Buffalo News rates Super 8 as the #1 Movie of 2011

The Buffalo News rated Super 8 as the #1 Movie of 2011! 

From the Buffalo News NeXt correspondant, Danielle Grimm:

Another year has come and gone, and with it came movies of great depth, humor and sometimes both. 2011 was truly “the year of the franchise,” seeing as both the “Harry Potter” and the “Twilight” series came to a close (well, “Twilight” came to half a close). Still, franchise films aside, audiences around the world saw works of cinematic magic in 2011. Here, I have assembled the 10 films I found to be the most well-written, powerfully acted and visually appealing of the year (No. 1 being the best film of the year).

1.“ Super 8” (PG-13) If you didn’t realize the full extent of Steven Spielberg’s genius after “E. T.,” you will by the end of “Super 8.” Although the trailers made the film out to be something akin to “Cloverfield,” there is barely a comparison. While filming an amateur movie for a local filmmaking contest, a group of middle school boys (Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths, etc.) and their female star Alice (Elle Fanning) witness a morbid train crash, caused by some sort of beast. The remainder of the film is spent following these new age “Goonies,” as they search for answers to what exactly they saw the night the train crashed. The level of talent and maturity in these young actors/actresses is mind-boggling. Each character was incredibly unique and refined; each member of the group complemented the rest, making it appear as though the kids had known each other their entire lives. The fact that “Super 8” was centered on a bunch of 11-year-olds, rather than a group of teenagers, gave the film a sense of innocence rarely found in today’s media. When all is said and done, “Super 8” was by far the most distinct story, visually appealing and powerfully acted film of 2011.