Super 8 (2011)

During the summer of 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.

Director:

J.J. Abrams

Writer:

J.J. Abrams

Stars:

Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler, AJ Michalka

8 wins & 37 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joel Courtney	...	Joe Lamb
Jessica Tuck	...	Mrs. Kaznyk
Joel McKinnon Miller	...	Mr. Kaznyk
Ryan Lee	...	Cary
Zach Mills	...	Preston
Riley Griffiths	...	Charles Kaznyk
Gabriel Basso	...	Martin
Kyle Chandler	...	Deputy Jackson Lamb
Ron Eldard	...	Louis Dainard
AJ Michalka	...	Jen Kaznyk
Andrew Miller	...	Kaznyk Twin
Jakob Miller	...	Kaznyk Twin
Jade Griffiths	...	Benji Kaznyk
Britt Flatmo	...	Peg Kaznyk
Elle Fanning	...	Alice Dainard

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.

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Plot Keywords:

train crash | group of friends | small town | ohio | disappearance | 

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Taglines:

It arrives.

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Genres:

Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language and some drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France] Official site [South Korea]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 June 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Super 8: The IMAX Experience

Filming Locations:

Agua Dulce, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$35,451,168 (USA) (10 June 2011)

Gross:

$126,975,169 (USA) (23 September 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Bad Robot

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dakota Fanning:  During the town hall meeting, for a brief second you can spot Elle Fanning's big sister among the assistants.

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Goofs

When the bus overturns, the window is obviously breakaway candied glass, which breaks into large pieces and easily falls out of the frame (at around 1h 23 mins). Real vehicles use tempered safety glass, which shatters into tiny pea sized pieces but retains its general form. Although tempered glass was patented in 1900, it did not become federal mandate until 1977. Vehicles manufactured before that time may have in fact not had the same safety features known today. In addition, the relative cost of tempered glass instead of candied glass is prohibitive when shooting multiple takes of a movie. Even with its $50M budget, one has to assume that some lifelike replicas had to be made, rather than destroying actual vehicles and houses.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mrs. Kaznyk: I'm so worried for that boy.
Mr. Kaznyk: Joe's gonna be okay.
Mrs. Kaznyk: She was everything to him.
Mr. Kaznyk: Jack's gonna step up. He's a good man.
Mrs. Kaznyk: But he's never had to be a father before. I don't think he understands Joe.

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Crazy Credits

After the end credits finish rolling and the Knack's My Sharona simultaneously finishes playing, a small piece of Michael Giacchino's score begins to play over a black screen and then end over the Paramount logo.

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Connections

References Armageddon (1998)

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Soundtracks

"Don't Bring Me Down"
Written by Jeff Lynne
by Electric Light Orchestra
Courtesy of Epic Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Publishing

User Reviews

ET meets Goonies meets The Sandlot

I was fortunate enough to see a screening this morning in DC. I had pretty high hopes for it from what I saw from the trailers. I don't lean one way or the other when it comes to Abrams, some of his stuff I like, some of it I don't. Super 8 is one that I loved.

In the current era of CGI laden, soul-dead adventure flicks, Super 8 distinguishes itself by having heart. There is an authenticity to those kids in the film, a familiarity in their conversations. It reminded me of when I was a kid. It was like ET meets Goonies meets The Sandlot. And the film that they are trying to make within the film, and their obsession with "production values" draws a lot of laughs.

The friendship between the kids in the film really resonates, and the emotional elements of the film totally deliver. One of the most poignant scenes in the film has nothing to do with whats in the train car, or the air force, and anything like that....rather, its a scene that takes place in Joe's bedroom as he sits on the floor talking to Alice.

Now, as much as I loved the film, it is not without some flaws, mostly in continuity. Also, I would have liked a little more exposition for some of the characters, I would love to know more about Alice's father. That being said, I am forgiving on those things because the movie hits its mark everywhere else.

Surely it will draw its comparisons to ET, and the other early Spielberg works, but those comparisons will always be unfair. Those films came at a different time. And the people who see Super 8 today, have changed since they first saw ET, or any of those other films. I am just glad the generation of younger people will have this as a generational film for them, as I had with those other great adventure films.

All in all, Super 8 was a terrific film experience, that will leave you with a smile on your face.