According to The Daily Texan, "Super 8" is in the Top 5 Movies of 2011.
The film gets the coming-of-age story at its center so right that it’s impossible to leave off this list. Magnificent performances from Elle Fanning and Joel Courtney make for several wistful, heartwarming moments, and Abrams nails the awe-inspired Spielberg aesthetic that made many of the films he’s trying to emulate classics.
Variety magazine has an article out titled "Young actors bring fresh approach to roles."
Besides translating the script to the screen, school-age thesps have the added requirement of staying current with their studies. That was the case for [Joel] Courtney and five other young actors at the center of "Super 8," J.J. Abrams' sci-fi yarn about a group of friends making a zombie movie who find themselves in the midst of a catastrophic train crash.
"I would get homework from my school in Idaho, do it and send it back. That's basically how it would go," explains Courtney, a high school freshman who starred as one of the young filmmakers. "There was one teacher for five of us guys, and she was very busy."
SUPER 8 has been selected for the Longlist for the BAFTA Awards in the following categories:
According to the Morgan Hill Times, Super 8 was the best alien invasion movie of 2011.
As often happens in the summertime, there are quite a few blockbuster movies that revolve around monsters. This year, aliens were the monster of choice with "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," "Cowboys and Aliens," "Paul" and "Super 8."
The best movie to make use of aliens was "Super 8," directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg. The movie has the feel of Spielberg's older pieces such as "E.T.," but it has a lot more action. The movie works better than all the rest because it has more character to it. The alien is really a side storyline to a tale of kids growing up in 1979 and trying to find their way in the world. It centers around newcomer Joel Courtney, who plays Joe Lamb. Courtney plays the lead role as a kid who is into making monster movies with his friends and has plenty of empathy for even a creature that is destroying his town.
The News Record rates Super 8 in the Top 3 Movies of 2011:
A charming mix between “The Goonies” and “Cloverfield,” “Super 8” is a wonderful Steven Spielberg homage written and directed by J.J. Abrams. The child performers (including Elle Fanning and newcomer Joel Courtney) have excellent chemistry and carry the movie without being too cute or cloying. The special effects are amazing (the train crash scene is one of the most technologically stunning sequences this year), but it’s the heart of the movie that makes it so special.
Redbox reviews Super 8:
This film is not your traditional sci-fi movie. In fact, you can’t even tell it is a sci-fi film until well over halfway through it. The special effects are gripping and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Although teenagers, Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning’s acting makes the film worth watching alone. The two are very talented and undoubtedly have successful careers in the film business. The movie is full of clever jokes and plot twists.
The movie lives up to the claim of being the 2011 blockbuster of the summer. If you are looking for an action packed film that will make you feel like a kid again, as well as scare the heck out of you, then rent “Super 8.”
