Super 8

I went and saw Super 8 at a Matinee on Sunday and was unexpectedly charmed by it. Nowadays you expect to be slammed in the face with action so the slow intro to develop the characters confused me for a minute and then I remembered that this is how movies USED to be. You know, like when they made The Goonies, and E.T. You got to know and like the kids BEFORE they ended up in an action sequence. The quality of the film making here is not to be lightly dismissed. I'm talking about nuance, character development, and even the technical aspects of beautiful lighting, sets, shots and casting. And unlike some films it all comes together harmoniously. There are times near the end where I felt like I was in the middle of a good Stephen King book, you know  where all the action happens right before he blows the ending. (That man can NOT end a story. Who can blame him? You fall in love with his characters and don't want them to go.) You care about these kids. They're funny, and sweet and sometimes sad and broken but always loved. Set during the BMX bike era, it evokes a time when you stayed out until it was dark and no one thought anything of it. That mix of nostalgia, the bliss of ignorance and also its costs are woven throughout the film. A highly enjoyable summer film. Reminded me of nothing so much as going to "the picture show" with my family 30 years ago.

Which is a GOOD thing to remember.