A surprising, exciting film. (Review of "Super 8")

When Steven Spielberg first entered the filmmaking scene, he was celebrated for the wit, charm, and wonder that he brought onscreen, as evident in such films as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and E.T. And, even though he has produced intelligent and relevant work since then, a spark of creativity has clearly been lost.

However, with his latest directorial effort, Super 8, J.J. Abrams has managed to pick up where Spielberg left off.

From top to bottom, the film is inherently Spielbergian. Abrams even emulated the framing and cinematography of those aforementioned classic works, largely abandoning his typical gritty, handheld approach. The film is no simple homage, though. It places its adolescent protagonists in greater peril than Speilberg's films dare to, and lacks the family-friendly appeal of Spielberg's work.

Interestingly enough, one of the more surprising aspects of this film is its humor, most prevalent in the sequences involving the protagonist, Joe Lamb, and his friends. The fact that the film is willing to not take itself too seriously is a refreshing contrast to the dour blockbusters we have become accustomed to seeing over the past few years.

Focusing your film on children is often a challenge, as child actors seem to rarely have enough charisma and screen presence to fully engage an audience. Thankfully, Abrams was able to select a fine group of young actors who are more than capable of completing that task. Elle Fanning, in particular, stands out as a tremendous talent, and will undoubtedly have a long, prosperous career.

What could have been a superficial series of references to a somewhat dormant style of storytelling is, instead, a wonderful, funny, terrifying memorable film, thanks to Abrams' smart writing and direction.

A True Story Worth Telling ("The King's Speech")

When in the process of adapting someone's life for cinema, there are many things to consider. Like, how to remain respectful of the individual in question, whilst also being able to tell an engaging story, or, condensing the major events of said person's life, so they could properly fit a two-hour running time.


Sadly, one of them never seems to be whether it would be even remotely interesting if the person were not famous. This problem plagues the bio-pic genre greatly, making a great deal of them unable to have any artistic or entertainment value.


However, once in a great while, a filmmaker will recognize the potential storytelling value of a person's life, and create a beautiful work. The King's Speech is one of these exceptions.


It is not so much an account of King George VI's nascent years on the throne as it is a chronicle of a man's struggle to overcome his life-long affliction, for his country, for his family, and for himself. Firth's performace as the titular character is truly spellbinding. He physically embodies his character wonderfully, you often forget that this is Mr. Darcy on screen.


The film also focuses the development of an unlikely friendship, between George, and Lionel Logue, his speech therapist. Logue is the perfect counterpoint to the King: humorous, affable, and agnostic. He is portrayed by Geoffrey Rush, whose inherently wry dispotion helps create a wonderful chemistry between the two actors.


Generally, a British period piece has a rather static aesthetic, preferring to rely on the momentum of its cast. Wisely, director Tom Hooper has avoided this approach, opting instead to rely largely on stylized close-ups, and an era-appropriate color palette.


A beautifully directed, and perfectly acted work, The King's Speech is not only an incredible true story, but a great one, as well.