Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Lizzy Caplan and T.J. Miller Directed by: Matt Reeves Rated: PG-13 (violence, terror, disturbing images) Trailer: Click here! A small, quiet movie with hardly any sort of pre-release hype or build-up... But seriously, I enjoyed this movie a good bit. Caught the first showing today at noon, to almost-packed theater! It was surprisingly good, and I don't feel the least bit bad for the $6.50 I paid to see it. In fact, I wouldn't have minded spending full nighttime admission price (and believe me, that's saying a lot). I guess the major buzz on this thing is if you took "Blair Witch", Godzilla, a bit of 9/11, an indie "relationship" movie and John Carpenter's "The Thing" and threw it all into a blender, this would be "Cloverfield". But that's true...that's exactly what it is. But they did it right and they did it well. It's creepy and eerie, without any buildup, musical stabs or false leads. It's just "holy crap, this is horrible! WTF is that thing?!?" The thing I liked best is what I was hoping I would, going in: we, as the audience, don't know one bit more about what's going on than the poor saps throughout. It just "is", and it's just there. Other movies - "Godzilla", "Armageddon", etc. - we're privy to the goings-on, peeking over the shoulder of the government and military, learning the why, when and where of it all. This movie, you're simply "one of the group" trying to get your butt to safety and away from this...whatever-it-is. The movie never tells, because these characters never have that sort of info and access; and neither do you. I actually found it a bit chilling and eerie at times, because of how real and straight they played it. I would imagine if something like that happened in real life, everyone would be as completely wound-up, frazzled and half out-of-their-minds (and the little moments of humor that come in, that's just people being human...when you're scared out of your mind, you'll do or say things to comfort yourself and those around you, so that comes through as well and just makes it seem a bit grounded and real. It's actually played a bit low-key, with natural dialogue. It feels like you're just watching some regular movie about a guy and a girl and their friends and suddenly there's this weird thing taking place, but the movie just continues on, with this "attack on the city" as background/framing. Hard to explain; you just have to see it. And I actually recommend that you do. It's quite a sight to behold, the effects, sound and large-scale mayhem. Nothing looked blatantly CGI. It looked like there was some monster running around downtown at night, destroying buildings and basically carrying on like a complete a-hole. I reference 9/11 above not in any sort of cheap, disrespectful way; but 2-3 scenes in this movie really play that angle up (the "walking wounded", covered in ash and dust, the cloud of smoke from a collapsing building chasing people down the street and you dash into a corner market and watch the white dust come by past the window...we all saw footage like that on that horrible day). Some people, who were there in New York that day and in the thick of it, might be a bit disturbed or unsettled by a few scenes, simply in terms of "wow, that looks a lot like what I was doing...". There is no musical score/soundtrack (other that background music on stereos). But no film-based musical cues, keeping with the "amateur footage" vibe of the thing. It's like "The Blair Witch Project" at times, including a few on-camera confessionals/goodbyes. But it worked for me. The little parasites that drop from its body (the monster scratches its back on a sidescraper) were described in some earlier, full-of-crap "reviews" as "Volkswagon Beetle-sized" beasts, but that's completely wrong. They're more like tricycle (or small ATV) in size, and reminded me quite a bit of those creatures in Alien with the tails and spider-y legs that attach themselves to people's faces. But they move very fast, on multiple legs, and they make an eerie chattering/squishy sort of sound. And they pop up a few times when you least expect it, for some extra, more intimate thrills. I'll never go walking through subway tunnels with night-vision camera or goggles...I'm just sayin'. Is it the greatest movie I've ever seen? Of course not. Is it the most watchable, not-sure-what's-happening-next thing I've seen in ages? Definitely!Without a doubt. This isn't your typical disaster flick, where you've got Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, etc. to root for (and you know they're going to come through). This is a cast of expendable unknowns. So I really enjoyed that part of it. Even walking out afterwards, you realize you never got any sort of indication of what this thing is, or where it came from. But you don't really care because it's gripping and entertaining enough, and you just attach yourself along for the ride. Another thing this movie does well is the sound...the loud footsteps, the roar, the destruction. And, yes...even the silence at times. Amped up the suspense and fear a good bit, IMO. A very neat, watchable "you are there" take on the monster-eats-a-city genre; because of the ways it's shot, the lack of background and exposition and an unknown cast, you truly have no idea what's going to happen next, but, chances are, it ain't gonna be pleasant: a solid 8-out-of-10...I'd almost nudge it to nine; we're talking an 8.8 or so. Chances are you'll enjoy it, only because it's such a different, neat take on this sort of movie...we're not riding along with the heroes, military or scientists; we're the people down in the street, screaming, running and freaking out. ************ The nitty-gritty (spoiler summary): Spoiler (click to toggle): Spoiler (click to toggle):
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¡Damned!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
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"Cloverfield", huh? Sounds kinda interesting. Maybe I'll catch it once it comes to DVD.
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Selfish Heathen
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
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Of course, the real question here is did the Star Trek teaser before the movie make you salivate?
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Space Pirate
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
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The monster was....
Spoiler (click to toggle):
They did capture what felt to be a really accurate experience, but I did feel frustrated at not learning what the beast was, where it came from, etc. Very frustrated at there being no full resolution to the picture... I'm conditioned to expect closure. The producers won't be able to do a sequel without approaching an answer for some of the questions about the monster, but they'd be ill served to simply switch formats or explain everything. Should it remain a movie series or become a television series? |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Neither. It should just be what it is, and go down in cult-film history, IMO. Why ruin something kinda cool and novel by making it "product"? That's my thinking on it, anyway...
I actually like the "not knowing". Keeps it creepy and mysterious, and we can all fill in our own blanks. Brad, my theater didn't show the "Star Trek" teaser. I was looking forward to seeing it, but no dice. It's currently up at AICN, a crappy cell phone vid... |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
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From the trailers, I get the impression that only young and good looking people live in New York and, consequently, are the only ones killed by this monster (or the parasites).
Is anyone over 30 or otherwise ugly affected by this monster? If not, I'm happy to know that when something like this happens for real, I'll be completely safe. |
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owner for sale by house
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
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Heh, the NY Times review ends with the sentence "Rarely have I rooted for a monster with such enthusiasm." I have also read other reviews that basically say that while the special effects are good, the characters are not developed and you don't care about them at all, and that there are lots of things they do that normal people simply wouldn't do.
Thoughts? |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Dallas
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I just got back from seeing it and first, yes, the Star Trek preview looked good. But there wasn't much to it.
Spoiler (click to toggle):
Anyway, go see it. It's worth the price of admission and really does get you involved in the feel of the movie. Just be sure to turn your brain completely off before the thing gets going. As for the lack of explanation, I think there will be sequel of some sort. in the last scene on the ferris wheel you see something fall into the water by the cruise ship. Surely there's a reason to show that. Though it will probably be some obscure website thing in a few weeks when the audience starts dying down to generate more buzz. I wouldn't mind seeing a parallel movie leading up to, involving, and going past the night in the movie. Told from the people that know more. |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Well, my take on it is this: the characters aren't "developed" because it's not a typical movie, spanning lengths of time or delving into "character study". It's "found footage", after all. It's some schmo's going-away party video (and then all hell breaks loose).
So how much "character" and depth do any of us display in such scenarios? Again, I like that we don't know much about the monster or the main players. They're just some NYC twenty-somethings, caught in the moment. Sure, they're probably not the kind of people I'd hang out with (they struck me as a skootch vapid and self-absorbed, well on their way to full-blown yuppiedom and oblivitardation), but it doesn't make me enjoy the movie any less. |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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I was focused on the water's surface, so maybe I missed and was looking at another part. I was looking for any sort of ridge/crest, or bubble action taking place. Here's what's funny to me...after months of hype, there will be those (snotty reviewers and your more high-brow, self-appointed "culture guardian" types) who'll set out after this movie and rip it to pieces, just because it's a gut reaction to the build-up or hype. It's not a bad movie by any stretch, but I know so many reviewers who revel in that whole "contrary curmudgeon" schtick, and will lay into something for reasons that extend way past the movie itself. I expect a bit "Cloverfield" backlash, half-fueled by some of the very mother-humpers who've been talking about it for six months straight. People are funny. All the more reason, IMO, for the thing to hit, do its job (one week or three months?) and simply go away. Just become a huge DVD rental/purchase phenomenon, spark debate about the whole "what" and "why", etc. But only have this one film to base it all on. It would kinda ruin it, for me, to see a parallel or alternate take on it, in the military command centers or mayor's office. I still love the idea of not knowing exactly what the hell this thing is, or where it came from. On that full shot of it, as they were flying away in the chopper and the jets were bombing it, it was quite freaky-looking, how its limbs were formed (pretend your elbows bent the other way), so I'm sitting there going "is it some sort of undersea crab-like thing? Or did it come from another planet?" I like thinking about those sorts of things more than actually knowing the "official" answer... |
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Senior Member
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Last night, this morning, I went to the arclight midnight showing, this is a cinema with reserved seating so no waiting in line. YAY! But I thought overall the movie was really really good, the party in the beginning was a bit to long, but gave us a bit about the people. everyones reactions, after the big boom was quite realistic. run to the roof to see what going on, though like in the subway it was a bit predictable, but what do you expect. the few end shots of the monster are very satisfying overall. I like how some of the best shots are though the news casts. If you stayed though the end of the credits, we think that someone say's "help us/me." I felt very much for the last two. The camera guy is very funny, and it is rare that you can find a film like this with scary shock moments and also humor. I will bet there will be a second one, and i would hope that it would tell us about where the monster came from. One thing is that the monster reminds me of Grendel from Beowulf. And also there posters, have really great art. I would give it an A.
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Dallas
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Either way, I'm happy. |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Well if they gotta do a sequel, I wouldn't mind it tearing the shit out of L.A./Hollywood...leave NYC alone and go do some damage where it might actually do a little good.
"Oh, it just threw Paris Hilton's car - with her in it - into the Pacific Ocean! Spontaneous celebrations are breaking out all over the city. Back to you in the studio, Jim...". |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Dallas
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I want to see something destroy Dallas for a change. Or at least somewhere I've been so I can relate to it. NY, LA, London, Tokyo, etc. have all had their turns.
Maybe, Cloverfield: Greenland, For once a monster comes up in an isolated local. |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlanta
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Iceland could be taken out pretty well by a big monster like that.
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Got into a fight with the gf that was a long time coming so I went and saw this during my cooling off time.
That said, I really liked it. It was tense in parts and that made me forget that I was at the movie alone cause I was pissed, worth a third of the price there. The visuals were great, the scenes outside the apartment in the street and in deli were really like what NYC looks like on 9/11 - just it was dark out instead. The teaser shots of the monster were just enough that I felt myself leaning left and right in my seat, partly to get away and partly because I just wanted to see more. Worth another third of the price of admin. Was the last third of the ticket worth it, the story and acting? Probably. The actors were rough but that was their job and the story line was a bit flawed but aren't they all in movies like this. Go see it, worth the 90 minutes and the time out of the house. As for the last scene, caught it. Now just trying to remember how much time went by between CI and then the night of the party. Last note - I will never get in a helicopter. Never ever |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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I think it was about a month between their Coney Island date and the events of that night. I think the Coney stuff was stamped early/mid April-ish, and the night of his party was in mid-May?
Something like that. Not sure on the exact dates/time spans, but I know it was April and May for each. Could've been days, or several weeks. What did you see, exactly? I'm kicking myself for not catching it because I knew damn well that shot lingered too long... I was probably looking at the wrong part of the screen. However, I've told everyone I know that if they go see it, to be sure to keep their eyes open in this part and let me know what they saw. Man, I don't wanna lay out another $6.50...but I enjoyed the movie and there were enough other things I want to see again, that I actually might. If tomorrow is another cold, dreary and damp day, I may go see this again. It'll definitely be a first-day DVD rental (or outright iTunes purchase)... As for the helicopter, yeah... Spoiler (click to toggle):
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
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It's only a teaser, so I for one wasn't expecting much anyway (this judging from the [badly taped] videos of the thing on YouTube). Salivation? No. Intrigued? Yes.
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Behold my dorkitude...sitting here awaiting the final (10:45) showing of the day. Haven't been to a movie on Friday or Saturday night in about 70 years. I could be everyone's dad...wall-to-wall teens and twentysomethings.
Not as crowded as yesterday at noon, oddly enough. But it's filling up a bit. Hope I don't have to commence with the smacking/choking...wish me luck with that. |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Dallas
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Spoiler (click to toggle):
Anyway, as long as there are no giant monsters around, I'd still get in one. |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Okay, I'm back...and I'm bringing it.
Just to be safe (and so I won't have to make judgement calls about what's a "spoiler" and what isn't, I'm putting all of the following into a spoiler tag. Click and read at your own risk... Below is what I picked-up on/noticed/pieced-together from this second viewing (BTW, seeing it in a somewhat crowded - the crowds really picked up in the five minutes before the thing started - Friday/Saturday night crowd is the way to see it...people were digging it). Oh, and this time, unlike yesterday's matinee, they did indeed play the "Star Trek" teaser. A few folks seemed to lose their shit over it. Okay, on with it... Spoiler (click to toggle):
Last edited by psmith2.0 : 2008-01-20 at 01:43. |
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Yarp
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Road Warrior
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Spoiler (click to toggle):
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Yarp
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Road Warrior
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Spoiler (click to toggle):
Last edited by Wrao : 2008-01-20 at 01:31. |
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Space Pirate
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
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There's an interview with the Director of Cloverfield on io9.com that should be read by the movie's uber fans... like Pscates.
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Ha...thanks!
Not sure why I liked it so much. I was half-expecting a complete piece-of-crap/waste-of-time. But it's really not. It's supremely watchable and fun/creepy. A perfect, flawless movie? No way. Silly at times, and completely unbelievable at others? Of course! But it's still a great 90 minutes at the movies, and do you know how rare that is getting to be these days? Give me this over some lame-brain "Scary Movie 16" parody, or the latest flop from The Rock or Jessica Alba. Or some "feel-good romantic comedy" with Drew Barrymore and/or Hugh Grant. Or Adam Sandler attempting to be serious. Or DeNiro attempting to be funny. |
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Yarp
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Road Warrior
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Spoiler (click to toggle):
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Spoiler (click to toggle):
Last edited by psmith2.0 : 2008-01-20 at 02:59. |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Dallas
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Avast!
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: New York?
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DON'T SIT TOO CLOSE TO THE SCREEN.
That is all. |
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Space Pirate
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
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I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of the movie... let's just say that the monster let me down.
But if they decide to do a sequel I will probably go see it..... maybe. |
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