Cloverfield

[meleestormbringer]

I'm attending a screener for this on Tuesday, so I'll have some info on this bizarre thing when I get back.

All I know going in is that it's a "reality film". The cast had no scripts, and filmed each other with handi-cams, reacting to what was going on around them. Apparently only the FX team and director knew what was supposed to be going on.

Should be interesting.....

[richardburton]

I'm looking forward to seeing this, so please keep us informed.

[Scifishocks]

Yes, shame for us I don't think it's out til Feb in Blighty.
Have fun, though, Melee and keep us posted!

[RustiSwordz]

This film is meant to be the Dogs Bollocks.

(Thats very very good to you and me...)

[meleestormbringer]

On my way to the screener now. I should be back with a review in about four hours.

[meleestormbringer]

Well, fresh from the advance screening it’s time to share my thoughts on this much hyped film by director J. J. Abrams.

TRAILER - www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvNkGm8mxiM

The film begins at a send off party for Rob Hawkins (Michael Stahl-David) as he prepares to head off to Japan to begin a job as VP of some company. We are introduced to our main players in short order: Rob’s brother Jason (Mike Vogel), Jason’s girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas), and Rob’s best friend “Hud” (T.J. Miller). A little while in we also meet Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), a friend of Lily’s and Beth McIntyre (Odette Yustman), who we learn pretty quickly is some sort of estranged girlfriend of Rob’s. The first 20 minutes or so of the film is viewed through a handi-cam recording everyone’s farewells and best wishes for the departing Rob.

Once you make it past all this footage of self absorbed Manhattan socialites, the movie begins to get interesting. It gets interesting very quickly, in fact. The island blacks out after being rocked by apparent explosions. The partiers run to the roof and see a massive explosion in the Hudson Bay. As flaming hunks of something hit the roof of their building, the partiers then run into the street in time to see the head of the Statue of Liberty come rolling down the street covered in bite and claw marks.

And we’re off! The film follows our main group as they traverse the city. Everything is being viewed through the same handi-cam as Hud continues to “document” the evening.

There has been a lot of hype leading up to the release of this film. Abrams went to great lengths to keep any leaks from the public, even going so far as to slap a cease and desist order on the FX crew when they tried to post their work on their company website before the official release of the film. Abrams did very little press during production, but in a rare interview he described the film as a “reality movie”. He explained this by saying that the cast were not given scripts, only hints and general directions, during production ala Blair Witch. This little tidbit is what led to my interest in this film.

Then, of course, there is the monster. Despite Abrams’ best efforts, images rumored to be the monster from the film started appearing allover the web. In truth I never looked at any of them so I don’t know if they are accurate or not.

The characters, once out of the party environment, develop very naturally and play out as real people. All the actors are believable, but I found that Hud seemed to be the most “real” character in the whole thing. He’s “that guy”, the person everyone at some point in their life has met.

The real stand out in this film is the cinematography. It appears to all be shot hand held, and this gives a wonderful “real world” feel to it. Once things get started the tension is palpable. Where films like Blair Witch and The Last Interview failed, Cloverfield gets it right. The first person camera work and shaky, out of focus shots make it hard to pull yourself out. Although you know that New York has not been leveled by a monster, the camera work sells the premise completely.

As for the monster, I can’t say much of anything about it without giving something away. But I can tell you….

HE’S BEAUTIFUL.

If you are a fan of giant movie monsters, this is your boy. You spend most of the film trying to get a good look at him, which adds to the tension.

I should note some wonderful practical effects on victims and injured throughout the city. There is very little in the way of blood and gore, and what is there is used sparingly and well.

So the question is: does Cloverfield live up to the hype?

The answer is yes. This is one you want to see in the cinema to really get the full effect of it. Unless you have a really big tv, the small screen really won’t do it justice.

[RustiSwordz]

Sounds brilliant.

[Scifishocks]

Brilliant review!
Will look forward to this one when we get it.

[richardburton]

Excellent review - you lucky so and so!

[Commandingtripod]

Oh nice.

I think it comes out tomorrow (my time) so I think I should somehow go and see it.

[meleestormbringer]

Let me know what you think of it after you see it.

[Anim8tr]

Another great review, Melle! Just got back with the missus from a matinee viewing. And it definitely packs a wallop! This is a movie with chaos shown on a grand and very believable scale. Had this movie had Tripods rather than it's own monster , I think I would've been in Heaven!

Speaking of the monster, well... let's just say it's very big, nasty and quite anti-social. And will get quite personal with you by movies end.

The cinema verite, while a bit disorienting at times, serves its purpose to keep the tempo rapid and the acting very effective. It also serves up the SFX in some refreshingly new manners. All of them superbly done.

As Melee has already said, this is one you want to see on the big screen! Me and the missus would definitely agree!!

[RustiSwordz]

Ive seen the monster from clips before they pulled it. Damn i cant wait to see it in full block chewing flow!

[RustiSwordz]

cloverfieldclues.blogspot.com/

Check out the 'choppers' clip.

Feck me sideways on a plate! I WANT TO SEE THIS!

This is what War of the Worlds should have been... do you hear me Cruise Control!

Bigger clip here: movies.yahoo.com/feature/justthefacts_cloverfield.html

[Anim8tr]

He-he! Just wait until you see the little beastie really go to town on New York city!

Rusti, I think you are going to love this!