Cloverfield

[Fiasco]

Exactly. People that intentionally ruin movies are, well, ********. There's a TON of people pumped for this movie (me included - ever since seeing the teaser on opening night of Transformers), so ruining it is just ********. I would have been furious if I accidentally read Fiasco's post before it was edited.

Seriously, real mature.

Oh give me a break. I announced the spoiler and forced a . . . . . new line scroll. Sorry I didn't use the "spoiler" tag which I was unfamiliar with.

I just couldn't stop myself from continuing to read the post after the spoiler announcement.... oh please.

Repeatedly whining about it is.... Seriously... real mature.

 

[Zeno]

A good portion of my theater, for example, was clapping after it ended and everyone was saying how awesome it was.

I didn' see anywhere near a reaction like that. I've seen very few movies that elicit a response from the audience like you describe. The theater I was in more people were leaving with that "WTF?" look on their face. To me it was a good story throughout but to not have any kind of closure or questions answered (not to mention the shaky camera) really ruined it for me.

 

[JS22]

I didn' see anywhere near a reaction like that. I've seen very few movies that elicit a response from the audience like you describe. The theater I was in more people were leaving with that "WTF?" look on their face. To me it was a good story throughout but to not have any kind of closure or questions answered (not to mention the shaky camera) really ruined it for me.

Yeah, we had a collection of people clapping. (I've been in a number of movies where people do this, actually.) Obviously not everyone was, but some were. Also, a lot of people were talking about how much they liked it as they were walking out.

 

[Fiasco]

I didn' see anywhere near a reaction like that. I've seen very few movies that elicit a response from the audience like you describe. The theater I was in more people were leaving with that "WTF?" look on their face. To me it was a good story throughout but to not have any kind of closure or questions answered (not to mention the shaky camera) really ruined it for me.

I can remember not too long ago that passengers used to clap when the plane landed. I haven't see that happen in 20 or so flights.

 

[Rats]

Yeah, I was going to say they might have been clapping because it was over...but seriously I was not the first one to get up and leave the theater, at least 3 others did. My Wife stayed because my daughter wanted to see it...and afterwards they thought it was terrible and never got any better. When you go to the theater and layout 30 bucks you should get quality entertainment not that drekk. The hype was definitly not lived up to and I actually was hyped to see this film thinking there might actually be a plot that went somewhere. The crappy filming that maked alot sick in theaters was just a really bad bi-product. They need to do away with it as it doesn't work unless your on something...and then you might have actually seen monsters...ha.

 

[Fiasco]

Yeah, I was going to say they might have been clapping because it was over...but seriously I was not the first one to get up and leave the theater, at least 3 others did. My Wife stayed because my daughter wanted to see it...and afterwards they thought it was terrible and never got any better. When you go to the theater and layout 30 bucks you should get quality entertainment not that drekk. The hype was definitly not lived up to and I actually was hyped to see this film thinking there might actually be a plot that went somewhere. The crappy filming that maked alot sick in theaters was just a really bad bi-product. They need to do away with it as it doesn't work unless your on something...and then you might have actually seen monsters...ha.

They actually showed the monsters quite a bit. Now if they actually would have shown a plot I might have enjoyed it. I too was hyped to see this movie.

 

[Rats]

They actually showed the monsters quite a bit. Now if they actually would have shown a plot I might have enjoyed it. I too was hyped to see this movie.

Yeah the walking Teradactyal bat looking thing and it's offspring really made the movie work....ha...

 

[JS22]

This thread is filled with spoilers.

 

[Fiasco]

Yeah the walking Teradactyal bat looking thing and it's offspring really made the movie work....ha...

I've got a video on my cellphone of my dog playing with a ball. You won't know at the end what happens to the ball or the dog. I plan on having a viral marketing campaign for the video.

I was doing jumping jacks while filming.

I'll let you watch it for $9 ($18 for two people)

 

[Rats]

I've got a video on my cellphone of my dog playing with a ball. You won't know at the end what happens to the ball or the dog. I plan on having a viral marketing campaign for the video.

I was doing jumping jacks while filming.

I'll let you watch it for $9 ($18 for two people)

Sold to you.....Ha

 

[Gaddabout]

Just got back from seeing it. We were at Barro's before the movie when I had a discussion with the waiter about it. He informed me that JJ Abrams only produced it. I thought he freakin' wrote and directed it. When I learned that I tried to get my wife to watch a different movie, but I had sold her hard on Cloverfield and now she was determined.

So I actually went in with much less anticipation and enjoyed it for the most part. Except for the handheld. The movie's been over for 10 minutes and I'm home in front of my computer and my wife is tearing the house apart looking for some anti-nausea medication for me. I seriously feel like I'm going to hurl.

My wife, on the other hand, the one who gets car sick on any drive over a minor hill, is perfectly fine. She loved the movie. Thought it was awesome. We both loved that there were jolting parts we weren't expecting. Have to say, after seeing how the whole thing had been edited, I anticipated the ending.

Really felt uninspired by the writing or the acting. Mediocre IMO. The motivation for the main character was weak. If Abrams had written it we would've had more of a Sawyer/Kate moment -- or at least a Jack/Kate moment -- in the first 20 minutes, and the entire audience would've been more emotionally invested in the rest of the plot line. I felt THAT'S what was really lacking from the movie, not all the other stuff our two big critics in this thread are bitching about. Those two guys should just go rent Godzilla and get over it.

At least someone in Hollywood tried a very new way to tell a story. The comparisons to Blair Witch are surface only. This was MUCH better done. Blair Witch was done by hacks. This has much more of a professional touch to it. The underlying story, while a bit manipulative in its overt references to 9/11 and the theme of our tightly controlled and comfortable worldview being destroyed in a heartbeat, actually means something and makes relate to the characters somewhat. The Blair Witch Project ... there were no heroes, there was little for me to care about. I never cared about those characters for a moment.

 

[Fiasco]

At least someone in Hollywood tried a very new way to tell a story.

Memento... Now that was a new way to tell a story!

If I had no expectations of Cloverfield going in perhaps I would have liked it more despite it's numerous shortcomings.

I disagree that Cloverfield was a new way to tell a story as there was no storyline to the movie. Remove the mildy novel approach to storytelling and the SFX and your left with a commercial for "The Gap".

 

[green machine]

I saw it last night and thought it was excellent.

 

[Gaddabout]

I disagree that Cloverfield was a new way to tell a story as there was no storyline to the movie.

Dude, it's a love story. Or a falling love story. Or new love story. However you wish to view it, that's the story.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Memento... Now that was a new way to tell a story!

If I had no expectations of Cloverfield going in perhaps I would have liked it more despite it's numerous shortcomings.

I disagree that Cloverfield was a new way to tell a story as there was no storyline to the movie. Remove the mildy novel approach to storytelling and the SFX and your left with a commercial for "The Gap".

The Gap???

I thought the way they told the backstory of Rob, with the scenes from their day in Coney Island was a sweet and unique way of telling a story.

 

[Fiasco]

The Gap???

I thought the way they told the backstory of Rob, with the scenes from their day in Coney Island was a sweet and unique way of telling a story.

I don't know why but I just didn't find it (the backstory) engaging. Perhaps if I had it would have put the rest of the movie in a different context...

I think that the only character trait or interaction I found to be genuine was the guy holding the camera getting repeatedly shunned by his love interest. He was, however, completely annoying and not empathetic.

Spoiler

For example: When the brother (Jason?) was killed on the bridge it caused no emotional response for me at all. I had no vested interest in his character. I did appreciate the SFX of the monster tearing down the Brooklyn Bridge though but SFX simply isn't enough to carry a movie for me.

At the end when they were split between the two helicopters I knew that the helicopter with the camera in it wouldn't clear the city. It was completely predictable. I was very impressed by the Monsters vertical leap though. He must have watched Adrian Wilsons you-tube video.

 

[Rats]

Really felt uninspired by the writing or the acting. Mediocre IMO. The motivation for the main character was weak. If Abrams had written it we would've had more of a Sawyer/Kate moment -- or at least a Jack/Kate moment -- in the first 20 minutes, and the entire audience would've been more emotionally invested in the rest of the plot line. I felt THAT'S what was really lacking from the movie, not all the other stuff our two big critics in this thread are bitching about. Those two guys should just go rent Godzilla and get over it.
In a around about fashion you are saying the samething we have been saying but you seem to want your opinion to be more valid. All I was saying is save your money and rent the film. When by and large people are walking out of a movie with motion sickness they didn't get there moneys worth of entertainment from the film. That is what movies are supposed to do. Engage the viewers emotions. This one despite the hype fell far short IMO.

 

[Gaddabout]

In a around about fashion you are saying the samething we have been saying but you seem to want your opinion to be more valid. All I was saying is save your money and rent the film. When by and large people are walking out of a movie with motion sickness they didn't get there moneys worth of entertainment from the film. That is what movies are supposed to do. Engage the viewers emotions. This one despite the hype fell far short IMO.

No, I'm not saying the same thing at all. I enjoyed the movie (save for the motion sickness). I think people should see it. I did not have the same reaction to it as you as all.

I thought the ending was fitting and appropriate.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

No, I'm not saying the same thing at all. I enjoyed the movie (save for the motion sickness). I think people should see it. I did not have the same reaction to it as you as all.

I thought the ending was fitting and appropriate.

I still don't get how people say there was no plot. I mean, we see the two happy at the beginning, obviously his transfer becomes a problem, and then he realizes he loves her so he goes to find her amidst all the monster crap.

 

[Gaddabout]

I still don't get how people say there was no plot. I mean, we see the two happy at the beginning, obviously his transfer becomes a problem, and then he realizes he loves her so he goes to find her amidst all the monster crap.

I think we'd have a good debate with the French. They would say it's a "falling in love story." Unfortunately a lot of people missed it because it buried beneath Hud's pedantics. Five minutes in I told my wife, "Hey, they taped over that guy's tape," and she said, "no, it's a different couple." She missed that important sequence and didn't figure out what I was saying until *boom.*

I think possibly some important context got left on the cutting room floor because there's about a 2 minute sequence that could have set it up and no one would be missing the plot line.

 

[joeshmo]

I thought it was freaking fantastic.

 

[Heucrazy]

I enjoyed it. But I'm not a movie snob so what do I know?

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I enjoyed it. But I'm not a movie snob so what do I know?

I'm actually kind of a movie snob and I loved it, so who knows

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

i'm mixed on it. i was shocked (despite prior reports that it had been occurring) that i got nauseous in the middle. that didn't happen when i watch blair witch (despite others reporting that effect).

i actually liked hud. i thought he was kinda funny. in fact, i thought his one-liners were funny BECAUSE they weren't meant to be funny. i thought the writing was interesting and unique b/c quite frankly there was so little of it, and little story telling in setting up scenes, etc. and yet it was still easy to follow the plot. i was very appreciative of the film-makers' skill in producing that effect with limited narrative resources.

also, i liked the fact there were unanswered questions, 'cuz that's exactly what would happen if someone found a videotape that i made. and though i am still frustrated not knowing what the thing was, i appreciate that that same frustration was purposeful. it's part of the art of the flick.

most of all i liked the fact that movie elicted thought and conversation with my girlfriend afterward. oh, that and it gave her nightmares (which cracks me up 'cuz i just can't see it being scary). but what scared her was the "intimacy" discussed earlier. it's not the interhuman intimacy that's referenced, but rather, i think it's the intimacy with the situation b/c of the fact that's filmed in the first person. you're intimately associated with the fear and panic that has gripped you (the virtual narrator). the more i think about it, the more i liked the technique (though not the nausea).

 

[PortlandCardFan]

i'm mixed on it. i was shocked (despite prior reports that it had been occurring) that i got nauseous in the middle. that didn't happen when i watch blair witch (despite others reporting that effect).

i actually liked hud. i thought he was kinda funny. in fact, i thought his one-liners were funny BECAUSE they weren't meant to be funny. i thought the writing was interesting and unique b/c quite frankly there was so little of it, and little story telling in setting up scenes, etc. and yet it was still easy to follow the plot. i was very appreciative of the film-makers' skill in producing that effect with limited narrative resources.

also, i liked the fact there were unanswered questions, 'cuz that's exactly what would happen if someone found a videotape that i made. and though i am still frustrated not knowing what the thing was, i appreciate that that same frustration was purposeful. it's part of the art of the flick.

most of all i liked the fact that movie elicted thought and conversation with my girlfriend afterward. oh, that and it gave her nightmares (which cracks me up 'cuz i just can't see it being scary). but what scared her was the "intimacy" discussed earlier. it's not the interhuman intimacy that's referenced, but rather, i think it's the intimacy with the situation b/c of the fact that's filmed in the first person. you're intimately associated with the fear and panic that has gripped you (the virtual narrator). the more i think about it, the more i liked the technique (though not the nausea).

All very good points. I would like for wife to go see it but there is no way she could handle it.

Spoiler

If there is one thing I want to know it would be 'what is/was the purpose of the parasite bite causing you chest cavity to explode'? The only thing I can come up with is like spiders and fly their venom/acid helps them feed.