I had more fun watching this than I've had at the movies for some time, at least regarding American films. You really don't see a lot of movies like this made anymore, where the FX actually takes a back seat to character development. There's a sense of old-time wonder and excitement that's often lacking in many (most?) of today's Hollywood blockbusters. Super 8 should esp. appeal to those who enjoyed movies like Stand By Me, and books like It by Stephen King, and Summer of Night by Dan Simmons. All are stories about a group of small-town childhood friends in a bygone era encountering the unknown.