Cloverfield

[Stronso]

I completely agree with Ouchie on this but I wanna toss in more.....


Living here gives me a different perspective than y'all out of towners. I know that if I was in the same situation and place I know I would have done the se things. By that i mean if I was in midtown or the LES
I also would have gone over the Bridge or into the tunnels to get out of the city....it makes it a little more real for me than non-NYers. While on that point I am really sick and tired of NY getting blown up both in real life and the movies. The one scene where it looked like post WTC collapse was one I really didn't need to see. Can someone please take out Detroit or LA instead?

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 completely agree with Ouchie on this but I wanna toss in more.....


Living here gives me a different perspective than y'all out of towners. I know that if I was in the same situation and place I know I would have done the se things. By that i mean if I was in midtown or the LES
I also would have gone over the Bridge or into the tunnels to get out of the city....it makes it a little more real for me than non-NYers. While on that point I am really sick and tired of NY getting blown up both in real life and the movies. The one scene where it looked like post WTC collapse was one I really didn't need to see. Can someone please take out Detroit or LA instead?

NY and Japan get picked on because they're islands (Makes it hard to get away from the evil doers...). I say they should blow up London but I heard the monsters don't like the taste of English men and women. Kinda bland...

 

[JS22]

Sequel?

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cloverfield/news/1704531/

It debuted at number one last weekend, broke the weekend record for a film opening in January, and earned a respectable 77 percent Tomatometer rating from the critics -- so should it surprise anyone that people are already talking about a Cloverfield sequel?

Well, okay, so "people" might technically only refer to Cloverfield director Matt Reeves and his ComingSoon.net interviewer, Max Evry -- but we've talked about rumors founded on less, so let's just run the following quote from Reeves:

"This was so fun 'cause we'd never done anything like it, and I think we'd want to find a similar challenge, to find a way to have its roots in this but be fresh and new, otherwise you're just repeating yourself. There's a moment on the Brooklyn Bridge, and there was a guy filming something on the side of the bridge, and Hud sees him filming and he turns over and he sees the ship that's been capsized and sees the headless Statue of Liberty, and then he turns back and this guy's briefly filming him.

"In my mind that was two movies intersecting for a brief moment, and I thought there was something interesting in the idea that this incident happened and there are so many different points of view, and there are several different movies at least happening that evening and we just saw one piece of another. That idea sort of tickled me. We'll have to see if anyone would want a sequel. If the movie does well and we find a compelling reason to do so then it would be fun to do a sequel."

Showing the events of a movie from another point of view sounds more like the basis for a spinoff television series than a sequel, but hey, we aren't the ones who just rolled up $46 million at the box office, are we?

I'm on the fence here. I loved the movie and don't want it to be ruined with a horrible sequel. (Blair Witch 2, anyone?) Then again, another vantage point - and possibly some more information - would be pretty interesting.

I'd like to see it from a military perspective honestly. (Soldier with a head cam.) This would probably help to better explain just what the hell is really going on.

 

[green machine]

Sequel?

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cloverfield/news/1704531/



I'm on the fence here. I loved the movie and don't want it to be ruined with a horrible sequel. (Blair Witch 2, anyone?) Then again, another vantage point - and possibly some more information - would be pretty interesting.

I'd like to see it from a military perspective honestly. (Soldier with a head cam.) This would probably help to better explain just what the hell is really going on.

I said the exact same thing to a buddy of mine yesterday when we were talking about the possibility for a sequel.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Me and the wife went to it this past Sunday.

We both enjoyed it.

I feel that the "shaky-camera-syndrome" effect that others discussed was a bit overrated. I had no problems with, nor did my wife (who is prone to motion sickness).

I find it ironic how the thematic elements of the film I enjoyed are the ones that are most people who didn't enjoy the film point to as their major objection; that being the lack of a typical "Hollywood" storyline or plot structure.

Not everyone has the same tastes...c'est la vie...

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Sequel?

I hope not...sequels to films like this are usually piles of dreck.

I do agree that if they did go forward with a sequel that they should take the same event, and portray it from a different perspective (ie. a soldier's helmet cam.)

 

[PortlandCardFan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfTWm1nCgLc&NR=1

 

[PortlandCardFan]

I hope not...sequels to films like this are usually piles of dreck.

I do agree that if they did go forward with a sequel that they should take the same event, and portray it from a different perspective (ie. a soldier's helmet cam.)

I think there will be another film for this storyline. Wether it is a sequel, prequel, or different vantage point for the same time period is hard to say. Hell they could do all three.

 

[joeshmo]

I said the exact same thing to a buddy of mine yesterday when we were talking about the possibility for a sequel.

Must be a pretty popular reaction because that is exactly what me and my group of peps said afterwards as well.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I came out of it last night thinking it was just okay, but after a day to ponder I've come to the conclusion it was a pretty solid movie. Very original and entertaining.

Spoiler

The main reason I came out of it not enjoying it as much was the laughable notion that four people in their mid-20's would run straight back into the fray to rescue someone who was 99% sure toast. Climbing up that building and jumping to the next one added to the insanity. Let's be honest here - almost every one of us would've knocked our friend unconscious and dragged him out before they let him run back to face a 100 ft. monster and his flesh-eating buddies. And if that were not possible who would've followed him? That ridiculous premise almost ruined the movie for me.

 

[PortlandCardFan]

I came out of it last night thinking it was just okay, but after a day to ponder I've come to the conclusion it was a pretty solid movie. Very original and entertaining.

Spoiler

The main reason I came out of it not enjoying it as much was the laughable notion that four people in their mid-20's would run straight back into the fray to rescue someone who was 99% sure toast. Climbing up that building and jumping to the next one added to the insanity. Let's be honest here - almost every one of us would've knocked our friend unconscious and dragged him out before they let him run back to face a 100 ft. monster and his flesh-eating buddies. And if that were not possible who would've followed him? That ridiculous premise almost ruined the movie for me.

Spoiler

I think the soldier who told them he wasn't going to stop them should have hand Rob his sidearm. He had to have known that they would/could run into the parasite's. I could see myself going back to get my family if there was a remote chance of them being alive. We'll just have to wait to see if a monster shows up in Portland to see if I have the balls!!!

 

[Zeno]

I hope not...sequels to films like this are usually piles of dreck.

I do agree that if they did go forward with a sequel that they should take the same event, and portray it from a different perspective (ie. a soldier's helmet cam.)

If they did a sequel I'd like to see it done like a TV Documentary or a news show, mixing elements of other vid films, camera stills etc with witness testimony and production. That way it can maintain its "reality" type aspect but lose the non stop bad camera stuff.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

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.

I do agree it would have been nice to see more of a connection to the characters and a developed story line. The only problem was that was the common theme for the entire movie. It was one night, and in order to stay with the POV camera you cant expect to know everything. That is what the sequel is for... lol

 

[Mr. Boldin]

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.

In response to your spoiler... It is rumored that this is one of the things explained if they make a sequel. There are a few "made up" websites that have to do with the movie. A quick search or check on wikipedia will give you some answers.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I came out of it last night thinking it was just okay, but after a day to ponder I've come to the conclusion it was a pretty solid movie. Very original and entertaining.

Spoiler

The main reason I came out of it not enjoying it as much was the laughable notion that four people in their mid-20's would run straight back into the fray to rescue someone who was 99% sure toast. Climbing up that building and jumping to the next one added to the insanity. Let's be honest here - almost every one of us would've knocked our friend unconscious and dragged him out before they let him run back to face a 100 ft. monster and his flesh-eating buddies. And if that were not possible who would've followed him? That ridiculous premise almost ruined the movie for me.

agree with your spoiler. it was the only difficult part of the movie for me.

 

[Gaddabout]

Spoiler

The main reason I came out of it not enjoying it as much was the laughable notion that four people in their mid-20's would run straight back into the fray to rescue someone who was 99% sure toast. Climbing up that building and jumping to the next one added to the insanity. Let's be honest here - almost every one of us would've knocked our friend unconscious and dragged him out before they let him run back to face a 100 ft. monster and his flesh-eating buddies. And if that were not possible who would've followed him? That ridiculous premise almost ruined the movie for me.

Spoiler

This is exactly why I felt the first 20 minutes lacked a JJ Abrams/Lost-type moment where Kate and Sawyer have a 2-minute exchange of words the reveals selfishness, love, self-loathing, lust -- all the complications of human relations and an experience everyone can say, "Hey, they're just as confused as me. They must love each other." It was there but completely dominated by Hud character and not well-written.

It's too bad JJ didn't rewrite that scene.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

agree with your spoiler. it was the only difficult part of the movie for me.

I honestly think if my wife or some girl I really loved called me on a phone saying she was trapped in some building, still alive...I'd freaking go after her.

If you think that premise is impossible...that surprises me.

 

[PortlandCardFan]

I honestly think if my wife or some girl I really loved called me on a phone saying she was trapped in some building, still alive...I'd freaking go after her.

If you think that premise is impossible...that surprises me.

I think it is hard to understand because you didn't/don't know the characters (didn't have time). I don't have a problem with it because I don't need character build up to make me like a movie. I just come to my own conclusions as to why a character did what they did.

 

[ItsInTheCards]

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.

Spoiler

especially in the final scene on April 27th with Rob saying that they only have 3 seconds of tape left, you see something drop into the ocean in the background......a month later, they're attacked

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Wow.

Dropped all the way from 1st to 4th in just its 2nd week...

TW LW Title Studio Weekend Theaters Total Week

1 - Meet the Spartans 20th Century Fox $18,725,000 2,605 $18,725,000 1
2 - Rambo Lionsgate $18,150,000 2,751 $18,150,000 1
3 2 27 Dresses 20th Century Fox $13,600,000 3,074 $45,347,000 2
4 1 Cloverfield Paramount Pictures $12,700,000 3,411 $64,294,000 2
5 - Untraceable Screen Gems (Sony) $11,200,000 2,368 $11,200,000 1

 

[JS22]

Not a surprise. Everyone that REALLY wanted to see it already has. It'll hover around the top 5 for a few more weeks most likely and eventually die out. But it should make around 100-110 million.

The internet nerds (me) have already seen it. And to be honest, the TV advertising has been pretty terrible for this movie IMO.

 

[bratwurst]

I just saw this Saturday. I don't have much to add to the discussion besides

a) I liked it for what it was

b) I didn't expect any grand scientific explanations from 4 idiotic spoiled 20 year olds about the monster. Although I guess that could have been written into the dialog in the military scene, but in that kind of a hectic every second counts why would some guy "in the know" stop and explain everything they've learned in a couple hours about the monster to 4 idiotic spoiled 20 year olds?

c) This thread is exactly the reason I don't look at, and actually avoid, anything about a movie / show until I see the feature. When people brought this movie up on the radio for instance, I'd turn it before some idiot DJ thought he was being funny and blurt out something.

 

[KloD]

I thought this was a freakin' great monster movie. Loved it!

 

[dodie53]

i hope in the sequel,
if there's going to be one,
they should limit the dizzying camera sways.

 

[Griffin]

I really enjoyed this movie. Original it was not, but still it managed to capture my full attention and not let go until the end. I love the first person, limited knowledge point of view, though the same effect could have been achieved without the shaky "amateur" video footage. But that didn't bother me that much. 3/4