So, now I've actually seen it do I still think the same?
JJ Abrams has captured that old movie magic perfectly, it's like watching a Spielberg film when he still made films with heart and soul. Yet somehow it's completely fresh and new. It's a good balance of old movie charm and modern film making.
It's 'E.T', 'The Goonies' and 'Stand By Me' all rolled into one with a hint of Cloverfield for good measure! And it all works wonderfully. For me, one of the highlights was the rapport the kids have, and their acting! It's rare enough to find one good performance from a child in a film, but here there's several! A whole gang of them! My only minor critique is that it seems to build and build to the grand finale, and then sorta fizzles out a bit at the end...
BUT, it's definitely a cinema experience, any film geek of the late 70's - 80's will come over all warm and nostalgic viewing this on the big screen. It's all about the films integrity. This is REAL movie making! ...'They don't make them like they used to!' ERR, YEAH, actually they do!
8.5/10
