a competition, a zombie film - a tribute to George A. Romero who's Night of the Living Dead has just been released. It's 1979.
Sound and make-up effects dude Joe (Joel Courtney) lost his mum in an accident at the local factory some months ago. His dad and Deputy Sheriff, Jackson (Kyle Chandler - The Day the Earth Stood Still) is still getting over her death and hasn't yet been able to open up to Joe.
In Charles' film, zombie #1, #2, and #3 are all played by Cary (Ryan Lee - My Generation) who likes to blow stuff up - just wait till he starts watching Michael Bay films... Leading man is Martin, a.k.a Smartin (Gabriel Basso - The Big C). Regular extra is Preston (Zach Mills - Changeling). 
The boys need a leading lady and Charles asks stunner Alice (Elle Fanning - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). She agrees and drives the boys out to the train station for some late night shooting.
Charles, high on 'production value' wants a train passing the station in his shot. Moments later, that train is run off its tracks by a dude in a ute. In a sequence that would make Michael Bay envious, the train derails in a whole bunch of big and loud explosions. Something escapes after a heavy metal door is flung off one of the carriages and lands in the same was as the hatch door did when Locke blew it up... I miss Lost.
Dogs, car engines, and home appliances go missing along with a whole bunch of people so naturally, the Russians are blamed. Strange things start happening as the Air Force roll into town and squeeze the police out of their job. If there's one thing we learnt from E.T., it's that the military can't be trusted.
The kids think they may have caught the thing on film but, this is 1979, and they're gonna hafta wait THREE DAYS to get the film developed. 
And that is where I stop. No spoilers here!
This was a great film but J.J., lay off the frikken lens flares OK? They get a tad distracting after a while. There needs to be an encyclopedia that catalogues all the different types of lens flares that guy uses. Yeesh.
Apart from that, and the odd second-act-lull, I really enjoyed this. The kids were amazing. For most of them this is their first time on film, bravo! The script was well written, there were heaps of laughs, especially from the kids. I loved the Easter Eggs scattered throughout the film - Slusho, Locke, something else I can't remember right now...
There was a strong E.T. vibe throughout the whole film, not just because Spielberg was involved but, you'll find out why when you see it...
The 'thing' itself was well done though I couldn't help but think maybe the 'less is more' road may have been better taken here. It worked pretty well in Cloverfield, and I like a little mystery.
The sound track was great, not just Giacchino's score but some great hits from the 70s including Electric Light Orchestra and The Knack - it brought back some great memories.
Don't leave straight away, the kids short film is shown in the credits.
Super8news has followed the whole viral marketing campaign since day one. Go check it out.
If I didn't have to study I'd totally be watching E.T. and The Goonies tonight : )
Things I learnt: silent reading is for silent reading; Walkmans were, nay, are way cool; drugs are SO BAD.
Good stuff.
Eight out of ten.