FilmMattic

Pretty But Perfunctory *Editors Note: Pretend Clint Eastwood is narrating this entire post!       Beyond an investment of $3.5 million (per 30-seconds, up from $3 million last year) and a critical mass upwards of 90 million, what distinguishes a Super Bowl spot from any other spectacle-less day of advertising? Well, because of the exorbitant monetary outlay and the mammoth exposure, the biggest distinction is, presumably, creative disbursement. All that money—enough to feature Taylor Kitsch in two prominent spots—has to go to good use, correct? The answer, of course, is yes. But, more important, do the yeoman efforts, from marketers, actors, directors, and sponsors, produce effective results? Sadly no. In the hotbed of filmic fanaticism, the 2012 Super Bowl will be synonymous with three words, transitively etched in the amorphous footprint of Twitter: Pretty but perfunctory.

Super Psyched for Super 8      Directed by J.J. Abrams Written by J.J. Abrams Produced by J.J. Abrams, Steven Spielberg and Bryan Burk Starring: Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, AJ Michalka, Ron Eldard and Noah Emmerich Music by Michael Giacchino Cinematography: Larry Fong Editing by Maryann Brandon Studio: Bad Robot Productions & Amblin Entertainment Distributed by Paramount Pictures Budget: $45-50 million Release Date United States: June 10, 2011 in both standard and IMAX theaters.       The promotional might behind J.J. Abrams latest film, Super 8 is robust—perhaps, akin to today's massive gasoline prices. People pay more at the pump, but question the nature of the increase. That is the genius of Abrams (and no, I'm not saying he's responsible for exorbitant gas prices). He unveils just enough in plot detail to satiate the colossal intrigue of super fan boys, but never alludes to that one critical feature. It leaves even the most hard...