And then there is J.J. Abrams' Super 8, a love letter to early Steven Spielberg films that was actually produced by the iconic director's Amblin Entertainment – thus making it an authentic Spielberg film. (The irony is that Spielberg produced Transformers 3 - opening this summer, from the same studio - one of the many movies that has ruined the theatrical experience.) When the film's end credits began to roll, every ounce of my being was confused, angry and even a bit sad. Everything that's RIGHT about the immersive movie experience lay within the grasp of Super 8, a film that isn't worried about the "creature" or "special effects" as much as it wants you to love its characters (in a very meta moment one of the kids asks his friend to read an article about character development in film).

Without giving too much away, Super 8 isn't a straight-up horror movie, but it carries signature Spielberg scares such as a gas station and bus attack that are both over-the-top intense. It's incredibly dark, like when Spielberg wasn't afraid of scaring off a few family members (think Jaws or Close Encounters of the Third Kind). Literally everything screams "1980s Spielberg" from the kid's haircuts to the (impeccable) score, cinematography, dark family relations, and overly melodramatic finale. While the ending will piss a lot of people off (much like with War of the Words), it's actually a remarkably beautiful connection between the two families and said creature. Sealed tight and wrapped with a bow, they say.

I find it absolutely hilarious that James Cameron spent $500 million on Avatar in an attempt to create an immersive experience (he failed), yet Abrams did it on a shoe-string budget (for a studio film). Super 8 truly is the beginning and the end of summer blockbusters. In fact, this is the summer blockbuster of 1986. If Abrams' flick came out in the ‘80s, it would be the sole movie that everyone was in line for. That's the most heartbreaking aspect of this mind-blowing nostalgic experience. Grab your loved ones and embrace what could be the last true summer movie event.