#102
Post
by kevinknapman » Tue Jul 26, 2011 11:03 pm
Really loved this. It's nostalgia for early Spielberg and 80's cinema in general was very satisfying (though it was set in 1979). As someone who grew up with films like ET, The Goonies, Stand By Me, Explorers and War Games, it ticked a lot of boxes for me.
The kids were fantastic, and the relationships between them believable and touching. They even looked like the kind of kids that got cast in films of the 80's, rather than the cuter, photogenic ones you usually get these days. Joel Courtney is a very promising newcomer and his scenes with Elle Fanning were cute but never cloying.
Of the adults, Kyle Chandler (I'm going with Friday Night Lights as no-one has mentioned that yet) was very good as the neglectful father. Can't believe no-one's mentioned ER's Ron Eldard yet either, as he was also excellent as Alice's father. I liked how both were fathers struggling to come to terms with the absence of their respective wives and dealing with it in different ways (one through work, the other through drink) and as a result neglecting their own kids.
I also loved the dopehead with the hots for Charles' sister.
I thought the creature design was interesting and the special effects were very good. Although the train crash was perhaps a little too over the top (though undeniably impressive). Surprisingly violent at times too, so I'm not sure I can see this playing on a Sunday afternoon like a lot of the films it was reminiscent of.
And as someone else mentioned the Michael Giacchino score was pretty special too.
I do think there are quite a few plot holes along the way but the positives well outweighed the negatives and it never mattered much.
So I think this is definitely one of the best of this year's blockbusters. Thrilling, funny and touching, I enjoyed it a great deal.
I have to admit though, that I'm disappointed that reviews I read beforehand felt the need to point out what exactly runs over the end credits. I really would have liked that to have been a surprise. Still awesome though.
Last edited by
kevinknapman on Tue Jul 26, 2011 11:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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i love him so it's additionally funny to me. 
glad they had a change of image though!
