Super 8, the new JJ Abrams movie is retro in a couple of ways. Firstly, it's set in 1979 - and they get it pitch perfect. I was close to the same age as the ensemble adolescent cast and I instantly felt whisked back to that time period. The cars, hair and music are all spot on. There were a couple bits of dialog that I thought might have been off. Were kids beginning sentences with "Totally" in its slang sense back then? Maybe in the Valley. Also one of the characters calls someone a douche. I don't remember having that word in my vocab until much later - but I'm quibbling.

The other way it's retro is in the type of film it is. It reminds me of those early 80s ensemble kids' flicks like Stand by Me, The Goonies and The Lost Boys. And while Spielberg is listed only as the producer, I felt at times that Super 8 was a homage to some of his early 80s, small town movies like E.T. and The Goonies.

The acting performances by the whole cast were excellent. The kids didn't seem like precocious children hamming it up or growth stunted teenagers playing it young. The relationships were believable and interesting - and mainly what the movie focused on. I'm thankful to Abrams for that - he wrote the script. It's not another CGI sploogefest - the alien's role is actually very small. Instead, Super 8 is an adolescent adventure dramedy that leaves you satisfied at the end - if only a little nostalgic for the era - but that effect may only be for people of my vintage. Go see it.