From the Fresno Bee: 

"Super 8": Young filmmakers capture a mysterious image. The film has all the trappings of a sci-fi film -- from a mysterious threat to an ominous military presence. Writer/director J.J. Abrams has culled the best paranoia-creating moments from '50s sci-fi movies. It may have all those trappings, but at its heart is a family drama that swirls around Joe (Joel Courtney), a teen trying to deal with the loss of his mother. It's the best blend of sci-fi and family drama since "E.T." phoned home.

The following excellent quote is from Canada's The Globe and Mail article "J.J. Abrams’s Super 8 bears the mark of Spielberg."

In Super 8, Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney, making an impressive debut) has lost his mother to an accident at work, and his father isn’t on Joe’s wavelength. He wants to send the boy to baseball camp. “It’d be good for you to spend time with kids who don’t run around with cameras and monster makeup.” In the Abrams-Spielberg universe, this is a sign that Dad is being unreasonable.

Blacksheep's "best of" contains a review of Super 8. 

Most people expected SUPER 8 to be simple homage to the film’s executive producer, Steven Spielberg, king of the family adventure film. While the influence is undeniable, the execution contains a more modern understanding of emotional communication. Films like E.T. and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND are event pictures that commanded attention but the depth in SUPER 8 is at times completely flooring. For instance, Joe has a crush on a girl he shouldn’t, Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning). Their fathers (Kyle Chandler and Ron Eldard) are messed up and can’t stand each other but these two can’t help but gravitate towards each other. In one scene, while watching footage of Joe’s deceased mother on a projector, Alice says through her tears, “I know I don’t know you at all, even though it feels like I do.” It is as if they’re discovering themselves and healing their hurt right before our eyes. It is truly moving.

SUPER 8 can be called a tribute and be proud to wear the moniker but the truth of it is that Abrams’ latest is a unique experience unto itself. It is often frightening and tense, surprisingly touching and contains some of the most massive special effects extravagance I’ve seen. Perhaps what it shares most in common with Spielberg’s earlier works is that it too demands to be seen and experienced in theatres, sitting amongst family and friends. It is an event that is utterly thrilling and yet somehow manages great insight and comfort as well – a rare feat as I’m sure we can all agree. In the end, watching these kids come of age made me wish my eyes were still just as wide as theirs. Thanks to SUPER 8, for a couple of hours, they actually were.

The Deadbolt has an exclusive interview with Joel Courtney for the DVD release of Super 8. 

Be sure to check it out! There are questions and answers during the interview. 

After making his feature film acting debut in Super 8, Joel Courtney instantly became an up and coming actor to watch. For Joel Courtney and Super 8, which lands on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday, November 22, getting to act in a sci-fi action film directed by J.J. Abrams and executive produced by Steven Spielberg was the opportunity of a lifetime.

In Super 8, Joel Courtney plays Joe Lamb, the lead in a group of kids who shoot their own Super 8 movie but find themselves on the run from a mysterious creature after a train derails in their town. Although the Super 8 kids grow closer as they try to save the town, Joe forms a special bond with Ellie Dainard (Elle Fanning) who shares a similar family history through her father.

Ahead of the November 22 Blu-ray release of Super 8, The Deadbolt went one-on-one with Joel Courtney for an exclusive chat about bonding with the other actors, working with Elle Fanning, how he relates to Joe Lamb, and what it was like to work with both J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg on Super 8.

From the Bowling Green Daily News: 

One of the great joys of “Super 8” is the sense of discovery, so it’s best to leave the plot points to a minimum. Even if you see the big twist coming (and honestly, you probably will), it’s still an enjoyable ride, thanks in large part to Abrams and a very talented young cast. And while the twist is a part of the movie, it doesn’t overshadow the strong human element, which works because of the cast.

Joel Courtney plays lead character Joe, who has recently lost his mother, and is very interesting, reminding me of Sean Astin in “The Goonies.”

 

Screen Rant has an amazing interview with Joel.

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 of Super 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.”