HST FANS REJOICE: FIRST TRAILER FOR THE RUM DIARY IS RELEASED

Now, I don't know about you folks, but I love me some HST, that's Hunter S. Thompson for those of you who are uninitiated with this brilliant man and his delightfully insane novels. Most famous for his novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (which was later turned into a hit film starring Johnny Depp), most of his novels involve heavy use of illegal drugs and alcohol. Another film based on one of his novels is being released soon, entitled The rum Diary and from its first trailer it looks like it's shaping up to be a fun ride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m0yqS3jodU&feature=player_embedded

Looks to me like The Rum Diary is going to have quite a few staples commonly found in HST's works: A traveling journalist, a crazy trip, a different and interesting location, large consumptions of alcohol/drugs, some surrealism and insanity, and tales that are so unbelievable they can only be true (I think). It's been a while since we've seen a film released based on HST's work, and while this one does look to be a bit watered down it still seems to me like there is a genuine chance it will be a breath of fresh air for HST fans such as myself, till this is released I'll have to busy myself with re-watching Rango (the closest thing we have right now to a film that includes some signature HST elements) So put on your shades and don't stop the car (It's Bat Country), because The Rum Diary is coming to a theatre near you SOON (how exactly soon is soon, we have yet to learn).

YOU'RE SOOOO COOL BREWSTER: BEETLES REVIEW OF FRIGHT NIGHT 3D

Fright Night was one of my favorite films to come out of one of my favorite eras: the 80's. Fright Night was about boy next door Charlie Brewster, who discovers the new neighbor that lives next door to him is a bloodthirsty vampire. It started out as a campy, fun PG-13 film but as the film progressed it went places that the audience didn't expect it to go and eventually morphed into a dark, sexy hard R film. That's what I loved about the original, it's ability to surprise and thrill the audience while still being able to have fun with itself was what made the film an instant classic. Now, there's a remake that has awakened. Now, I know in these days the word remake is shunned and frowned upon. In a market where the fountain of creative, original ideas has seemingly run dry Hollywood has resorted to remaking classic films for the modern day. While most remakes end up being predictable pieces of crap, Fright Night is THE remake to remember.

In Fright Night 2011, Charlie Brewster is an everyday guy ( Anton Yelchin) who is struggling (like all teens) to fit in and be cool. He's nailed the almost impossible task of nabbing the incredibly hot Amy ( Imogen Poots) as his girlfriend. His life seems to be heading for easy street until new neighbor Jerry Dandridge (Colin Ferrel) moves in next door and kids start disappearing. Of course, none of this registers on Charlie's radar until his forgotten friend, "Evil" Ed brings up the strange goings-on surrounding Jerry. Charlie blows him off and Ed eventually winds up missing as well. Feeling guilty, Charlie sets out to investigate and finds himself in the fight for his life, his family, and his girlfriend.

Unlike the original Fright Night, Fright Night 2011 starts out as a pretty dark, cool, sexy film and stays that way for most of its running time. Luckily, it still manages to show its audience a good time (especially in 3D). It performs the difficult task of updating the source material for the modern day, staying true to the source material, and being its own film. against all odds, Fright night 2011 succeeds in doing all of these things brilliantly. It also throws in many references to the original classic which made me grin (There's the white dress, a cool bedroom scene where Charlie is too busy watching Jerry to notice Amy is waiting for him on his bed, some lines that also appeared in the original, etc.).

Fright Night 2011 also showcases the proper way to use the 3D technology. The film showcases the most depth I've seen in a 3D film thus far, it feels like you're looking through a window at another world. Fright Night 2011 also does a great job at allowing objects to penetrate the theatre screen (spurts of blood, crosses, it also boasts the most impressive use of fire in a 3D film as well. The fire and explosions seem to billow out into the theatre). Overall I can safely say that, although my eyes did start to hurt near the end of the film, that I thoroughly enjoyed and loved the 3D experince to be sampled here. If you do make the decision to sample Fright Night in 3D, you will not be throwing away a few extra dollars, as the 3D here only serves to enhance an already great film.

Anton Yelchin (my favorite up-and-coming actor) stars as the everyday guy next door Charlie Brewster. The film beefs up Charlie's backstory a bit, which makes the character all the more identifiable and interesting.Fright Night 2011 turns the character of Charlie into an ex-nerd who is trying to become cool and popular, in the process ditching his best friend "Evil" Ed. Yelchin puts on a brilliant performance as Charlie, perfectly capturing the problem of our generation: fitting in. He shows the right amount of regret when he realizes he may have been able to save Ed, but was too selfish to help his friend out and it is this dilemma that propels the film forward and ignites the rest of the film.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse (best known a for his role as McLovin) is great fun as "Evil" Ed. He is kind of an A-hole throughout most of the film, but his actions and such are understandable. He is losing his best friend and begins to view Charlie as almost a traitor of sorts. Plasse's best scene in the film is his brief stint as a secondary villain of sorts. It's great fun to watch two friends (Charlie and Ed) battle it out, and the dialogue they share is absolutely hilarious (Not to mention Plasse looks pretty damn cool as a bad guy). While he's not in the film alot, he still adds much to it by just appearing in it.

Imogen Poots is sexy as the incredibly desirable Amy. In the original film ,Amy was a mousy nerdy girl who was Charlie's girlfriend, However in Fright Night 2011 Amy has been transformed into a hot, sexy, tight-assed goddess. Luckily, she is not used purely as eye candy (her 3d scenes were pretty damn hot though) and actually appears as a fleshed out character in the film. She is what drives the action and plot for the end of the film and is the reason why Charlie finally goes all-out in his quest to vanquish Jerry.

David Tennant is also great fun as the almost comic foil of the film, Peter Vincent. In the original Fright Night his character was a late night horror show host who starred in many films as a vampire hunter. In Fright Night 2011 he is a Las Vegas illusionist/magician whose act revolves around killing Vampires. By the time we are fully introduced to his character, Charlie has realized he is in waaaaay over his head and so, goes to Peter Vincent for help and advice. David Tennant plays his part perfectly as the sarcastic, extravagent, alcohol loving bad-ass. He's almost a mentor of sorts to Charlie for the parts he is in, and let's face it, the climax just wouldn't be the same without him.

Colin Farrell is perfect as Jerry Dandridge, the vampire next door and the antagonist for the film. He is the ultimate, cool bachelor. He has girls over every night, has a nice car, goes to parties, and even talks like a bad-ass. He enjoys being a vampire, and the perks that come with it. Every piece of dialogue he has is absolutely electric and he lights up the screen here like it's nobodies business. Him and Anton Yelchin work off of each other perfectly here (one scene comes to mind when Jerry comes over asking for a pack of beer) and you can tell that both are enjoying the hell out of their roles here. Jerry is almost always in control for most of the film, and it's fun to watch him plot and plan. Jerry is a real vampire here, he is deathly allergic to sunlight, hisses and growls, and even vamps out into one ugly monster when he gets hungry. It feels great to finally see a real vampire back on the big screen.

While it is a remake, Fright night 2011 (like it's predecessor before it) manages to take itself to some pretty surprising and fun places. It's very rare to see a remake do everything so right. The 3D is great, the SFX are stunning, the acting is top-notch, the references are smart and fun, the script is smart, and it's reverential to its source material but it still emerges as its own film. In the end, while nothing can replace the original Fright Night, Fright Night 2011 is every bit as good as the original was (In fact, I'd say I prefer the remake to the original).

4/5 Stars

BEETLE TAKES A DRIVE WITH 30 MINS OR LESS

Let's start this review off by addressing the elephant in the room. YES, 30 Mins or Less was partly inspired by a real life event in which a 40 something pizza delivery guy was abducted and had a bomb placed around his neck, and then was forced to go rob a bank (he died by the way). Does knowing this detract from any of the fun to be had in this film? the answer is, surprisingly, no. Every now and then this knowledge gnaws on you during the film, but it's never enough to ruin what is otherwise an extremely fun time at the movies.

From its first fast-paced scene involving Jesse Eisenberg and his car, the tone and pace for 30 Mins or Less is established (it's also one of the few times where after the first scene it's fairly easy to tell if you're going to love the film or not. Me?, I loved it) . Running at a swift 83 mins, not a second is wasted and not a single opportunity for fun is denied. It's a tight, well-made fun guy flick.

30 Mins or Less is about slacker pizza delivery guy Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) and his best friend Chet (Aziz Ansari). One day after Nick and Chet butt heads over an issue and Nick storms out, he ends up having (reluctantly) to deliver one last pizza. Unfortunately, once he arrives at the place he is ambushed by two idiots, Dwayne (Danny McBride) and Travis (Nick Swardson). Once the bomb is strapped around Nick's waist, he is told that he has 10 hours to rob a bank otherwise both buffoons will blow him sky high. In a panic, he drags Chet into his problem in hopes Chet may be able to help him out (of course, this does not please Chet).

While most films would be content in following this otherwise straight-forward plot, 30 Mins or Less is more than willing to step away from the crowd and do something completely, exhilaratingly different.The film is actually alot more complex than its trailers make it out to be and in reality, while the film seems to be building up to an obvious climax it really builds up to something completely different. The trailers only show you maybe the first 30 mins of the film, the rest of 30 Mins or Less has quite a few twists, turns, and surprises so that the audience is kept guessing as to how it all will end throughout the 2nd half of the film, and while the ending is nowhere near as great as it seems to be building itself up to be, there are still quite a few eye opening moments that come out of left field. I can honestly say this is one of the few films where I couldn't guess how it all would end, and this excited me to no end.

While most of the cast does a great job (Aziz Ansari was hilarious as always and his banter with Nick made for some of the more memorable moments in the film), I felt that the 2 best characters were Nick and Dwayne. Dwayne is played by Danny McBride, who does a wonderful performance as a moron who tries to create a scheme that involves killing his A-hole dad (played to perfection by Fred Ward) and using his inheritance to become a millionaire. How does this fit into the bank robbery?? You'll have to see the film for yourself to find out.

Nick is played by Jesse Eisenberg, perfect as the slacker asshole of a main character. He is great fun to watch and immensly easy to root for. It's fun to see him think his way through the problem he's found himself in and use the last few hours he may have to try and fix his somewhat messed up life.

While the script isn't the strongest one I've seen and some jokes fall a wee bit flat, 30 Mins or Less still gains points in it's ability to surprise and thrill audiences (several pretty cool action sequences, and character arcs that go places that are pretty unexpected), and in a market where Hollywood is perfectly content with staying on the beaten path, that makes this film all the more refreshing. 30 Mins or Less is an immensely fun time at the movies that I highly recommend to anyone just looking to have a good time and then some.

3.5/ 5 stars

YES, I didn't go into too much detail and there were several characters I left out in this review. It would be a crime if I spoiled too much of the plot here.

BEETLE'S SUPERHERO FILMS OF 2011

Hey there beetleheads!!!!! As I'm sure you already know the summer of 2011 was host to quite a few films about our favorite tight wearing do-gooders. I, your humble reviewer, made it my quest to sit through every superhero film of the summer. Now, after the successful completion of said quest, I rank the superhero films of summer 2011.

Ranking in at # 4 is the abysmally bad Green Lantern.

Yup, I was looking forward to this one quite a bit. While the first trailer failed to impress me, the newer ones actually got me psyched, then the reviews came out. While it does boast a few impressive sequences the film ends up killing itself. Hal Jordan is quickly established as an asshole who only cares about himself, how are audiences supposed to root for someone like that, seriously??? The meek nerd Hector Hammond is way more sympathetic, but he ends up being one of the main villains, so we kinda can't root for him (although there are times where we are tempted). Carol Ferris is reduced to a stereotyped love interest for our 'hero", why, because every superhero film needs a love interest (groan). Not to mention, the 3-D was unimpressive and the graphics rarely amazed. While the film manages to set up the mythology of the Green Lantern Corps. quite nicely, the film is thrown together with extremely poor direction, editing, and a god-awful script (Just about the only standout parts are on Oa, the home of the Lanterns, and even that crucial location is reduced to less than a handful of scenes). The film is a big, sloppy mess that is pretty hard to sit through, and don't get me started on the post-credit scene. In the end, The Green Lantern Corps. deserved a movie better than this. Reboot please??? 2 stars

Ranking in at the # 3 spot is Thor.

Thor was the first super hero film of the summer, and it started things out with a bang. While there is little to no plot, the graphics are the real star here. All actors do a pretty bang up here and are pretty likeable (even the villain of the film, Loki, is pretty sympathetic and comes across as a real character. His motives are completely understandable, if not a little fucked up). Anthony Hopkins puts on his best performance in years as odin, and Chris Hemsworth is great as spoiled hot-headed prince Thor who is banished to Earth after he disobeys one of his father's orders and starts a war in the process. While the stuff on Earth is a little lead-footed and boring, and the romance between Thor and Jane Foster (a typically hot Natalie Portman) feels forced and fake (She falls in love with Thor for no apparent reason other than he looks good with his shirt off) fans will be sure to find something to like here, if not the cool Norse mythological aspects, or the interesting blend of science and magic, then maybe the amazing visuals. All-in-all Thor adds up to quite an epic adventure. 3 1/2 stars

Ranking in at the # 2 spot is Captain America

Joe Johnston directs Captain America, he also directed The Rocketeer and boy does it show: both are period pieces that have a campiness about them and a fun spirit of adventure. The films beginning is one of the strongest parts as we are introduced to Steve and are given his background and get to see why he really is already a true hero, even though those around him don't know it yet. In fact, I'd dare say the strongest thing about Captain America is how they set up and handle Steve's character. He is instantly likeable and relateable. He may be weak, but he's got one strong set of values and damn is it hard not to fall in love with him (no homo). He is a kid that just wants to serve his country, he doesn't want to kill anyone, and he respects his country so much that he gets into a fight with someone because they were mocking some news reels about the war. Another strong character is Steve's lady friend Peggy Carter (Played by Hayley Atwell), she is one of the higher ups in the military that immediately takes a liking to Steve. She is very witty and has a somewhat tough exterior but as the film continues forward we see that start to melt. Her standout scene is when she enters a restaurant in a red dress, I dare you not to look at her in that thing. Unfortunately, this film does have a weak point and that is the Nazi elements. Hydra (a special faction of the Nazi party) are neither much threatening or scary, Hugo Weaving isn't given much to do except to scowl and try and look menacing, and the films macguffin (The Cosmic Cube) isn't explained all that well and it's power is never fully defined, thus every time the story focuses on the Nazis I grew bored. Despite this though, Captain America is still one super film. It manages to please the comic nerds by throwing in neat little details from previous films and the comics (Bucky, Stark Con, Black Widow, etc.) while also serving as wish fulfillment for any nerdy weakling that has ever been picked on and put down. I'd say it's on par with Iron Man, it's nothing we haven't seen before but it's in the handling of the material that makes this film great! 4 stars

And the # 1 superhero film of the summer is X-Men First Class

I wasn't particularly looking forward to this film. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of origin stories but I'll be damned if this isn't the best one I've seen....EVER. It manages to explain just about everything I wanted an answer to without feeling crammed. What really impressed me though, is that the explanations it gave actually made sense. First class takes place in the 60s and the look, feel, and language of the film is shaped by that era. It really is a neat period piece that incorporates elements from Inglourious Bastards, spy films, and superhero films. In other words, it's one groovy hybrid. Surprisingly, one of the easiest characters to root for was Magneto (Michael Fassbender) who is back in Inglourious Basterds mode here. He gets a neat backstory, and does most of the ass-kicking in the film. Another neat character is Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) who is pretty smart, but uses his wits and charm as a way to woo ladies and to raise mutant awareness. The leading lady (of sorts) in this film is the incredibly hot Mystique (Jenniffer Lawrence, who pretty much gets a full frontal nude scene in one scene where she is blue) she is kind of like Xavier's sister, but she wants to mean more to him than just that. There is also the feeling that there is real bond of friendship between Professor X and Magneto, this in itself makes the film that much stronger. Overall, X-Men First Class is a well-rounded, supremely well-done film and even though Kevin Bacons antagonist may be a little bit too cheesy for my tastes, that still does not take away from the fun and thrills to be had here. And please, no sequels....this ones good enough to be a stand alone film. 4.5 stars

Well there you have it, The superhero films of summer 2011, I hope my rankings have helped you decide which of these films will be worth you time. I hope you had as much fun reading this post as I had writing and living it. Till next time beetleheads....STAY GROOVY.

HORRIBLE BOSSES- COMEDY OF THE YEAR???

Is Horrible Bosses the comedy of the year??? I mean any film that starts out with the song 'The Underdog' by Spoon should be good, right, especially since the song fits perfectly into the film. Sure, the trailers looked hilarious, but thats barely a way to accurately judge how funny or good a comedy will be. Take Bad Teacher for example: the trailers for that film were hilarious, but the film itself ended up being disappointingly mediocre. I had high hopes for Horrible Bosses, but I always remembered that it could easily end up being a huge unfunny flop. You can imagine my trepidation as I took my seat. Will this really be funny, or should I chalk this up as another failed attempt at comedy to the films of 2011??? So, what's my final verdict???

Horrible Bosses ended up being more than I could ever hope for. It's a cathartic release of unbridled laughter and good feelings, after all, who hasn't ever dreamed about offing that annoying co-worker or ball busting boss they have to deal with every damned day. That's exactly what Horrible Bosses is essentially about. Three pals; Dale, Nick, and Kurt have 3 of the worst bosses on Earth. One day they decide enough is enough and formulate a plan to off each other's bosses.

The thing that makes the film work is the script and the actors in it.

Jennifer Anniston is fucking HOT in this film. I've never been attracted to her before, but I'll be damned if this film hasnt changed my mind about her. Not only is she hot, but she's got some of the funniest scenes in the film. It's a riot to see what she puts poor, timid Dale through on a daily basis. I don't know about you guys, but I don't think having Jennifer Anniston constantly hunting for my dick is something to complain about.

Kevin Spacey is suitably terrifying and tormenting in his role as crazed psycho-boss, however I didn't find his performance here anything to scream to the heavens about. He does what is required of him, and he does have some LOL moments but he's probably the only more-or-less serious character in the film. There's nothing wrong with that, but there is a point in the film where he begins to take precedence over the other bosses, and that detracted from the overall experience. All I could think as his role slowly became larger and larger was: Where did Jennifer Anniston go??

Colin Farrell is hilarious as the coke-addled moron who inherits the company that Kurt works for. He's mainly in the first half of the film, and his scenes are as gut-busting as Anniston's are. He never seemed like much of a threat to be honest, with the way he was acting it's only a matter of time before another disgruntled employee put a gun to this dude's head. Still, he makes for quite a memorable semi-villain in the film.

Jamie Foxx is perfect as the man with the golden name: Motherfucker Jones. That's right, you heard me correctly his name really is Motherfucker Jones. Do I need to say anything more???? He plays a bad-ass hitman of sorts that Dale, Kurt, and Nick go to for advice and help. I really enjoyed every scene he was in as he was equal parts dead serious and hilarious, finding the right mixture of each so his character came across as balanced and real.

As great as these characters are though, the ones that make the film so damn enjoyable are Dale, Kurt, and Nick. Our three protagonists who are sort of modern day heroes to the everyman. Yes, their idiots; yes, their in way over their heads, but they have the inititaive and the drive to see their plan through all the way to the end. They HATE their bosses, I mean REALLY HATE their bosses, and who can blame them??? Sudeikis, Bateman, and Day are perfectly cast and play off each other constantly. I'd dare say alot of their scenes were probably adlibbed. They come across as real friends that have been together for a long time, and I love that. There's real chemistry there and in the end, that's the biggest selling point of the film: their chemistry.

Jason Sudeikis is great as Kurt, who's new boss is Bobby (Collin Farrell). Kurt is the smooth ladies man of the group that always knows what to say to really turn her on. It's fun to see his frustration as he tries to communicate and talk sense into moronic Bobby, who only cares about making a quick buck and firing people that make him feel uncomfortable. As he tries to explain to Bobby that this is wrong, his expressions say it all: It's like trying to talk sense into a child. He's fucking hilarious.

Jason Bateman is Nick, the center of the group and the more-or-less rational one. He works for Dave Harken (Kevin Spacey) who terrorizes Nick, teases him, and humiliates him all for his own personal enjoyment. Nick is a man who has worked hard for many years and put up with all the shit Harken has put him through, and when Harken inevitably draws the line and Nick tries to stand up for himself for the first time, seeing Harken's ruthless attitude as he claims Nick as "His Bitch" and Nick's reaction to this is a very real moment in the film that puts us fully on Nick's side and makes us hate Harken all the more. Oh yeah, and Nick is VERY funny as well.

Charlie Day is Dale, the timid and shy underling to Jennifer Anniston's nympho dentist Julia Harris. Dale is engaged to a beautiful woman. This infuriates Julia to no end, since she thinks Dale is HERS. She continually comes at him with a sexual aggressiveness that, I'm not gonna lie, actually turned me on. Scary, I know. Seeing Dale's terrified reactions to her behavior is gut-wrenchingly, slap your knee till it's red hilarious. It does make you wonder though, what do dentists do when they put you out. They could dress us up in funny outfits and make us do humiliating poses and we would be none the wiser.

Behind every great film, there is a superb script that holds everything together, and Horrible Bosses is no different. While I do suspect that there was a good amount of adlibbing going on in the film, there is still no denying that there is a strong prescence of a script here. The script by Michael Markowitz, John Francis Daley, and Johnathan M. Goldstein, and the direction by Seth Gordon pile on the laughs, but keep the film moving at an even pace for the duration of its running time. That is what makes this film so goddamned good. Yes, it's HILARIOUS, but it never runs ahead of itself or loses steam. The film moves at a consistent rate, and thank god for that.

Now we move back to my question I proposed at the beginning of the review: Is Horrible Bosses the best comedy of 2011??? Well, I'm gonna go out on a ledge here and say yes...I think it is. It's evenly paced, got strong direction, has great actors and characters, and generates a lot of laughs. As I said before, It's downright cathartic, and I'm pretty sure I've never used that phrase when referring to a comedy before. Horrible Bosses will leave you with a "Feel Good" feeling, and will keep you laughing from beginning to end, and in this age where we have witnessed a depression, where our country is currently at war, and where our personal lives have been tainted by the economic crash...well, I think what we need now more than ever is to laugh and feel good, and that's exactly what Horrible Bosses offers us: A chance to sit back and laugh for a good hour + and forget our problems. It's medicine that's candy flavored. You MUST see Horrible Bosses.

5/5 Stars BETTER THAN SEX

SUPER 8 IS MINT

Let's be honest. The films of today will never be as great as the films of yesteryear (in terms of production value, quality, etc.), nobody knows this better than Steven Spielberg and JJ Abrams. Together, they teamed up to create one of the most perfect films I have EVER had the joy of watching. It's an intiguing blend of Sci-fi, Romance, Nostalgia, Action, Adventure, and buddy flick. It's called Super 8, and if I must say so myself it is indeed quite super.

The story here is of Joe Lamb, a young pre-adolescent that is suffering from the loss of his mother. He's got a pretty rad group of friends (Charles: the director, Martin: The actor, Cary: the explosives "expert", and Preston. Joe is in charge of makeup) , and together they traverse their small town of Lillian making films. One day, they make the trek to a train station to film a scene for their film and just so happen to witness an exhilarating train crash. As the boys and one girl (new inductee to the group Alice Dainard) flee something emerges from the wreckage and slowly begins to wreak havoc on the small town. As Joe and Alice try to piece together the ongoing mystery they begin to experience new emotions for each other.

As an honorary member of the Spielberg era (I was born in the 90's but grew up with all his classic films. To be honest I really do wish I had grown up in the 70's so I could have seen all those classics in theatres. It would have been awesome!!!) Super 8 seemed to be tailor made for me. It does take place sometime in the 70's and has several neat nods in tone to some of Speilberg's films from that era including but not limited to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goonies, and ET. This gives the whole film a very cool nostalgic vibe that I really loved. Super 8 hearkens back to a time when movies were simpler, but made much more of a personal impact on audiences. It understands that movies work best when they make a connection with the viewer. I know that Super 8 definently made a connection with me, right from the opening scene which, without one line of dialogue, immediately tells us what has just occurred and beautifully creates this tragic sense of sadness that continues to exist underneath the surface of the film. In this way does it follow the rule that so many movies break these days: show, don't tell, and I love it for doing that. I also could relate to the group of kids in the film. I grew up acting and I've always had a passion for movies and the art of making them. I'm sure that if you had a childhood similar to the kids in the film, most of the funny parts will seem much more funny...they sure did to me.

Despite it's insistence that it is a sci-fi film, Super 8 works best when it is focusing on it's young protagonists and delving into their personal lives and friendships. The two most outstanding actors in the film are Elle Fanning, who plays Alice, and Joel Courtney, who plays Joe. they have an undeniable chemistry and play their roles with just the right sense of wonderment at the proceeding events. In one scene, when Elle goes from being stone cold to being close to tears and then cooly asking if that was good enough for the take that Charles was filming...it's a thing of beauty. She is given ample opportunity to show off her acting prowess here and she does not disappoint, most moviegoers will find themselves falling in lover with as Joe does. Joel also gets more than enough screen time to show us what he's got, and he does not disappoint either. from his first melancholy scene to his last look of bewildered wonderment he proves that he is one of the most prominent child actors today. It is a thing of beauty to watch Elle and Joel interact together and play off each other, often times their portrayals giving me some serious chills. One scene that sticks out is when, despite her father's warnings, Alice sneaks over to Joel's place and some serious conversations ensue. seriously guys, keep your eyes on Elle and Joel, they are a force to be reckoned with.

The other child actors do a superb job here as well. Ryan Lee is absolutely hilarious as Cary, the zany one of the group. Gabriel Basso is also pretty damned funny as Martin, and Zach Mills as Preston is also pretty cool but doesn't really make a lasting impression. By far, the one that stick out the most in the group is Riley Griffiths as Charles. He knows when to play it up for laughs and when to slow it down and play it more serious, whats best is that he never comes across as trying to be funny. His friendship with Joe is another one of the best things about the film. They are real buddies and genuinely care about one another. The best scene they share together is when Charles reveal a surprising plot element that most films these days overlook completely. He is a believable character that I cared about in this film, in fact I cared about every single one of the kids.

As a group, the kids interactions with each other are believable and come across as genuine and real. This is how kids talk, what they discuss and fantasize about in their spare time, and this is the kind of adventure every kid in their right mind dreams of having one day. It's a real delight to see the kids interact and play off of each other, and it's also pretty cool to be able to delve into their friendships and see what makes each of them tick. The group dynamic is by far one of the best things about Super 8.

Rounding out the cast are the lead adults. There's Kyle Chandler as Jackson Lamb, Joel's father and town deputy that is struggling to balance his new role as sole parent and his position as deputy. Only complicating things are the persistent military that invades the town after the train crash and lead Jackson to do some investigating of his own. There's Ron Eldard as Louis Dainard, Alice's drunkard of a father. He does care about his daughter but his alcoholic tendencies keep getting in the way of his role as dad. There's also David Gallagher as the funny stoner dude Donny. He's got a crush on Charles' sister and comes to the group's rescue several times throughout the film. He makes for another enjoyable and hilarious character in the film.

Super 8 takes many risks, and in an age where films are perfectly comfortable to play it safe that's a huge achievement. It isn't afraid to place it's kid protagonists in danger several times throughout the film, and unlike the newest Indiana Jones film it actually feels dangerous and there is always the risk that they may not make it out of this alive.

There are several huge set pieces that really blew me away in Super 8, but by far the most impressive is the fantastic train wreck sequence that seems to go on forever (this is a good thing). Train cars fly through the air, some catch on fire, fireballs explode and fly dangerously close to our protagonists and when you think it's over it's really just begun. Like the energizer bunny, the sequence keeps going and going and going. It was phenomenal. Every single action scene in the film was superbly done and is unforgettable once viewed.

Super 8, despite it's numerous accomplishments, does have one major downfall: it tries to do too much. Between trying to be a nostalgic look back at the good old days of moviemaking, and trying to be a look at our bygone days of youth and what it was like to be a kid, and trying to be a coming of age story, and also trying to be an exciting sci-fi film, Super 8 ultimately becomes a bit bogged down. To be honest though, you barely notice this except at some of the slower moments of the film and even then it's only a fleeting realiziation. Super 8 shoots for the moon but gets the stars instead, it's not so much of a loss as it is a happy shortcoming ( my only other complaint is that the film focuses too much on the monster's story and not enough time on the kids). Don't let this deter you from seeing the film though, because it is still pretty damned perfect in just about every way nontheless.

Super 8 is many things: Mainly it's a nostalgic film wrapped in pretty sci-fi wrappings. I, for one, want to see more films like this. I like the vibe the film gave off, and it really does feel like you are opening the coolest, most rad time capsule ever when you view this film. It's fucking neat. Super 8, despite a few shortcomings, is an instant classic that will become one for the ages. Needless to say it will probably become my personal favorite film of the summer, possibly the year. As Charles would say: It's mint.

4.5/5 Stars

BREAKING DAWN TRAILER IS RELEASED, TEEN GIRLS EVERYWHERE SCREAM WITH JOY

Yes, unfortunately it is getting closer to that time of year again. That foul time of the year where an ever ruthless Hollywood takes advantage of the teen female demographic by releasing yet another god-damned Twilight film. STOP IT ALREADY!!!!

For those not in the know, the first teaser trailer for Breaking Dawn has just been released at the MTV Movie Awards. Being a critic, I (unfortunately) had to watch the trailer for myself. Here are my thoughts.

The trailer hits all the right notes for Twilight fans. it makes them feel special by saying they are invited to Edward and Bella's wedding, pulls on their heart strings by reminding them that this is the first part of the end, and it tickles their under regions with sexed up clips of Edward, Bella, and a shirtless Jacob wolfing out.

That said, the trailer did nothing for me. Let's face it, I'm not a Twilight fan, most guys aren't. The only way any self-respecting guy would go to a Twilight film would be if their girl dragged them to it.

While I look forward to the new Twilight film with the right amount of dread, others rejoice (why, I'll never be able to figure out). It's just another product of a system that is eager to exploit a dumb demographic that is so easy to manipulate. So rest easy Hollywood, knowing that soon your piggy banks will be overflowing with dumb teenage girl money.

(For those of you wondering why there is no link to the trailer of Breaking Dawn it's because I didn't post one. If you want to watch the trailer you'll have to look that shit up for yourself.)