BLU-RAY
REVIEW: SUPER 8
11/20/11
OVERVIEW: Called “a mind-blowing masterpiece” (FOX-TV), writer/director J.J. Abrams’ (Star Trek) breathtaking adventure SUPER 8 debuts in a Blu-ray™/DVD Combo Pack with Digital Copy November 22, 2011 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Produced by Amblin, Bad Robot and Academy Awardâ winner* Steven Spielberg, the exhilarating story follows a group of friends in a small Ohio town who witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie. When they realize that it was no accident, they set out to find the
truth—something more shocking than any of them could have imagined. Combining action, humor and heart, the film features outstanding performances from a fresh young cast including Elle Fanning (Somewhere), Gabriel Basso (“The Big C”),
Zach Mills (Kit Kittredge: An American Girl) and newcomers Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths and Ryan Lee, along with veteran actors Kyle Chandler (“Friday Night Lights”) and Ron Eldard (“Blind Justice”).
SYNOPSIS: J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg join forces in this extraordinary tale of youth, mystery and adventure. Super 8 tells the story of six friends who witness a train wreck while making a super 8 movie, only to discover that something unimaginable escaped during the crash. They soon discover that the only thing more mysterious than what it is, is what it wants. Experience the film that critics rave is "filled with unstoppable imagination and visual effects to spare. It will put a spell on you." – Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
FILM REVIEW:
The when was the summer of 1979. The where was Lillian, Ohio. The who was a group of close friends and a girl. The why was because they wanted to make a movie, go figure. The how was in the middle of making said movie. The what was indescribable. This is an extraordinary, edge of your seat film. It is suspenseful, adventurous, thrilling, mysterious, startling, and dramatic. At the same time it is endearing, touching, and real. From the moment I first heard about this movie and that
J.J. Abrams and Steven Speilberg were both involved in some capacity, I had little doubt on the quality of it. I was proven right. It is an excellent production through and through.
J.J. Abrams wrote and directed this beast of a movie so it has his masterful style of mystery and suspense down to the bone, and yet there is a very human touch to it that is reminiscent of Mr.
Speilberg. What a combination! Okay, okay, I’ll get right down to it . . . this is an
E.T. meets Cloverfield meets Close Encounters of the Third Kind; awesome. Everything about it seems genuine, starting with the late 70s look and feel. The music, the cars, the homes, the wardrobe, the props, even the hairdos transport you back to this time. Then there are the kids and their relationship, typical of any suburban American town at the time. They are the ones that really make this movie special, similar to
E.T. Among this pack is Elle Fanning, Dakota’s younger sister, who plays Alice and she can steal any kid’s heart. The star of the show, however, is Joel Courtney who gives a top notch performance as Joe Lamb, similar to what Henry Thomas did for
E.T. Sorry, it’s hard not to compare. Riley Griffiths plays Charles, Joe’s best friend and director of the “movie”. He was impressive as well. All in all the kids were very genuine with their performances and they out shined the adult cast. The fact that the story is so good makes it easier for the performers though. The fact that the time setting for this movie is the 70s makes the story better by making it seem a little less science fiction and a little more down to earth. The fact that the special effects were well done makes it more real too. The fact that the cinematography keeps you wrapped up in the movie makes this a wonderful cinematic experience. The fact that Steven Speilberg is the producer confirms that fact. The fact that this is a
J.J. Abrams product also confirms it. The fact that the audience gave a thunderous applause at the end of the movie at the screening I attended must mean that there is a good chance you are going to like it. The fact is that this is a great movie.
Film
Review
By Cine Marcos
cinemarcos@smartcine.com
BLU-RAY:
The film is
presented in 1080P widescreen in a 2.40:1 aspect ration
preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just
flawless. Not only the picture looks great in
this release, also the sound it is good, a English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Brazilian Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital
that provides a
good complement to the picture. It also includes
English, Spanish, French
and Portuguese subtitles.
VIDEO:
2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen 1080P Enhance for 16x9 TVs
AUDIO:
English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Brazilian Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description
Subtitles -
English SDH, French, Spanish
and Brazilian Portuguese
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Commentary by writer/director J.J. Abrams, producer Bryan Burk and cinematographer Larry Fong
Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes
· The Dream Behind Super 8
· The Search for New Faces
· Meet Joel Courtney
· Rediscovering Steel Town
· The Visitor Lives
· Scoring Super 8
· Do You Believe in Magic?
· The 8mm Revolution
Deconstructing the Train Crash
Deleted Scenes
DVD
Digital Copy
Submit Your Movie Review
MORE MOVIE REVIEWS
>>>
