With a history of critically acclaimed films and television programs in the past J.J. Abrams returns to directing after the huge of success of 2009's 'Star Trek' and partnering up with the legendary Steven Spielberg in the producers chair to bring us 'Super 8'. The film is a nice throwback to older Spielberg films such as 'The Goonies' and 'Close Encounters of a Third Kind' but stands on its own with a surprisingly talented cast of young actors including the lead Joe (Joel Courtney) and love interest Alice (Elle Fanning). The story begins with the tragic death of Joe's mother from an accident in her workplace which Joe's father (Kyle Chandler) blames on coworker Louis (Ron Eldard) who also happens to be Alice's father and causes trouble between letting Joe and Alice to spend time with each other. Joe's group of friends like to make movies, more specifically, very low budget horror films and when the director Charles (Riley Griffiths) asks Alice to join in the film Joe becomes nervous but very excited. After sneaking out to shoot a midnight scene, Joe's crew accidentally end up in something much bigger than a zombie film. At train and a pickup truck crash head to head and 'Something' escapes from the train and begins to wreak havoc on the town. The cast is all spectacular as an ensemble with very truthful and fun interactions between Joe's groups of friends, but the real standout is his 'take charge' director who is also his best friend Charles. Griffiths steals just about any scene in the film that he is in. Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney also both lead the film with great acting for younger actors. However the real standouts of the film are fathers and enemies Kyle Chandler and Ron Eldard whose constant hate for each other eventually has to be taken care off in order to save their own children from the alien threat that was released upon the town. Abrams as always is brilliant in the director's chair and pretty good at writing as well. With great special effects and a story that kept my interest all the way through, 'Super 8' was pretty super in it's own way.