Cloverfield

[Abagadro]

I really enjoyed that movie. For what it is (i.e. a monster movie), exceptionally well executed. I loved Hud's moronic comments throughout, he's supposed to be the dopey guy, so don't be hatin' on Hud. 

Definitely worth seeing at a top quality cinema. I specifically went to a DLP/THX set-up and it was worth it. Great movie watching experience.

Was bummed they didn't show the Trek teaser though.

[HaemishM]

I loved Hud's moronic comments throughout, he's supposed to be the dopey guy, so don't be hatin' on Hud. 

"I mean, wouldn't it be freaky if some flaming homeless guy came running out of the dark at us?"

[sigil]

That was good.

There were a couple of moments  involving Hud that got a good laugh out of me.

[Abagadro]

"That's just something else...also horrible."

[sigil]

For all the talk about how annoying they were, Hud definitely  sticks in my head in a good way.

Poor Hud. He wasn't even good enough to be properly eaten.

[DraconianOne]

Time to add a spoiler tag to this thread?

I get to see it the day after I become unemployed (barring the arrival of any new contracts between now and then) so am encouraged to hear it's good.

[HaemishM]

After seeing the movie, there really shouldn't be any surprises about what the movie is, nor about the fate of the characters.

[sidereal]

No.  I haven't seen it yet (maybe tonight), but I wouldn't consider anything here a spoiler.  Honestly, I'm not sure -- given the premise of the movie -- if there could be any spoilers.  Big monster and little monsters come and fuck up city.  Protagonists die.  Done.

Now, if there were an origin story on the monsters, maybe that could be spoiled.

[Abagadro]

As is typical with JJ Abrams stuff, there is apparently all sorts of stuff available on the web about origins that is also very subtly referenced in the film.

[Velorath]

I loved Hud's moronic comments throughout, he's supposed to be the dopey guy, so don't be hatin' on Hud. 

"I mean, wouldn't it be freaky if some flaming homeless guy came running out of the dark at us?"

That's one of the lines that stood out to me as being funny, but completely out of place in the movie.

[gal than]

hi there i just started playing eve. i was told if i wanted to join one of your corps i needed to be a forum member and get to know you guys.  my wife and i watched cloverfield last night and i thought it was pretty good.  i did find a link to a site that speculates the origin of the monstor.  but i am not sure about if i should post it yet not sure if it would make any of you angry.  i  will say i searched for cloverfield sequel on msn search engine and found it that way. 

gal than

[Rendakor]

Hey gal, welcome aboard. See that key above Ctrl, below Caps Lock, Shift I think its called? You should try it some time. As for linking sites, go ahead, but feel free to not pimp your blog.

[Xanthippe]

Saw it yesterday.  I thought it was vastly entertaining, despite its flaws.  An hour and a half well spent.

[HaemishM]

Apparently, there's a part at the end, in the Coney Island footage, where if you look closely at the water before it focuses on Beth and Rob, you see something spalsh down in the ocean.

[Velorath]

Apparently, there's a part at the end, in the Coney Island footage, where if you look closely at the water before it focuses on Beth and Rob, you see something spalsh down in the ocean.

Yeah, I checked that out yesterday, and it's pretty noticeable.  People seem to think that it's a Japanese satellite that was mentioned in some of the viral marketing.

Also, at least one person has thrown up while watching Cloverfield at my theater every day since it was released.

[sigil]

The closest I came to that was that one scene that was backlit. Not from motion sickness.

[HaemishM]

Also, at least one person has thrown up while watching Cloverfield at my theater every day since it was released.

My buddy that went last night had to walk about about 30 minutes in because of motion sickness. He talked to the theater manager who gave him a refund and the manager said about 2-3 people per showing have that problem.

[Velorath]

Also, at least one person has thrown up while watching Cloverfield at my theater every day since it was released.

My buddy that went last night had to walk about about 30 minutes in because of motion sickness. He talked to the theater manager who gave him a refund and the manager said about 2-3 people per showing have that problem.

Yeah, refunds/rainchecks for motion sickness aren't too uncommon (I seem to recall giving a number of them out when we had Bourne Ultimatum).  For whatever reason though, people getting motion sickness while watching Cloverfield don't try to leave the auditorium until it's just a little too late.

[Fargull]

The film worked for me, though a couple of friends really did not like it.  One thing I love is the snarky name for the camera guy.  I won't say brilliant, but H.U.D. works for a laugh.

[Rendakor]

The ticket taker at the theater I went to also mentioned people having problems with motion sickness. Though if anyone got sick in my theater they were considerate (read: quiet) about it.

[WindupAtheist]

Opening weekend of $40m on a budget of $25m.  As soon as I saw how low the budget was in proportion to the hype, I knew it was auto-win financially, because even if it was terrible they'd have made all their money back before word of mouth could get out.

[sigil]

I could see some repeat business as the obsessives out there look a second time in a big case of "spot the clues."

[Simond]

Hey, at least Cloverfield solved an old D&D issue: "What does a tarrasque look like, anyway?" 

[Abagadro]

Hey, at least Cloverfield solved an old D&D issue: "What does a tarrasque look like, anyway?" 

Page 117 of the Monster Manual II has a picture of a tarrasque.

[Johny Cee]

Great monster movie.  Up there with The Thing, Alien, and Predator.  Finally someone in film rediscovered that making us use our imaginations is more thrilling then X million budget for CGI/effects, or buckets of fake blood.



Good:

- Seeing a quick glimpse of something,  then having an exlposion and a skyscraper fall down while a crowd of people panic and run away?  Good.

- Marlena being hustled away while crying blood,  hazmat suited guys yellling quarantine and soldiers freaking out?  So much better then a tacky effect.  You never find out what exactly happened,  besides the fact it looks like she exploded in the quarantine tent.


I was under the impression that Lilly managed to get out on the first chopper?  Or did I miss something?

[Jain Zar]

ATTENTION MIGHT DO A LITTLE SPOILERING BELOW!





^^^  Yeah.  She probably made it.  I'd like to think the others made it as well, but probably not.  But there is a SMALL chance.  They never mentioned finding bodies.  If the camera could make it so could they, right? 
To me, the monster looked more like a giant Knarloc from Warhammer 40K.  Big leathery skinned mofo.  Cept this one was huge and was more streamlined.  Its honesly VERY similar to the Gryphon design art that the first American Godzilla movie would have had in as a foe for Godzilla.  Thinner and no wings, but same basic "feel" of its skin and body.  Course the little monsters are from many giant monster movies from Rodan to Legion.


END SPOILERY





Overall I thought it was fucking fantastic.  Probably the best or 2nd best giant monster movie ever made.  (The original 1954 Godzilla still being the motherfucking king though.  Original or Raymond Burr version is still great.)
You care about the cast and how heroic they really are given their circumstances.  Normal people wouldn't do what they did to try to help each other.  Most people would run like hell.

I don't get motion sick as far as I can tell so it wasn't a problem.  Didn't get sick at sea in the Navy, didn't get sick at Blair Witch, didn't get sick here.  Might have gotten a tad queasy playing Marathon 2 on XBLA though.  Not really sure. (Game sucks anyhow.)

Its gonna be hard watching Godzilla and Gamera films after this though.  Too science fictiony, and seeing what really happens to people when a Daikaiju (giant monster) attacks in intimate detail sort of spoils it all... :(

Oh yeah, and how is this for a PERFECT song to come up on my iPod when I got in my car?  "New York Minute", the Eagles Hell Freezes Over version. 

[Johny Cee]

  Might have gotten a tad queasy playing Marathon 2 on XBLA though.  Not really sure. (Game sucks anyhow.)

 

[Margalis]

It seems like the major splits are between people who like the cast and those who don't, and people who are put off or overly affected by the camerawork.

I freely admit to liking nearly every Godzilla movie. Though I admit that only the first one is what I'd really call a quality movie.

[sigil]

Someone I consider my goto expert on monster/horror movies bitched about everything from the pace of the movie to the complete lack of originality in themes.

I enjoyed it though.

[HaemishM]

Someone I consider my goto expert on monster/horror movies bitched about everything from the pace of the movie to the complete lack of originality in themes.

He was over here. And the point...











                                           Was way the fuck over here.   

[sigil]

That was my thought on that as well.

[Mazakiel]

Since I'm not sure if the entire thread is considered spoiler territory now...

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

From some statements from the director that I've read today, apparently part of the thought process that went into the design of the monster and how it was acting and everything is that it was a baby suffering from separation anxiety, ie, that it was lost and scared and lashing out at everything in sight.  Which makes one wonder what the momma would look like in comparison. 

END


Either way, I plan on seeing this again in the next few day with some friends.  There's all sorts of small things I've seen mentioned in places I plan on trying to spot for myself. 

[Phildo]

Was in the middle of typing a long rant about this movie, then accidentally hit back page.  To summarize: Did not like.  This movie is pretentious and two-faced to a whole new level.  On one hand it's telling us that it's a fun, scary monster movie re-imagined from a different perspective.  On the other hand, let's hunt on the internet for clues to the origins of the mysterious monsters !  I know what they want, and it's MORE OF MY MONEY.  Well, they're not getting it.

Kudos on the marketing, guys.

Fuck you, Hud.

[Ookii]

I'm sorry you wanted this formula:

Backstory of Characters > Monster Attack > Find Out Origin of Monster > Rescue Girl > Kill Monster > HAPPY ENDING WITH WEDDING

Seriously people like you are responsible for movies like Meet the Spartans or 27 Dresses, something amazing comes along that doesn't fit the old formula, and you reject it because everything isn't laid out on a silver platter.

Watch more independent films.

[WindupAtheist]

You want a movie with a self-contained plot and a resolution at the end?  Away with you, peasant!  /beret