New JJ Abrams movie: Super 8

[leo8877]

Watch the teaser before it gets pulled:

http://kotaku.com/5533169/watch-the-super-8-trailer-right-now

Next summer?  I can't wait!  Damn you Abrams!!!!

[Blackjack]

Supposedly it was shown before the midnight shows of Iron Man 2 last night (not sure if it will be shown before regular IM2 showings though). Anybody get a chance to see it in the theater? It's a joint production with Steven Spielberg, with J.J. directing.

And no George Lucas in sight!  

After watching it, I assume it's some sort of alien beastie movie (could even be a comedy). And I guess the American Railroad Association won't be showing the trailer at its conventions.  

[Razgon]

Man, this trailer is a train-wreck...

[Daehawk]

High def version.....

http://ve3d.ign.com/videos/play/72478/Other/General/Trailer/Super-8-Bootleg-Movie-Trailer/Flash-Video

[CeeKay]

And no George Lucas in sight!  

I bet he's lurking there somewhere 

[Daehawk]

He's the one busting out of the rail car. Someone told him they're releasing the original Star Wars trilogy without any edits he put in. That or Han shot first.

[CeeKay]

looks interesting enough, figured a movie about a hotel chain would be boring.

[Moliere]

He's the one busting out of the rail car. Someone told him they're releasing the original Star Wars trilogy without any edits he put in. That or Han shot first.

He knows.

[Blackjack]

Sometimes you guys crack me up.   Sometimes it amazes me PVP cartoonist Scott Kurtz doesn't get royalties on all these "Han Shot First!" T-shirts and the like. He kinda joked in his blog once that he appreciates the slogan might be his legacy.  

EW's column says the film's budget is only $45 million, which would seem to rule out a spectacular special effects extravaganza -- I think James Cameron spends that much for a 5-minute scene. Maybe it's just George Lucas running around in a Jar Jar Binks costume?  

More happily, it estimates Star Trek 2 for 2012 release:
http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/05/06/j-j-abrams-spielberg-super-8/

Sources confirm to EW.com what was first reported by Deadline.com  regarding J.J. Abrams’ super-secret project Super 8. (The upcoming project’s teaser trailer bows before Iron Man 2 this weekend.) Turns out it is the movie he is working on with Steven Spielberg: The Saving Private Ryan director will produce the film, budgeted at $45 million, and Abrams will direct this fall. (It’s slated for release next summer.) Abrams will complete it before moving on to Star Trek 2 which will bow summer 2012.

[Rumpy]

Supposedly, it's a sequel to Cloverfield. I personally thought that movie was really disappointing.

[LoneStarSpur]

Supposedly, it's a sequel to Cloverfield. I personally thought that movie was really disappointing.

No way...seriously? That would be all sorts of awesome. Loved Cloverfield to death.

[leo8877]

Supposedly, it's a sequel to Cloverfield. I personally thought that movie was really disappointing.

No way...seriously? That would be all sorts of awesome. Loved Cloverfield to death.

But Abrams said directly that it was not a sequel to cloverfield.  Perhaps a red herring?

[Kevin Grey]

According to AICN, it's NOT a Cloverfield sequel/prequel despite rumors saying so.  

Which would make sense- despite being a success financially from the standpoint of rate of return, Cloverfield didn't exactly seem loved by a good portion of the audience so I would be surprised to see a sequel, much less one with with Abrams (superhot coming off of Star Trek) in the director's chair and Spielberg producing (who wasn't involved with Cloverfield at all IIRC).  

[LoneStarSpur]

Hopes dashed inside of two replies. 

Trailer looks cool anyway. Something mighty nasty is pounding its way out of that car. 

[PeteRock]

According to AICN, it's NOT a Cloverfield sequel/prequel despite rumors saying so.  

Which would make sense- despite being a success financially from the standpoint of rate of return, Cloverfield didn't exactly seem loved by a good portion of the audience so I would be surprised to see a sequel, much less one with with Abrams (superhot coming off of Star Trek) in the director's chair and Spielberg producing (who wasn't involved with Cloverfield at all IIRC).  

I really wanted to like Cloverfield, and the premise was creative and inspired.  However, I think the film's success and overall impact was hindered by the focus on such transparent, immature, and melodramatic characters.  There are things Abrams does quite well (I for one loved Star Trek), but I think he still trips up from time to time.  Yet I am always intrigued whenever his name is associated with a project.  I will remain cautiously optimistic about this next project and look forward to further reveals. 

[Kevin Grey]

I really wanted to like Cloverfield, and the premise was creative and inspired.  However, I think the film's success and overall impact was hindered by the focus on such transparent, immature, and melodramatic characters.  There are things Abrams does quite well (I for one loved Star Trek), but I think he still trips up from time to time.  Yet I am always intrigued whenever his name is associated with a project.  I will remain cautiously optimistic about this next project and look forward to further reveals. 

To be fair, Abrams neither wrote nor directed Cloverfield.  Seems like he's doing both for Super 8 though. 

[Isgrimnur]

Wiki tells me there's a hidden reference to a website in the trailer.

[Rumpy]

Supposedly, it's a sequel to Cloverfield. I personally thought that movie was really disappointing.

No way...seriously? That would be all sorts of awesome. Loved Cloverfield to death.

But Abrams said directly that it was not a sequel to cloverfield.  Perhaps a red herring?

Yeah, I'm guessing that's the case. Because Cloverfield had the characters with a camcorder at all times. A sequel to this with a name like that would make sense.

[CeeKay]

Supposedly, it's a sequel to Cloverfield. I personally thought that movie was really disappointing.

No way...seriously? That would be all sorts of awesome. Loved Cloverfield to death.

But Abrams said directly that it was not a sequel to cloverfield.  Perhaps a red herring?

Yeah, I'm guessing that's the case. Because Cloverfield had the characters with a camcorder at all times. A sequel to this with a name like that would make sense.

or maybe a prequel.

[Bullwinkle]

The synopsis is that a group of kids in the 70s who spend their time filming "movies" with their Super 8s (much like Speilberg and Abrams both did), catch something they shouldn't have on one.  It's not going to be shot handheld-style like Cloverfield.

Abrams has said it's not connected to Cloverfield.  According to the trailer, it's about something from Area 51, though, so who knows.  However, the train car is a little small for the thing that knocked the Statue of Liberty's head off.

[CeeKay]

However, the train car is a little small for the thing that knocked the Statue of Liberty's head off.

even that thing had to be a baby at some point 

[EngineNo9]

EW's column says the film's budget is only $45 million, which would seem to rule out a spectacular special effects extravaganza -- I think James Cameron spends that much for a 5-minute scene. Maybe it's just George Lucas running around in a Jar Jar Binks costume? 

Well, considering District 9 cost around $30 million, I think they can still get some pretty dang good effects in this, especially if they're using old Super 8 film.

[leo8877]

However, the train car is a little small for the thing that knocked the Statue of Liberty's head off.

even that thing had to be a baby at some point 

Actually the thing in Cloverfield *was* supposed to be the baby!

[Rumpy]

The synopsis is that a group of kids in the 70s who spend their time filming "movies" with their Super 8s (much like Speilberg and Abrams both did), catch something they shouldn't have on one.  It's not going to be shot handheld-style like Cloverfield.

Abrams has said it's not connected to Cloverfield.  According to the trailer, it's about something from Area 51, though, so who knows.  However, the train car is a little small for the thing that knocked the Statue of Liberty's head off.

So, it's a pre-prequel! 

Does sound kind of interesting though.

[CeeKay]

However, the train car is a little small for the thing that knocked the Statue of Liberty's head off.

even that thing had to be a baby at some point 

Actually the thing in Cloverfield *was* supposed to be the baby!

ok.. so it's the... the....

sperm?

[CeeKay]

non-bootleg HD version.

[CeeKay]

footage from the set.

[CeeKay]

the brief super bowl spot.

[rittchard]

I read an interview today from JJ.  Apparently the movie is a combo of 2 separate ideas he had.  The first was a character story based on the above-mentioned kid with a Super 8 camera involving a boy and his father who recently lost their mom/wife.  The second was the premise of the govt using trains to move aliens(?) by trains, but one of them crashing and leaving the creature to roam a small town.  So this essentially brings the 2 together, I guess he wants it to be a love story, a coming of age story, and a sci-fi adventure all rolled into one.  Sounds like he wants to be this generation's Spielberg.

[Isgrimnur]

Wiki tells me there's a hidden reference to a website in the trailer.

And if you don't want to try and figure out the site, the Super8 wiki is tracking it here.

[Covenant]

New full trailer out today.  Can't wait!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtn5dm9uYi8

[leo8877]

New full trailer out today.  Can't wait!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtn5dm9uYi8

[LoneStarSpur]

New full trailer out today.  Can't wait!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtn5dm9uYi8

I'm not really a big fan of movies with kids as the central focus, but that looks pretty dang cool.

[rickfc]

New full trailer out today.  Can't wait!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtn5dm9uYi8

I'm not really a big fan of movies with kids as the central focus, but that looks pretty dang cool.

This. That looked awesome.

[TK-421]

Oooh, an AMC AMX Javelin at 0:12.   You almost never see those on the street anymore.   Of course, I preferred the earlier AMC AMX myself but it's still cool to see an old car like that.

And on topic, yeah, this looks pretty cool.   

[disarm]

looks very cool, even if we really still don't know what the heck is happening

Oooh, an AMC AMX Javelin at 0:12.   You almost never see those on the street anymore.   Of course, I preferred the earlier AMC AMX myself but it's still cool to see an old car like that.

my dad had a dark green Javelin back in the day.  he can still go on and on about how much he loved that car and would do just about anything to get his hands on one again.  they're apparently pretty hard to find now though...

[TK-421]

About ten years ago I had the chance to buy two AMX's for $1200.   One was a 390 and the other a 340.  Using both of those I could have put together one really decent car and then sold what was left over for parts. 

Unfortunately, I was living in an apartment then and didn't have a garage or anywhere to store/work on them so I passed.  I still kick myself over that missed opportunity.

[CeeKay]

[Zekester]

About ten years ago I had the chance to buy two AMX's for $1200.   One was a 390 and the other a 340.  Using both of those I could have put together one really decent car and then sold what was left over for parts. 

Unfortunately, I was living in an apartment then and didn't have a garage or anywhere to store/work on them so I passed.  I still kick myself over that missed opportunity.

That is kick-worthy 

[Blackjack]

EW weighs in and loves it [A] (probably means we'll all hate it... )

EW reviews Super 8 (NOTE: There could be spoilers.... be warned! Like the monster looks like Pee Wee Herman!)
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20483133_20483446,00.html

Loving, Playful, and spectacularly well made, Super 8 is easily the best summer movie of the year — of many years. And I make that declaration with full knowledge that the season has just begun.

It's been eons since a movie has conjured up such intense, specific feelings, images, memories, and nostalgic fantasies about American summertime youth — everyone's American summertime youth, regardless of current age, nationality, sex, or climate. It's been ages since adolescent innocence, fatherly authority, and everyday awe were in movie vogue.

This irresistible story of ... [hey, I'm protecting you in case you're Howard Hughes and are avoiding the trailers-bj ] may leave viewers dumbstruck: How have we survived for so long on such a meager, high-cal, low-nutrition diet of processed summertime superhero sequels?

Super 8 is an antidote to that emotional-
vitamin deficiency. It's also a great specimen of original storytelling grounded in a sophisticated respect for storytellers who have come before.

===========
Variety weighs in less enthusiastically... [Possible spoilers though if you've seen the trailers, nothing you don't already assume]
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117945388?refcatid=31

Rare is the writer-director capable of creating such compelling horror-movie characters, yet one suspects J.J. Abrams' spirited teen ensemble would have sustained our interest even without the CG ... [censored for your protection again]. Sadly, the helmer seems too smitten working with Steven Spielberg to recognize that his idol-turned-champion created the very paradigm that limits his passion project, forcing this modest nostalgia trip to function as a blockbuster.

What could have been a sleeper hit seems ill equipped to attract the broad summer audience its tentpole trappings demand.

The latter is almost certainly what everyone said about ET pre-release in 1982 (which had no stars and a rubber alien).

It does seem like something that's going to need good reviews and word of mouth to survive the summer box office blockbuster bloodletting.