Not all close encounters with aliens need to be frightening. After all, kids need some sort of introduction to the world of science fiction before graduating to the ‘Star Wars’ films, the ‘Star Trek’ TV shows, or the emotionally scarring ‘Firefly’. Luckily, this generation of children will be able to check out ‘Echo to Earth’ very soon from Relativity Studios.
Somewhat of a cross between ‘E.T.’, ‘Chronicle’, and ‘Super 8’ featuring an alien that resembles what one could imagine the offspring of Wall-E and Eve being, Dave Green’s ‘Echo to Earth’ follows a group of kids who find a friendly alien trying to get home. Though it sounds like a fairly simple plot, I could definitely see kids today flocking to this Speilbergian found footage film in the same way that generations before looked to ‘The Iron Giant’, ‘E.T.’, and other films about aliens and adventure. To get a better look at the upcoming film, check out the trailer below from Apple, followed by the official synopsis:
Tuck, Munch and Alex are a trio of inseparable friends whose lives are about to change. Their neighborhood is being destroyed by a highway construction project that is forcing their families to move away. But just two days before they must part ways, the boys begin receiving a strange series of signals on their phones. Convinced something bigger is going on, they team up with another school friend, Emma, and set out to look for the source of their phone signals. What they discover is something beyond their wildest imaginations: a small alien who has become stranded on Earth. In need of their help, the four friends come together to protect the alien and help him find his way home. This journey, full of wonder and adventure, is their story, and their secret.
What do you think about ‘Echo to Earth’? Is there a little one that you think will be interested in this film as a (star)gateway to sci-fi? Let us know in the comments.
‘Echo to Earth’ starring Leo Halm, Brian “Astro” Bradley, Reese Hartwig, and Ella Linnea Wahlestedt makes contact on July 2, 2014.
