'Super 8' – What Did You Think?

You've seen the awesome trailer. You've read Germain's review. You've maybe even caught the film yourself at a special screening presented by /Film. This weekend, J.J. Abrams' Super 8 finally hits theaters for all to see. Does Abrams successfully channel that nostalgia for Amblin films from the 1980s?Does Abrams continue to prove himself as an able director for the big screen? Can Super 8 live up to the high expectations that Abrams' fans and sci-fi geeks have set for it?

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below. Assume SPOILERS lie after the jump and in the comments.

It's unquestionable that Abrams is paying homage to his beloved films from decades past, and Super 8 certainly bears a strong resemblance to the classic films of its producer, Steven Spielberg (right down to Michael Giacchino's score, which I could have sworn was written by John Williams). Nonetheless, I found Super 8 to be a breath of fresh air in a summer filled with sequels, remakes, reboots, and toy-to-film adaptations. Abrams dares to skirt audience expectations by not delivering a conventional monster film; rather, he forces us to revel and to reflect on the relationships between these characters who are thrust into extraordinary circumstances.

I know some people aren't impressed with Abrams as a film director, but I love his style. Abrams seems to me to be a man who not only loves film; he also loves the process of filmmaking as its own end. As a result, there are moments of such cleverness and such visual grandeur in Super 8 that I couldn't help but fall in love with the film.

What did you guys think?