Captain America

This week we saw Captain America. I can't believe I waited so long to go watch it because it was really good. I would say a solid 2.5 stars (out of 4). I thought the story was good, and the characters played their parts well but I think some of the other movies of the summer were better. I'm not saying it was bad, just saying that in my opinion, there were others that were better (namely Thor and X-men). If you haven't seen it yet, I would definitely recommend watching it in theaters. I'm not going to give anything away, but stay until after the credits.

Super 8...My favorite of the summer so far... 4 Stars

To say that I am a JJ Abrams fan would be the understatement of the year. I have been so impressed with most of the projects he has been associated with over the years. I especially like the diversity of his work. Just in case you don't know, he worked with the tv shows: Lost, Alias, Felicity, and my personal favorite: Fringe. He has produced and written for movies such as: MI III (Great movie ruined by Tom Cruise's bad couch publicity), Star Trek (the newest one), and Cloverfield. Anytime I see his name associated with something I instantly get excited.

Super 8 was no exception. I loved the way they did the trailers for this film. There was so little given away that perspective audiences were forced to rely on the fact that JJ Abrams and Steven Spielberg were on board for the project (and for Friday Night Lights fans that Kyle Chandler was in it). I read a lot about people's apprehension affecting the movie's money-making potential, but once the film hit theaters, people went to see it. The movie reviewed very well and is 82% fresh at rottentomatoes.com (a very solid number for a sci-fi film). Word of mouth carried the movie and made it very successful this summer. On to the review.

I heard some people compare it to The Goonies. While I liked the Goonies and I get the young-teen adventure likeness, Super 8 is not done justice by this comparison. I loved this film. I was extremely impressed with the unknown young actors that made up the main cast. While I didn't know them from anything else, their performances were real and believable. They made me care. The movie took me back to my childhood, where I loved cruising on my bike, hanging out with friends, and had a feeling of invincibility. This movie really appeals to a wide demographic. People who grew up in the 70's will love the throwback feel, people like me who loved their childhood will be reminded of years past, and even young audiences will be able to relate to the cast. Super 8 is more than a simple sci-fi. Rather the story tells of youth, innocence, love, forgiveness, and hope. This movie had me laughing, tearing up, and just feeling good. I can't recommend it enough.

As a side note, the kids in the movie are filming their own zombie movie which is hilarious! My favorite scene of Super 8 takes place when the young leading lady first goes through her lines as they are about to film her for the zombie flick. Her performance in this scene is truly breathtaking.

This is a great movie for the whole family (ages 10 and up). If you are trying to decide which summer movie to watch, choose my favorite, Super 8. You won't be disappointed.

ps. Make sure and stay for the extra after the credits (I didn't).