TRAILERS
Must Watch: Breathtaking Super Bowl Spot for J.J. Abrams' 'Super 8'
by Alex Billington
February 6, 2011
Source: Apple
Holy crap! Paramount debuted this Super Bowl TV spot for J.J. Abrams' Super 8 during the game and it looks absolutely superb - like E.T. meets Stand By Me. All we'd seen for this sci-fi thriller previously was a very interesting teaser trailer last year that didn't even feature any cast. Super 8 stars first-time kid actors Zach Mills, Ryan Lee, Joel Courtney, as well as a few bigger names: Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Noah Emmerich, Ron Eldard and Amanda Michalka. This truly has an old school Amblin feel to it and I just love it. It's one of my most anticipated movies this summer and I'm fully sucked into the mystery of it, too.
Watch the official Super Bowl TV spot for J.J. Abrams' Super 8:
You can also watch the Super 8 Super Bowl spot in High Def on Apple
Relationships are tested when a small town experiences extraordinarily fantastic "other-worldly" events.
Super 8 (which is supposedly a tentative title, but that doesn't seem to be the case) is written & directed by visionary director J.J. Abrams, who started his career with "Lost" and "Alias" before first directing Mission: Impossible III then Star Trek last summer. This is being produced by Steven Spielberg at Amblin, Relativity and Bad Robot. According to early reports, this was inspired by Spielberg's sci-fi films of the 70's and 80's. Paramount will be bringing Super 8 to theaters everywhere, not in 3D, starting on June 10th this summer.
65 Comments
1
Breathtakingly...breathtaking...
Ataris525 on Feb 7, 2011
2
Breathtaking? lol it was okay at best.
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
3
4
Ok at best? You must have been watching the Transformers Super Bowl spot.
Modern American Man on Feb 7, 2011
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6
Heh, but seriously. Any fan of filmmaking can recognize quickly that this 30 second spot, unlike the others, has something special about it. It defenitely has the Spielberg influence in it. In 30 seconds that has become the film I must see. MUST.
Modern American Man on Feb 7, 2011
7
agreed - i am well up for this film. both Alex and the 'Man are spot on - there is a strong Amblin feel to this teaser. it may well be that people expecting a massive explosions film might be waiting for them between long pauses of story and acting, old fashioned stuff like that. we'll see!
lumière on Feb 7, 2011
8
amazing! so many awesome spots
TomCruise on Feb 7, 2011
9
Oh wow, Eric Taylor? Awesome. love that guy.
crumb on Feb 7, 2011
11
The Spielberg influence is strong in this one, even the score sounded like Williams. Pretty stoked.
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
12
The prequel!
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
14
Love it. Can't wait!
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
15
Okay, I guess I see the E.T. influence, but this movie is clearly his ode to Close Encounters over anything Spielberg has done. EVERYTHING screams Close Encounters (in a great way)!... - the teaser trailer's truck crossing the train tracks (almost the same as Neary's truck in Close Encounters) - The Military presence (more overbearing in Close Encounters than E.T.) - The train station evacuation (right out of Close Encounters) I wouldnt be surprised if he threw some kind of imagery of The Devil's Tower.
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
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Hey! Sorry for the late response. Yeah, that's what I was saying (hence the "in a great way"). I am obsessed with Close Encounters. In my top 3 Spielberg, man. And this looks to capture the essence and tone. And by the way, I love FistShoving.net. That, and /Film are thee best films news sites... And well, JoBlo too.
GutsSpill on Feb 22, 2011
18
Gotta agree crumb.....gotta love coach T
ryan on Feb 7, 2011
19
wow... stoked! i did NOT see that spot coming
Jonah on Feb 7, 2011
20
We already saw this movie, it's just a Cloverfield prequel. Didn't look all that special.
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
21
Weak
DaftPUNKfan on Feb 7, 2011
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lol you just threaten to delete people's comments that you don't like? why do we even come here? I guess we shouldn't.
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
24
It's his blog. I'm sure he can do what he wants. You're right though. If you don't like the rules in his house don't come to his house, right?
Modern American Man on Feb 7, 2011
25
Yes, I prefer democracy so I'll go to one of the other thousand blogs on the net.
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
26
What's the difference between "weak" and "breathtaking"?! To each its on. I have no idea what this movie is about, but I'm loving this. I'm for excited for Spielberg than Abrams, I want Spierlberg to go back to epic sci fi movies!
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
27
Weak! Ahahahahahahahaha! Right. Right. I'm surprised you mustered up the 4 seconds it took to post that comment.
Modern American Man on Feb 7, 2011
28
I have to say, I have low expectations for J.J. films, and when he said this would feel very 70s Speilberg esq I rolled my eyes. As far as a teaser, it delivered its promise.
Al on Feb 7, 2011
29
But so far, Abram's seems to have had no problem delivering solid material in both television and film. I don't understand why you have a low expectation; even if you don't particulary like his work, you have to respect it for what it is.
Jackson on Feb 7, 2011
30
Totally got the nostalgic mood from this that conjured feelings from ET/Close Encounters. The world really needs a new positive family sci-fi movie!! Out with the end of the world battles.
Tomi on Feb 7, 2011
31
EPIC. GOOSEBUMPS. Theme song from "Cocoon"...BTW
The Observer on Feb 7, 2011
32
You wouldn't happen to know the name of the song would you?
John Doe on Feb 8, 2011
33
Love the score!!!
gieb on Feb 7, 2011
34
*breathes into paperbag*
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
35
This was a better Super Bowl spot overall than the Captain America one, IMO.
Dustin Asher on Feb 7, 2011
36
Coach Taylor FTW! you can see the Spielbergs influence for sure, very similar tone to ET and Close Encounters.
GoPack on Feb 7, 2011
37
I still won't even consider seeing this movie until I know what it's about. Right now it looks like they slapped together a buncha clips from the remake of War of the Worlds.
WhatFunIsThere on Feb 7, 2011
38
I enjoy being surprised by a film's story. Knowing what a film is about before I see it kind of takes the mystery out of it, especially with a film like this one which seems to be fully intended to be mysterious. I appreciate Abrams for his love of mysteries and hope that you don't get to find out what this film is about before you inevitably see it. It's going to be too good for someone like you to pass up.
IanKuah on Feb 7, 2011
39
J.J. Abrams is the new Spielberg! Hell, they even look alike!! This is nothing as I originally expected, It's not better, it's not worse, just different, but definitely tending to the positive!
Leinergroove on Feb 7, 2011
40
I cant wait for this movie.. #1 most excited for... followed closely by cowboys and aliens... and battle los angeles
Headshtftw on Feb 7, 2011
41
I never really like scenes where people impossibly run through giant twisting wreckage like at the beginning of the trailer, it puts me right off. Definitely has a 'wholesome' feel, I still have to go through the other trailers, but I hope this wasn't the best one because it wan't that super.
Crapola on Feb 7, 2011
42
MORE!
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
43
This honestly looks like we have an instant classic on our hands, Ill save judgments for a full on trailer.
Cody W. on Feb 7, 2011
44
YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
Cinemamind on Feb 7, 2011
45
i can see potential in the movie . from the trailer, the look of the film appears gorgeous and the action seems ok too. another positive is it has the feel of a 1950's monster film brought into todays world (and yea- i DEFINITELY got the spielberg feel to this - which is NOT bad). i really didn't get that fanboy excitement that alex ,*modern american man* and others got from it. i think throwing around the terms "classic" and breathtaking" are over-reactions. of course, it could be due to the fact i hated cloverfield for many reasons.(i won't take up space reliving that movie -it's done and i'll move on.) but that disaster aside - abrams is almost always excellent in whatever he does. i'm interested in this - i just think there wasn't enough in 36 seconds to go overboard on. i absolutely LOVED "monsters" and hope this one delivers too.
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
47
seconded, Monsters really was thoroughly enjoyable, and all the more so for playing to its strengths and *not* being a massive fx alien film.
lumière on Feb 7, 2011
48
agreed! that feeling of mystery and not knowing what was going to happen next really made a GREAT atmosphere. i was very impressed with that movie.
Anonymous on Feb 8, 2011
49
After Cloverfield I'm going to watch JJ's films. I really liked it. As for the spot it really has that Spielberg feeling like everyone here says it has. But as with all these tv spots and trailers it's just to soon to judge a movie... waiting for the real deal.
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
50
I concur.
John Doe on Feb 8, 2011
51
You know it's a JJ Abrams film when you have flashlights pointed at the camera 😛 It's his style right?!
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2011
52
intriguing yet bit disappointed
A5J4DX on Nov 13, 2018
53
intriguing yet bit disappointed
A5J4DX on Nov 13, 2018
54
How do so many of you get so much out of a 30 second spot? I thought it was a general rule that movie trailers can be very misleading as to the quality of a film. Whatever. I don't think it will be bad, that's not what I'm saying, but I just think we jump to conclusions so quickly when it comes to judging films.
IanKuah on Feb 7, 2011
55
I was very dissapointed because it is a kids movie, i was expecting something more serious, it looks like ET.
Erifdfgx on Feb 7, 2011
56
How could possibly know that for sure? I mean, have you even SEEN the film already?
John Doe on Feb 8, 2011
57
the voice speakin on the trailer is creepy
Trey on Feb 7, 2011
58
@Erifdfgx: I have the same exact opinion. When I saw this during the Super Bowl last night I was quite disappointed. The teaser trailer made the film seem ominious and spooky. A kind of Cloverfield vibe, but more narrative. The Super Bowl spot turned it into cheese. The only thing missing were Reese's pieces. Too damned bad.
writebrained on Feb 7, 2011
59
I was not impressed. Granted I like the theme music and where they want to go with this as I, like most of us, love movies like The Goonies and E.T. but using preprinciple photography that was put together to rush out a teaser a while back is a bit weak. Then again they may have incorporated that footage into the actual film which would render me moot. Anyhow its got Steven's hands on it so I'm game.
Johnny Neat on Feb 7, 2011
60
amazing work from genius director J.J Abrams.
Ss Pincode on Feb 7, 2011
61
I don't know what to think. It looked pretty cool but it also looked more like a kids movie then I was expecting. I was thinking this was going to be more of a horror/sci-fi type thing. Then again, he's known for not showing much until the very end so I guess we'll see.
Brian Ricci Movie Review on Feb 7, 2011
62
Is it me or does the score sound like a sample of "cocoon"?
duane on Feb 7, 2011
64
I dont know man i still dont know what the hell is goin on, that trailer told me nothing.
Themunoz_147 on Feb 11, 2011
65
i have a feeling we wont see the creature till the very end of the movie.
Chaos1979 on Feb 13, 2011
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