Spielberg has many strengths as a director, but one stands above the rest. That is his knack for pulling the audience into a story through a strong and consistent point of view – a character that we can relate to and through whose eyes we see the film unfold. In 1982, when E.T. was released, the audience was introduced to a wide-eyed Elliot who found an Extra-Terrestrial in his shed and the entire film was told through those innocent eyes. In SUPER 8 Abrams taps into that magic and gives the audience a character that feels real right from the get go.

We are introduced to Joe Lamb (played extremely well by newcomer Joel Courtney). His mother has just passed away and he’s sitting alone outside of the wake as his friends hang out inside. He witnesses his father (Kyle Chandler) get into an altercation with another man, but we aren’t told why. This is both a brilliant way to build suspense before the inevitable alien storyline begins as well as setting up the point of view of a boy who doesn’t really know what is happening around him. Abrams, like Spielberg before him, gives us a character and a viewpoint to latch on to and pulls us into the movie and along for a wild ride.

Joe is part of a group of young, independent filmmakers who, in the effort of getting more “production value,” sneak out one night to film a scene by the railroad tracks. They witness a spectacular train crash and soon after the military arrives to clean up and cover up and weird events begin to happen in and around town. Joe’s father, being deputy sheriff, is forced to investigate creating just one more Spielbergian theme – the father-son relationship in need of repair.

The rest of the movie plays like a mix of E.T., CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, THE GOONIES and STAND BY ME. Mysteries and conspiracies are uncovered and it all leads to one beautiful, climactic scene that once again lets us know that, even though the alien looks like an Abrams movie creature, some of Spielberg’s sensibilities are right there as well. Nostalgia colours every frame of the movie, but the story remains fresh and fun because of the characters and the emotional weight they have been given. This is especially true in the moments between Joe and his crush Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning proving that acting talent may, in fact, be genetic).

SUPER 8 is a fun, nostalgic, new entry into the “extra-terrestrials are among us” library of movies that succeeds by having the movie focus on friendships, first loves and father-son-daughter relationships – just like a Spielberg film. J.J. Abrams tells his story with skill and still manages to tip his hat to his mentor and friend.