Cloverfield
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Movie Reviews of Cloverfield
Movie Review: DVD Extras Provide Fascinating Behind-the-Scenes Insight
Summary: 5 Stars
Cloverfield was the first media sensation of 2008 and an excellent case study in canny marketing. A teaser trailer appeared in theaters months ahead and featured a few, brief, tantalizing scenes of chaos in Manhattan with no mention of a title or who was in it. The only thing that was certain was that J.J. Abrams was somehow involved. Fans speculated about possible similarities to his TV show Lost - The Complete First Season or the possibility that he had masterminded a new kind of monster movie. This teaser trailer sparked intense interest on the Internet which the studio brilliantly exploited with snippets of information staggered over succeeding weeks. The marketing paid off and the buzz resulted in a strong opening weekend and decent critical reaction.
There is an audio commentary by director Matt Reeves. He starts off talking about the genesis of the project and how he got the gig. Reeves says that he resisted the urge to have a lot of obvious edits in favour of long takes or invisible edits in order to mimic a film actually shot by an average person who was there. To that end, he points out that the style of the film was meant to suggest that anyone could have shot it. This is an engaging and informative track with very few lulls.
"Document 01.18.08: The Making of Cloverfield" takes a look at how the film came together amid a shroud of secrecy. The use of hand-held cameras is examined and how it gave the film an authenticity. The on-the-set footage shows how it was filmed, mostly on a soundstage which is amazing because it doesn't look it in the film. We see several scenes being shot and it is fascinating to see how they pulled it off.
"Cloverfield Visual Effects" examines how they virtually destroyed Manhattan with CGI effects. The fore and middle ground of scenes were real with practical sets while the background was a mix of CGI and good ol' Matte paintings. This featurette takes us through the major SFX set pieces and shows us how they did them.
"I saw it! It's alive! It's huge!" J.J. Abrams was inspired by Godzilla and its iconic status in Japan and he wanted to do that for America. This featurette takes a look at how the creature was designed and why it looks the way it does.
"Clover Fun" are outtakes and bloopers as the cast blow their lines and goof around.
Also included are four deleted scenes with optional commentary by Reeves. There is more footage from Rob's farewell party and more of him and his friends in the subway tunnels including more from the aftermath of the attack there.
There are two alternate endings with optional commentary by Reeves. Both are pretty minor tweaks that did not seem all that different.
Movie Review: What you get for the idea
Summary: 5 Stars
*minor spoilers*
I haven't bought the video yet, but I saw it once in theatres and now have it on Netflix - and I've been watching it about every two days for the past two weeks. (Actually this last couple times it's been good background noise...) But I rated the film five stars because it is everything you get for the idea Abrams wanted to put on the screen.
The first thing I want to review, however - more address - is the complaint of the shaky camera. You've got a handheld camera being held by an amateur. OF COURSE things are going to be shaky. People who have complained about this I feel two things for. One: get over it. It's supposed to be that way, it's supposed to be gritty and real and even annoying, just like a basic home movie would be. Two: if it DOES cause you to be sick, I'm sorry. Perhaps you weren't warned about it when you walked into the theatre. But that's the fault of the theatre, not the fault of the movie. So stop blaming the director and the camera operator for it.
I thought the camera work was quite well. You could even tell the differences based on who was holding the camera. Rob had a fairly steady hand during the flashback scenes, (though it was shaky near the end - but he WAS being BOMBED), Hud's camerawork improved throughout the film. Jason had a shaky hand, period, because he was trying to learn how to work the thing. For the complaints about how shaky things were - he was walking, running, ducking, and of course there was this huge MONSTER walking around whose footsteps likely caused at least some minute shaking. We're supposed to see the film through the camera lens, not Hud's eyes, (an argumentative point given how often he zoomed into Marlena during Lily's testimonial).
The camera should not be blamed for 'making this film bad'.
I was mildly annoyed at the usage of 'monster movie moments'. Of course, it IS a monster movie, so it is going to follow some of the same tracks. I do wish the annoying little buggers hadn't shown up when they did though. The moment the night vision was on, they were visible. It would have been a little scarier if they had shown up sometime AFTER the vision was on so the audience was over their initial "He's going to turn it on and the monsters will be there", and was just beginning to relax. Then all of a sudden SURPRISE!
What I am most worried about is that they are planning a sequel (or prequel, not sure which). This movie caught audience attention from its first trailer running, (which I believe was in front of Transformers?), and sheer curiosity factor made for a huge opening night. (I say brilliant marketing). But half of the world seemed to like it and half hated it. A sequel will diminish the power of the film.
Movie Review: Really liked this one
Summary: 5 Stars
I knew exactly what I was in for when I rented this one. So all of the belly-aching about the jittery camera is really lost on me. I mean seriously...if you have that delicate of a constitution then maybe we should be applauding you for being able to make it between your DVD player and the couch without getting dizzy. But anyway...the camera's jittery because it's supposed to be a first-person view of the events as they unfold. Get over it, and concentrate on the movie already!!
As far as the movie goes...great concept, really fun and creative way they pulled it off. For all of those reviewers that were trying to crack on the realism of some of the sequences...if possible, maybe you should revisit that the plot of this movie revolves around a 30-STORY MONSTER!! Realism should never be expected to be part of the equation in the first place.
In the end...I really liked this movie. I was on the edge of my seat alot of the time, and couldn't wait to see what happened next. It was a fun new take on an old school genre. I love it when a film-maker takes chances and they pay off.
THINGS I LOVED:
1.) Inside the liquor store after the attack starts. The shadowy figures moving by the window as it's eerily quiet inside. (Brilliant)
2.) The shoot-em-up scene! The Army gives the monster everything they have as the main characters are caught in the middle. Wow! That was an intense scene.
3.) The way the main character, having just seen his brother die, clings to the thought of trying to save the woman he loves. That transition of realities was handled very well by the actor. (Impressed)
4.) Two words...NIGHT VISION! (: That sequence ROCKED!!
THINGS I WOULD HAVE CHANGED:
1.) Could have fleshed out the reasons why Hud was so in love with whats-her-face. She seemed so uninterested...maybe that's why someone who was supposed to be in love with her didn't bat an eyelash when she died.
2.) Dude! Put the camera down sometimes. I know that maybe he was forcing his reality through the lens and all...everybody deals with stress in their own way, but dang man...yer friend just told his Mom that her son is dead...stop freaking taping for a sec ya goon!
3.) Loved what I learned in the "making of..." featurette about the monster not being on a rampage, but instead was a baby monster scared and confused. Great twist...would have loved to have learned that DURING THE MOVIE!!
Movie Review: ONE OF THE BEST MONSTER MOVIES EVER 9 OUT OF 10
Summary: 5 Stars
It's been years since I've seen a monster movie that truly impressed me. It's also been years since a really good monster movie was made. The Host was disappointing as a monster movie, and I was afraid Cloverfield would shower me in disappointment like The Host. Luckily, that wasn't the case.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Manhattan, New York. What started as a going away party that was being recorded on camera for happy memories for a guy named Rob thrown by his friends and his brother, ends up being a worst nightmare that is documented via cam corder when an earthquake occurs and an explosion rips through the city. As all the party members try to escape from the area the Statue of Liberty's head is thrown at a building and into a street. After that shocking moment, a building collapses filling the street with a thick dust cloud and debris. No one can identify the mysterious creature wreaking this havok (It looks like a creature from the PS3 game Resistance: Fall of Man). The story is focused on four friends; Rob, Lilly, Hud, and Elana who are trying to get to a friend's apartment who was left behind in the city, and try not to get killed by the giant creature and the little monsters it drops off to eat people. This film is suspenseful, bizarre, has great characters, and is even a little gory.
MUSIC: For some reason there is none. It makes sense considering this film is all done with a cam corder and is trying to be realistic, but it still would have been nice.
SOUND: This film sounds great in surround sound with the explosions, screams, and monster roaring.
ACTION: This film is loaded with explosions, fire fights between the army and the creature, and some bloody scenes.
ENTERTAINMENT: It seems people on this site are mixed about this film despite the wide critical acclaim. So for now I'll just recommend it as a rental. This film delivers scares and it's one of the best monster films made in years.
OVERALL: Rent before buy.
THE GOOD: Lots of destruction, some bloody scenes, cool creature designs, good characters, decent storyline, and the cam corder documentation is great.
THE BAD: No music, camera can make some people dizzy.
Movie Review: CLOVERFIELD- a truly exciting and unique take on the monster movie genre
Summary: 5 Stars
The combination of both mystery and hype really intrigued me about Cloverfield before its release; I started seeing TV spots that hardly gave away anything and I saw posters of a headless statue of liberty all over New York City. I'm a huge fan of the TV show LOST, so when I heard the producer of this film was J.J. Abrams, (LOST's creator) I was immediately sold. I went to the theaters opening weekend with two of my friends (both who ironically have motion sickness) and from the moment the film started with the "Classified" screen, I was hooked.
From the moment things started going down in the city, I found it hard for my eyes to leave the screen and I was on the edge of my seat. What a thrilling experience! The FX of the monster was nearly flawess (in my opinion, if it looked phony or cheesy, this film would've failed. Period.) The "Alien-esque" spawns of the beast were also very well done (one of the characters meets a horrible fate due to one of them.) While my friends were a bit bothered by the shaky-cam, I wasn't annoyed in the slightest... it only added to the realism (like the Blair Witch Project, another movie I found to be creepy and unique.) I actually cared for the characters in this film and wanted them to make it out of this situation alive.
I read a LOT of negative reviews for this film on Amazon, to my surprise, but I guess it really is a love-it or hate-it film. I personally LOVED it and found it to be an exciting and different take on the over-done "monster invades the city" films. I felt as though I was in the movie, seeing everything through the eyes of the characters and the ending was perfect. Also, people are complaining about NO plot or not enough information given... um, yeah, that's sort of the point! We see only what the characters see which adds to the exciting mystery of it. It wouldn't make sense if a scientist appeared out of nowhere and explained everything about the monster (put clues together and build your own conclusion.)
If you haven't seen this yet, ignore all the hate and give it a try (with an open mind--and in a dark room with the volume cranked up.) Highly recommended.