CLOVERFIELD (1-18-08)

[carebear]

Don't cut Spielberg any slack either.

How would Brody explode the scuba tank with a radio digitally inserted instead of the Garand?

 

[Doctor Strange]

I saw Cloverfield with my son last night. I went in with very low expectations, and ended up liking it a lot. Sure, it's just Blair Witch done right, but I thought it was pretty clever, and it had plenty of scary surprises.

Yeah, the "characters" are sketchy at best, knowing the geography of Manhattan makes some of the distances traveled under very adverse conditions seem utterly impossible in the time shown, and nothing is ever really explained. But it's a nice change of pace to see a giant monster flick that doesn't focus on the elite - the scientists, military, and politicians who have a clue what's happening. By being about the poor bastards on the street who are just running for their lives, the film achieves something different from the usual monster-on-the-rampage tropes... while simultaneously honoring them.

And for its low budget ($30 mil), I found the effects work to be very believable: I particularly liked the scene on the Brooklyn Bridge. The picture also uses the old "the less you see clearly, the scarier you imagine it" concept well, just panning over to quick glimpses of the carnage. And the soft amateur-video look ironically helps to sell the reality...

A post-9/11, destroy-Manhattan, monster movie that's thoroughly modern in not having a real plot, real characters, or a "literary" resolution, yet really satisfies the inner 13-year-old who wants to be scared silly. Yeah, I definitely liked it.

 

[Badluck Brody]

Just saw it Friday!!

I have to say, I could have lived without the camera bounce... But I actually liked it alot!!

You have to see it on the big screen to enjoy the wide angle shots from street level and such..

 

[SarahLouise]

I saw it at the weekend and I enjoyed it. It's a monster film, nothing more, and as most people mention you don't really care what happens to the main characters as they were just really irritating! You also see the monster quite a bit (I was under the impression that you don't really see it at all) but you don't know for sure what it is exactly. I think the handheld camera was extremely effective and I don't think it would be as good if it were filmed in the normal way. If you want to switch off your brain and just want entertainment, then I recommend this film.

 

[CharlesB]

saw it on saturday. it was killer

 

[RIOT]

*SPOILER ALERT*


Remember that Cloverfield monster action figure? Well photos are now available on Hasbro's site http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/ProductsByBrand.htm?BR=863&ID=21030

*Click at your own risk*

.

 

[Story]

Life imitates art

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8UTL46O2&show_article=1

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Scientists investigating the icy waters of Antarctica said Tuesday they have collected mysterious creatures including giant sea spiders and huge worms in the murky depths.