What Do The Critics Say?

"Did you spend the late ‘70s/early ‘80s skipping school to watch the latest Steven Spielberg spectacle? Then Super 8 will have you weeping tears of cinematic gratitude. Directed by Star Trek rejuvenator J.J. Abrams and produced by some fella called Spielberg, Super 8 puts the fun back into sci-fi with a fusion of old-school style and blockbuster pizzazz. Super 8 is an unapologetic joy from beginning to end that will thrill and engage kids, both old and new. 5 STARS." David Michael Brown EMPIRE MAGAZINE AUSTRALIASIA "Abrams' sweetest kicker is making Joe the make-up artist, not the director. It's a classy, inside-the-industry tribute to "below the line" crafts folk who make so much of the movies' magic happen. There's much to like in this story of a group of young movie-makers who stumble upon an event right out of, well, the movies. For the second time in a year, Fanning proves to be the brightest quasar in a movie." Lisa Kennedy DENVER POST "What makes Super 8 distinct from similar fare is Abrams’ ability to convey the childhood vagaries of hope and disappointment. Abrams excels in attention-grabbing, mind-boggling entertainment, providing a story here filled with drama, suspense, polished special effects and third-act heroics. The excellent train wreck sequence shows how special effects should be used. Fun, fast homage." Boo Allen DENTON RECORD CHRONICLE "More than anything, "Super 8" is a straightforward love letter to those carefree days when anything felt possible as long as you had your friends, a movie camera and some semblance of a plan. While laden with nostalgia, especially with the meticulous period detail in every scene, “Super 8” is just as much for the preteen crowd as wistful adults. 'Super 8’ is familiar, formulaic and tons of fun." Alison Gang SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE "If you're wondering what's missing from so many big-budget, effects-driven Hollywood movies, the answer lies in J.J. Abrams "Super 8": heart and passion. What's happening onscreen really matters to the young people in the story-so it matters to us too. It isn’t coincidental that the story takes place in 1979, before the age of Twitter and texting. That’s also the period in which Steven Spielberg captured the imagination of moviegoers around the world." Leonard Maltin LEONARD MALTIN'S PICKS

"No one understands the language of film better than these guys and their evident pleasure in the economical story-telling through visuals adds to the dazzle. Producer Steven Spielberg and writer-director J.J. Abrams may be chronological grown-up, but as this movie makes clear, they could have just as much fun with a super-8 camera and a box of M-80's. We get all of the popcorn pleasures of the stunts and special effects but we get the deeper pleasures of a great story, masterfully told." Nell Minnow BELIEFNET "Harks back to the kind of film Spielberg was producing in the late '70s and early '80s. Super 8 is comparable with the best of these films. All the kids are good. There was lots of humour too to be derived from the fact that it's set in 1979." David Stratton ABC AT THE MOVIES "With Super 8, Steven Spielberg must be blushing like a reticent schoolgirl who just got asked to the formal. For years and years I have been waiting patiently for a film worthy enough to sit on the shelf next to the movies that made a lasting impression on me during my youth: the same motion pictures that turned me into a lover of cinema in the first place; and none have even come close. Well, "Super 8" is probably as close as it’s going to get. A nostalgic Spielbergian trip." Adam Tobias WATERTOWN DAILY NEWS "I thought this was "ET" meets "Alien", really. Courtney, who plays the lead, is actually very impressive. The train crash is sort of a really spectacular opening sequence. It is exhilarating. It is intriguing." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "J.J. Abrams's latest film is a heartfelt homage to early Spielberg. Absent mothers, distant fathers; programmatic as the setup may be, the tentative efforts by the two young leads (both very good, incidentally) to find and nurture some glimmer of affection are handled by Abrams with tenderness and tact. suspenseful, intimate and exhilarating, it is a delightful reminder that cinema is not required by statute to be crass and loud and stupid." Christopher Orr ATLANTIC "Abrams has made a pretty good Spielberg film in many ways, with broken families, timorous but heroic young protagonists, gnarly special effects, and a plot about conspiracies, homesickness and the power of trust and belief. It's spirited and funny and deeply entertaining, a summer movie for kids who think like adults and adults who feel like kids. There are harum-scarum jokes aplenty." Sean Levy OREGONIAN

The Inside Story At the heart of “Super 8,” are six kids in a 1970s Ohio steel town whose summer dreams of making their first Super 8 monster movie masterpiece are suddenly interrupted. After witnessing a horrific train accident, the mysterious events surrounding the crash reverberates through their friendships, their families and forever alters the way they view their lives. And, if the heart of "Super 8" is the group of kids, the soul behind "Super 8" are two filmmakers who themselves cut their own teeth on 8mm movie-making when they were younger. J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg both discovered filmmaking in their childhoods, making Super 8 and 8mm format movies (respectively), which laid the groundwork for all of their big-screen adventures today. As a director, Abrams is known for melding character, humor and suspense within his films "Mission: Impossible III" and "Star Trek". The producer behind the 2008 monster-thriller "Cloverfield" is also responsible for such television series as "Felicity", "Alias", "Fringe", and the groundbreaking ABC hit series "Lost". Spielberg, the filmmaker behind some of the most successful and memorable movies of all time including "E.T.", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark", has been an inspiration to Abrams since he was a kid. It was their mutual love of Super 8 films (and a little bit of fate) that would bring these two filmmakers together again and again. Growing up, Abrams first discovered the joys of a Super 8 camera: a format introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1965; at the age of eight, when he began shooting his home movies themed around the things that he loved as a boy: chases, battles and monsters. A few years later, Abrams and close childhood friend Matt Reeves (director of "Cloverfield") had entered films in a Super 8 film festival and were featured in a Los Angeles Times article entitled, "The Beardless Wonders". Not long after, Abram and Reeves were approached by Spielberg’s, assistant at the time,Kathleen Kennedy, and asked if they’d be interested in repairing Spielberg’s old 8mm movies; ones he had filmed during his own childhood. When JJ was just fifteen years old, he and Matt Reeves took a job cutting together Steven's 8mm home movies. What initially inspired them both would draw the two together again many years later. "We started talking about the kinds of films we love to see and also about the kinds of film we’d love to make together someday. We landed immediately on our mutual history of making 8mm films. We both thought it would be cool to make a movie about young people having an adventure making movies," triple Oscar® winner Spielberg recalls. Abrams wanted to create "Super 8" in the tradition of the movies he fell in love with: quintessential tales set in a community where the daily struggles of work, love and family might seem ordinary until they are abruptly interrupted by extraordinary, frightening and fantastical events. "I wanted audiences to get all the action, humor, suspense and pyrotechnics of a summer popcorn movie, but there is also a real heart to "Super 8" and, for me, that is really the most important part. "Despite all the wild stuff that happens in the story, this is the first movie I’ve made that has felt so much a part of my life." While Abrams loved the idea of fledgling kid filmmakers as characters, he decided to fuse the concept with another idea that had long been percolating in his imagination. "I had an idea about a train transferring contents from Area 51. That was a premise without characters, and then I had these great characters who needed a premise. So I thought if they came together that could be a compelling movie." "When J.J. came back to me and suggested taking the idea of kids making Super 8 movies and blending that with a larger, sci-fi event, where something appears in their film that sets off a mystery and crisis throughout the town, to me that was really intriguing," Spielberg ("Schindler's List" & "Saving Private Ryan") revealed. "I felt it was going to be both a movie about the 70s movie-making culture and it was also going to be about what all that led to." 2005 Emmy Award winner Bryan Burk ("Lost") had also met Abrams through his love of Super 8. "Super 8 filmmaking was always a part of my life. I first met J.J. because I heard about this kid who was making Super 8 films and had cut Spielberg’s 8mm home movies. It was a background we all shared. I think the fun of coming up with ideas and just going out and making the movies is still at the core of everything we’ve done." Burk also loved the idea of melding an intimate, heartfelt story about small-town, adolescent friends with an epic, creative fantasy. The script for "Super 8" was also an amalgamation of Abrams’ greatest passions including his love of sci-fi invention, his penchant for humour fueled adventures and his fascination with the crossroads where the everyday and the completely inexplicable meet. As for Abrams, he was humbled by Spielberg’s hands-on involvement. "The time Steven spent working on this movie blew my mind because he's got so much going on, how could he possibly find the time? Yet, he would sit for hours going over the script or in the editing room. It was just surreal for me. It was really a privilege not only to work with him, but to work with him on a movie about a time in both of our lives that was of such seminal importance." For Abrams, the heart of the film was always in the characters. Even as the most bizarre and unexplained events begin to unravel the once-quiet town of Lillian, Ohio , these characters are moving through very real relationships and experiences of loss and love. He knew that finding just the right mix of actors was going to be essential, so Abrams and his team began with a massive search. The final set of teens chosen was remarkably diverse. Some were seasoned pros while others had never acted professionally at all. "What is great about this group of kids is that they all have that rare ability to let go enough that it never feels like they’re performing," Burk notes. "I think it’s also a real testament to J.J. because he not only found just the right kids, he knew how to work with them." For the role of Alice, the filmmakers cast one of Hollywood’s fastest rising young actors: Elle Fanning, whose recent films include the award-winners "Babel", "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Somewhere". Fanning could not have been more excited to get the part. "It was crazy. It was a total surprise to hear back from J.J. himself. He said 'Hey, Elle, this is J.J. Abrams, and it’s going to be so much fun working with you.' I sort of burst inside, I wanted to scream, but of course I couldn’t because he was on the phone so I was like doing my little dance silently. Then, when he got off the phone, I just shouted. I was so excited!" The opposite of Elle, Joel Courtney had never had any professional acting experience at all when he was offered the films lead role of Joe Lamb. "I knew J.J. was taking a real chance on me and I didn’t want to let him down. I wanted to do a good job for him, myself and for everybody working on the film." Most of all, it was the mounting tension of the story that kept him intrigued. "I love the mystery of it and it is a total adrenaline rush." Gabriel Basso, who stars on Showtime’s acclaimed "The Big C" was cast as the gullible Martin, who often finds himself the butt of his friends jokes. As soon as Abrams explained the basic outline of the story to him, Gabriel was hooked. "I love that it’s a story about kids who witness something they shouldn’t have seen. They’ve got their hands in the forbidden cookie jar." Abrams notes that Gabriel is in fact, the utter opposite of his character. "Gabriel is incredibly smart and I think you have to be to play dumb well." Another newcomer to film is Riley Griffiths who makes his feature debut playing Charles: the driven, perfectionist visionary of the group and the writer/director of the movie they’re making. "I love my character because he’s so determined and serious about making movies. Things like 'production value' are really, really important to him, but his friends don’t get it." Riley recalls that J.J. Abrams posed a big question when he told him he got the role. "Are you ready for this?" Abrams asked. Riley responded: "I am so ready." "Riley was amazing when he came in, but he had never been on a set before so he had a big challenge," Abrams explained. Riley became so obsessed with slipping into the role of a would-be director, that he began shadowing Abrams around the set, picking up on the director’s style and mannerisms. Ryan Lee ("Shorts"), who plays the group’s most mischievous member, Cary, was a huge fan of "Star Trek". "I had never watched 'Star Trek' on TV before, because to me, that was my parent's era, but the way J.J. did it was so cool. When I found out I would be auditioning for J.J., my heart started pounding." The feeling was mutual for the filmmakers. "Ryan was spectacular in his audition. He was hysterically funny and actually the first actor we wanted to cast," says Burk. Lee was very excited. "He’s the kid who’s always making trouble and having a really good time. He’s a lot of fun." Rounding out the group of fledgling filmmakers is Preston, the confident 'know it all' who is one of the stars of the kids’ production. Zach Mills (Eric Applebaum the Hat Collector in "Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium") says his character Preston is, "smart to the point of being a little obnoxiouss. He really knows his stuff and he loves giving out facts to people, which gets interesting when lots of very weird things start happening!" The youngsters gelled not only on the set but away from it too. "We’ve become really good friends, almost like family. It’s been so amazing to have kids our own age to talk to," Courtney explained. Fanning ("Because of Winn-Dixie") agrees. "As soon as we started rehearsing, we just clicked, and became best friends. We had so much fun together that just being together became another cool part of making the movie." As the kids in "Super 8" grapple with seeing something they should never have discovered, they are brought into conflict with parents, teachers and authorities of all kinds, each played by an adult cast that includes Kyle Chandler, Noah Emmerich and Ron Eldard. Chandler ("Fiday Night Ligthts") notes: "A shadow starts to pervade this little Ohio town and then you have these young kids who are right in the thick of something huge, even as the police are trying to figure things out." Emmerich could not resist the chance to work with Abrams. "J.J. was the big draw for mes. It’s rare that you come across such a masterful storyteller." Ron Eldard ("Black Hawk Down" & TVS "E.R.") who plays Alice’s angry, troubled father, Louis Dainard, Describes his character as "a guy who is really struggling. He’s struggling with his work at the steel mill, he’s struggling because his wife has left him and he’s struggling with a daughter who is coming of age. He doesn’t particularly want her out with a bunch of boys, but she wants to be part of these budding filmmakers." What's It All About?

In 1979 the Lillian Steelworks excellent safety record has come to an end with the death of one of its employees. For young Joe and his father, Deputy Lamb, life has taken a tragic turn with the loss of a wife and mother. Four months later Joe and his friends set out to finish their Zombie movie, which they'll enter in the school's film festival. While filming at the towns nearby railway station another tragedy unfolds. In the darkness of night, they witness a spectacular crash involving a secret Air Force cargo train. The cargo and its fate remains a mystery. A mysterious supernatural force is now lurking in this normal town. Is it a force for good or is it evil? What does it want? Strange, unexplainable things are happening. Then, a shadowy government agency arrives. For what purpose? Do they want to capture the force, protect the town, or make sure any witnesses are kept quiet? In the midst of these extraordinary events, the young filmmakers race to unravel the mystery. Every secret they uncover only leads to more questions.

The Verdict "Outstanding. Totally entertaining. Imaginative. Thrilling. The superlatives flow, when speaking of the new J.J Abrams film, "Super 8". And 'super' it is: from every angle. From the fun of watching the young cast members making their zombie movie; a massive, spectacular, almost unbelievable train crash; the anticipation as we wait to see what it is that's purported to be threatening the town of Lillian; rebellion; first love and an "E.T." style ending, this truly is a blast. More importantly "Super 8" is a blast from the past. You'll recognize quickly that this is not only a homage to triple Oscar® winner Spielberg, but other films too. See how many you can find. Is it a kids flick? It is. Is it a treat for adults? You betcha sweet bippy it is! Don't miss it on the big-screen (the bigger the better) and don't get up and leave when the credits roll: because you'll miss out on another treat. It's a great yarn, with a great cast (especially the kids), great SFX/CGI and an ending that will leave many with tears running down their cheeks. "Super 8", like its soundtrack, doesn't miss a beat. A rare treat that anyone, from 10 years of age and up, will enjoy. 5 STARS." Who Is Playing Who?

Joel Courtney Elle Fanning Riley Griffiths Ryan Lee Zach Mills Gabriel Basso Kyle Chandler Ron Eldard Jessica Tuck Joel McKinnon Miller AJ Michalka Andrew Miller Jakob Miller Jade Griffiths Britt Flatmo Glynn Turman Noah Emmerich Richard T. Jones David Gallagher Brett Rice Michael Giacchino Ben Gavin Jay Scully Michael Hitchcock James Hébert Beau Knapp Bruce Greenwood

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Joe Lamb Alice Dainard Charles Cary Preston Martin Deputy Jackson Lamb Louis Dainard Mrs Kaznyk Mr Kaznyk Jen Kaznyk Kaznyk Twins Kaznyk Twins Benji Kaznyk Peg Kaznyk Dr Woodward Nelec Overmyer Donny Sheriff Pruitt Deputy Crawford Deputy Milner Deputy Skadden Deputy Rosko Deputy Tally Breen Cooper

The Production Team Directed by J.J. Abrams Written by J.J. Abrams Produced by J.J. Abrams/Bryan Burk/Steven Spielberg Original Music by Michael Giacchino Cinematography by Larry Fong Film Editing by Maryann Brandon & Mary Jo Markey Casting by April Webster & Alyssa Weisberg Production Design by Martin Whist Supervising Art Director David Scott Art Direction by Domenic Silvestri Set Decoration by Fainche MacCarthy Costume Design by Ha Nguyen Run Time 111 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2011 - Paramount Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2011 - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian & International Copyright, Trademark Laws & Intellectual Property Rights.