Super 8

Well I expected Super 8 to be good, but god damn, not that good.

I almost don't want to talk too much about this and risk giving something away, especially after the marketing campaign did such an awesome job keeping things under wraps (other marketing studios could learn a thing or two in this department!). So instead, I'll basically just reiterate what you should already know going in.

A group of kids are making a movie, and while filming one night, a huge train crash takes place before their eyes. Something escapes from that train, so the military steps in to try and keep things under wraps, but everybody in the town knows that something's not quite right. Essentially, this is a coming of age monster movie. The story is gripping, and pays homage to the likes of E.T., Stand By Me, Cloverfield, and The Iron Giant.

Everything just comes together so well here. You never quite know what you're going to get when dealing with kid actors, but everyone does a superb job here. This especially stood out for me with their ability to switch on and off between good acting and "bad acting", as is the case while the kids are filming their in-movie film. And the dialogue in this movie is fantastic. It sounds like the stuff that a bunch of kids would actually say, which really helps ground the movie and give it a more realistic feeling.

There are a number of thrilling scenes, such as the aforementioned train crash, as well as several other emotionally charged sequences throughout. But thrilling as this movie is, it's also packed in with tons of legitimate laughs. The humor in this movie is integrated so naturally with all of the action and everything else going on, and it never feels forced at all.

Honestly, when thinking about this movie, I really can't even think of anything to complain about it. It's a touching movie, and one that definitely shouldn't go missed.