Another hit for J.J. Abrams

Rating: 9/10 (4 July 2011)

There are lots of great reviews for this film, so I'm not going to say much. I suspect that everyone has compared it to E.T., and that's very true -- even in the scariest places, Abrams has managed to infuse both the sweetness and humor.
However, I have a hint for those of you who haven't seen it (and perhaps some who have). Find a copy of the _original_ version of Close Encounters and watch it carefully. It's worth it for the small homage that Abrams has included to that wonderful film. Just sayin'.
I think that Abrams has become a worthy successor to Steven Spielberg, something which we've increasingly needed as Spielberg has turned more toward production and mentoring younger directors. However, I hope that these two continue collaborating for a long time to come.