Since there
are no particular reasons for writing this blog besides expressing myself, I
have decided to throw in a few movie reviews while I’m at it. I'm not a professional
critic so don't expect some amazing writings about the movies. I'm just going
to express what I thought and felt about the movie. To start off my first movie
review, is Super 8, which I saw last week.
Super 8, even though did not receive very much hype before its release compared to other summer movies, has turned out to be one of the must watch movies for this summer. Super 8 tells the story of a group of kids filming their super 8 movie who encounter a train accident which releases a dangerous threat, which is an alien supposedly from the Roswell incident to their town. Series of events takes place as the alien tries to get back home by rebuilding its spaceship in the midst of the Air Force searching the town. If you're looking for gruesome alien attacks with machine guns and fire power blasting everywhere, then you are looking at the wrong movie.
Super 8 focuses more about adolescent kids who encounter and try to understand family relationship, love, losses and friendship. Also highlighted is the father-children relationship, mainly between Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler) and Joseph "Joe" Lamb and also between Louis Dainard (Ron Elrald) and Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning). Acceptance is also a main theme presented in the movie as Joe loses his mother few months before the train incident due to an accident in her work place which actually should have been Louis Dainard.
Wonderfully written and presented, many moments is the movie captures the essence of the theme being put on the screen. Moments between Joe and Alice showing wonderful adolescent affection, Jackson and Louis going through danger to try and find their children, Jackson saying “it was just an accident" to Louis depicting his acceptance of the loss of his wife and Joe letting go of his mother's necklace showcasing his acceptance that his mother is gone. A whole lot of adolescent and adult emotions captured in a smooth flow of storytelling.
There are arguments whether the background of the alien incident is necessary as the story could have been told without it. The formulation of telling a story in the midst of a huge incident has proven successful in many accounts. A love story between the lower and upper class told with one of the most tragic accidents; Titanic. The deprivation of rights and cruelty of capitalism shown in the backdrop of foreign planet and new species; Avatar. Love story between different religions placed in the middle of the 1992 racial clash; Bombay. A daughter looking for her surrogate mother in the danger of the Sri Lankan civil war; Kannathil Muthamittal. A love triangle between friends during World War 2; Pearl Harbor.
Movies in different languages by different directors have used this formulation before. Making a movie in midst of a big event or huge background helps magnify and intensify the emotion and the conflict presented. In this case it has worked very well indeed, as the children and the adults find their place in the world during this tragic incident. Wonderful story telling, various emotions and the theme of adolescent and adults accepting and understanding their relationship has made Super 8 a must watch.
The cast of the movie has done very well in presenting their characters especially the main cast Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning who played Joseph "Joe" Lamb and Alice Dainard respectively. Special credit goes to Elle Fanning who depicted her character of an adolescent girl in a conflict relationship with her father, who is considered the black sheep of the town very well. Elle Fanning will be girl to watch out for in upcoming movies. Technical aspects were great as expected from a JJ Abrams movie especially the effects, sound and cinematography during the train incident and the last few scenes.
If you are looking for a movie which is emotionally gripping, affectionate and genuine, Super 8 is the movie for you. It’s a movie worthwhile watching and remembering for this summer.
Super 8, even though did not receive very much hype before its release compared to other summer movies, has turned out to be one of the must watch movies for this summer. Super 8 tells the story of a group of kids filming their super 8 movie who encounter a train accident which releases a dangerous threat, which is an alien supposedly from the Roswell incident to their town. Series of events takes place as the alien tries to get back home by rebuilding its spaceship in the midst of the Air Force searching the town. If you're looking for gruesome alien attacks with machine guns and fire power blasting everywhere, then you are looking at the wrong movie.
Super 8 focuses more about adolescent kids who encounter and try to understand family relationship, love, losses and friendship. Also highlighted is the father-children relationship, mainly between Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler) and Joseph "Joe" Lamb and also between Louis Dainard (Ron Elrald) and Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning). Acceptance is also a main theme presented in the movie as Joe loses his mother few months before the train incident due to an accident in her work place which actually should have been Louis Dainard.
Wonderfully written and presented, many moments is the movie captures the essence of the theme being put on the screen. Moments between Joe and Alice showing wonderful adolescent affection, Jackson and Louis going through danger to try and find their children, Jackson saying “it was just an accident" to Louis depicting his acceptance of the loss of his wife and Joe letting go of his mother's necklace showcasing his acceptance that his mother is gone. A whole lot of adolescent and adult emotions captured in a smooth flow of storytelling.
There are arguments whether the background of the alien incident is necessary as the story could have been told without it. The formulation of telling a story in the midst of a huge incident has proven successful in many accounts. A love story between the lower and upper class told with one of the most tragic accidents; Titanic. The deprivation of rights and cruelty of capitalism shown in the backdrop of foreign planet and new species; Avatar. Love story between different religions placed in the middle of the 1992 racial clash; Bombay. A daughter looking for her surrogate mother in the danger of the Sri Lankan civil war; Kannathil Muthamittal. A love triangle between friends during World War 2; Pearl Harbor.
Movies in different languages by different directors have used this formulation before. Making a movie in midst of a big event or huge background helps magnify and intensify the emotion and the conflict presented. In this case it has worked very well indeed, as the children and the adults find their place in the world during this tragic incident. Wonderful story telling, various emotions and the theme of adolescent and adults accepting and understanding their relationship has made Super 8 a must watch.
The cast of the movie has done very well in presenting their characters especially the main cast Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning who played Joseph "Joe" Lamb and Alice Dainard respectively. Special credit goes to Elle Fanning who depicted her character of an adolescent girl in a conflict relationship with her father, who is considered the black sheep of the town very well. Elle Fanning will be girl to watch out for in upcoming movies. Technical aspects were great as expected from a JJ Abrams movie especially the effects, sound and cinematography during the train incident and the last few scenes.
If you are looking for a movie which is emotionally gripping, affectionate and genuine, Super 8 is the movie for you. It’s a movie worthwhile watching and remembering for this summer.
