The Christian Science Monitor has a long article about Joel Courtney. Here's an excerpt:

When J.J. Abrams set out to find the young adult leads of Super 8, his homage to the beloved Amblin films of the early 1980s (such as E.T. and The Goonies) he wanted to find (according to the film’s press release) “fresh faces that the audience could have fun discovering.” He couldn’t have found a fresher face than that of his star Joel Courtney.

Joel, an Idaho native, was visiting his brother Caleb in Los Angeles for his summer vacation and taking auditions with this hopes of booking (maybe) one commercial and making a hundred dollars. “That was my goal,” the young star told us in our interview at the Los Angeles press event for Super 8.

Courtney far exceed his relatively modest goal when his acting coach suggested he go in and see her protege Jason James, who was conducting a nation wide search for the kids ofSuper 8. “Apparently I did really well,” the young actor reflected, “because they had me come back like eleven times. And then I kept getting acting coaches to help me through.”

Courtney’s innate charm and refreshingly artless manner won Abrams and producer Steven Spielberg over and landed him the staring role in one of this summers biggest and most highly-anticipated films. As early reviews have indicated, this newcomer’s performance is a stand-out as one of the most compelling aspects of the film. As we mentioned in our Super 8 early reviews and impressions piece, his is a bit of genuine casting magic.

Casting a first-time actor as the lead in his film is in line with J.J. Abrams’ (career consistent) desire to surprise audiences and create a sense of mystery. We have no preconceived notions about Joel Courtney before we meet him as his character Joe Lamb. Abrams is a self-proclaimed believer in the idea of “the mystery box,” the notion that audiences, “are most compelled by an unseen mystery, and that a movie should have all the potent unpredictability of an unopened box, out of which absolutely anything could emerge.”

From the Huffington Post:

It's always thrilling when a filmmaker emerges -- to see the movie that truly marks his arrival as someone to watch and pay attention to because he not only has something to say but he knows how to say it.

So it is with J.J. Abrams' Super 8, a great leap forward for someone who already has proven himself as a formidable TV auteur, capable of making the leap to movies by shaking up old franchises (Mission: Impossible, Star Trek) with a new vision.

But Super 8 is something else again: the arrival of a director who's made a movie with the confidence and sensitivity to remind you of the first time you saw E.T. It's a movie that will put you on the edge of your seat, even as it puts a lump in your throat.

From the Kitsap Sun: 

Joel Courtney, making his major-movie debut, will remind film-goers of a young Henry Thomas in "E.T."

From Manny the Movie Guy:

The movie is helped in a big way by the chemistry of the cast. Chandler and Courtney are extremely believable as they try to repair their broken father and son relationship. I also enjoyed the dynamics between the child actors.

Kyle Chandler will appear on The Late Show with David Letterman tonight, 7 June 2011 at 11:35 pm ET/PT.

From The Film Pie:

Despite having no previous acting experience, Joel Courtney is wonderful as the film’s central character, Joe Lamb. He starts out as a shy, reserved kid trying to cope with the death of his mother. As the story develops, Joe will be forced to “come out of his shell”, confront an unbelievable situation and fight for the people he loves. The list includes the pretty Alice Daniard (Fanning), his long-term crush from school. The scenes shared by these two are adorable.

Joe (Joel Courtney) instructs his dream girl Alice (Elle Fanning) on how to be undead.