'Super 8' Review

Just saw "Super 8" with my bud Ramin, a huge sci-fi/horror fan who loved the new Steven Spielberg/J.J. Abrams movie. It's definitely a throwback to Spielberg's "Close Encounters" and "E.T.," with a little "Stand By Me" thrown in.

I was glad to see the casting is somewhat diverse, mainly Glynn Turman ("A Different World") and Richard T. Jones (from the "Why Did I Get Married?" movies) as a scientist and soldier, respectively. Unfortunately, like many sci-fi/horror flicks, the bruthas die early on.

It would have been nice if one of the main characters, the group of kids who are at the center of the action, would have been black, Hispanic, Native American or Asian. Oh, well, at least there were minorities in small, supporting roles.

Kinda cool that Ohio was the setting. A closeup of a map in one of the scenes shows Dayton and surrounding areas.

Overall, "Super 8" is a formulaic yet entertaining summer movie.