Secret 'Super 8' screening was a crowd pleaser
Super 8听鈥� you know, that 1980s Steven Spielberg film directed by J.J. Abrams in 2011 鈥� hits theaters this weekend, but it鈥檚 already getting overwhelmingly听. (Look for our official review on Friday.)
To promote the film鈥檚 release, Paramount held a super secret听听screening last night in various cities all across the country听鈥� including New York City, which is where Screen Rant was in attendance.
The multitude of fans who lined up for the screening at the 34th Street AMC Loews were treated to free t-shirts, popcorn, fountain drinks, and a raffle for free DVDs courtesy of Jon Hein and Ralph Cirella (of Sirius Radio鈥檚 Geek Time). One lucky fan who answered the trivia question 鈥淲hat was the first film written by J.J. Abrams, starring Harrison Ford?鈥� 鈥撎�Regarding Henry听鈥� also won some free DVDs. Congrats, informed guy in the audience.
There was even a special message attached to the beginning of the film, from Abrams himself, where he basically just thanked everybody for attending the screening. Meanwhile, many in the theater chanted 鈥淪uper 8, Super 8, Super 8!鈥� in the style of 鈥�U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!鈥� It鈥檚 likely these people were听Lost听fans at one point.
As for the film, the audience seemed to react as favorably to it as the critics have 鈥� and then some 鈥� especially听whenever听the awesome child actors were onscreen. These kids 鈥� Joel Courtney, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Gabriel Basso, and Elle Fanning 鈥� had such incredible chemistry together that they basically overshadowed the entirety of the science-fiction plot.
Indeed, rare is the film that captures that weird combination of innocence, jerkiness, raunchy immaturity,听camaraderie, and so forth, which come with a pack of pre-teen boys. Off the top of my head, I can think of听Stand by Me,听The Monster Squad, and now 鈥� this.
听recently reported听on the somewhat soft box office expectations with regard to听Super 8鈥檚 opening weekend (predictions are saying $25 million to $30 million). Apparently, due to the incredibly mysterious nature of the trailers, your average Joe just doesn鈥檛 have a clue as to what the film is actually about, so the film isn鈥檛 tracking very well. Maybe it鈥檚 because audiences are so used to trailers that coddle them and depict just about every major beat from every single film. It鈥檚 a shame, if that鈥檚 the really the case.
It has probably been said before, but it bears repeating 鈥撎�Super 8听isn鈥檛 just 听an homage to J.J. Abrams鈥� favorite films growing up. It鈥檚 specifically his favorite听Steven Spielberg听films. There鈥檚听Jaws听(don鈥檛 show the monster until the end!),听Close Encounters of the Third Kind听(I shouldn鈥檛 have to explain this one), and听E.T.听(I听really听shouldn鈥檛 have to explain this one), but there鈥檚 also some听Raiders of the Lost Ark听in there with Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) putting on his best Indiana Jones impression about halfway through the film.
Even though most of the people at the screening were obvious Abrams fans to begin with, it鈥檚 worth noting that their comments after the credits (stay in your seats for the credits!) were universally glowing. Comments like 鈥淚t was beautifully directed鈥� and 鈥淭hose kids were so good together!鈥� were heard more than once. One comment that was impossible to disagree with: 鈥淭hat kid with the braces stole the show.鈥� If there鈥檚 any justice in Hollywood, 鈥淭hat kid with the braces鈥� 鈥� A.K.A. Ryan Lee 鈥� will have a long and prosperous acting career, because he听absolutely听stole the show.
After you see听Super 8, tweet your reactions听听听with the hashtag听.
Super 8听hits theaters this Friday. Be sure to check back then for our official review.
If you want to learn more about the young actor J.J. Abrams discovered to play the lead in the film, check out our听.
Follow me on Twitter听听.
Source:听
Ben Moore blogs at
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