Movie Thoughts - CloverField

[BierMuncher]

Just got done watching it on the big screen downstairs.

Great edge-of-your-seat movie.

Same vein as Blair Witch with the video cam cinematography.

Watched it with my oldest daughter. She agreed. Fun movie with excitement, scares and lots of humor.

Anyone catch this one yet?

 

[CodeRage]

You know I watched it tonight for the first time with my wife.

We didnt like it at all and frankly thought it sucked. For some reason it felt like I was watching some one play half life for an hour and a half. It had its moments but still... Best part of the movie is when the original camera man gets it, I was happy cause I wouldnt have to hear his constant, 'rob, rob, rob, hey rob, slow down, oh my god, rob wait, rob!'

 

[kornkob]

I had a strong dislike for it. The whole shakeycam thing detracted from the movie in a big way.

Shakeycam has it's place but overuse is not a good thing.


That and several plot points that were jsut flat out stupid.

 

[EvilTOJ]

Except for the horrendous motion sickness to the point of nausea, I loved it. It showed a very unique prespective on what every monster movie is missing; what does the populace think? I mean the poor schmucks that have their city being destroyed never get the privileged view that we do from our movie chairs. They never hear the scientists explaining to the President where the monster came from and what we can do to stop it. They just see buildings falling over and friends exploding.

Definitely the shakey-cam was overused. I think a better way to do it would be to use the 'normal' handicam work during the party, and once the fireworks started made the shaking a lot more subtle. Even the ginger I take for motion sickness didn't help completely.

 

[Air Pirate]

i liked it a lot. the shakey cam was a tad distracting at first but then i didnt notice it so much, but im not really prone to motion sickness.

i liked how the focus was on the characters and not the beastie.

i kind of hope there is a sequel since there is so much more that could be done with the story as far as back story to the event (i know there is a bunch of viral stuff out there about this) and the eventual outcome. i could also see them screwing this up pretty bad though.

 

[vfinch]

Throw me in the pile of people who wasn't that impressed. The potential for a cool "victim perspective" horror film was drowned out a bit by the thrown in romance angle. I watched Cloverfield around the same time as the new remake of The Mist, and had the opposite reaction to both than I thought I would. If anyone hasn't watched The Mist yet definitely give it a try, the ending is worth it by itself.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

I thought it was great. All it really took was a minor focus adjustment and the shakey camera didnt really bother me. Pretty kick ass if you ask me.

 

[beala]

I saw cloverfield when it first came out. I was immersed in the movie the entire time. It did a good job of provoking emotion and conveying fear, urgency, etc. Any movie that can do this, I consider to be successful. Granted, it had its share of unrealistic moments, but at no point did it ever disrupt my suspension of disbelief. So yeah, I liked it.

 

[kornkob]

Fear? Not once did I feel tension, much less fear.

And I didn't find myself caring about the vapid, two dimensional characters except, by the end, I was kind hoping that they'd die in order of whineiness.

 

[beala]

Fair enough. There's nothing contradictory about it provoking fear in me and leaving you unmoved. All that we've shown is that we have different tastes. De gustibus non disputandum.

EDIT: But it may be worthwhile to point out that the critics agree with me: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cloverfield/?critic=creamcrop

But once again, there's no accounting for taste.

 

[vfinch]

I just find it cool that people can have totally different views on a movie. Two people may have five movies they both love, but totally disagree on a sixth. Same thing goes for other things...like beer.

 

[NitrouStang96]

After reading many reviews, I wholeheartedly believe that everyone falls somewhere in this spectrum:



CLOVERFIELD __x_|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____|____ TRANSFORMERS


The x is where I am.

From the thread in February.



As an avid movie-goer, I'm so sick of stupid, lame movies for the masses. Cloverfield was a breath of fresh air.

I can't say that my opinions are typical of the general public, though, as I frequent the theater very often, am a video editor, and am a filmmaker.

 

[Jared311]

To be honest I thought the movie was piss pour. However I think they did an excellent job advertising the movie and pulling the crowds in.

 

[DeathBrewer]

i finally watched this a couple of days ago. loved it. the shakey cam didn't bother me. it was kind of funny at the right parts. it didn't give this whole rounded out story, you just saw what you saw. the monsters were great.

nothing like blair witch project, where a bunch of idiots just ramble into a camera. nothing like crap monster movies where they try to explain where it comes from or go over-the-top with cheesiness.

action-packed...it didn't quit the whole time. MOST of the animation was pretty good.

oh, and the girls in it were FINE

 

[homebrewer_99]

Worse film since Blair Witch Project...filmed on the same shaky camera...either that or the cameraman needs to de-caffinate...

 

[Cregar]

I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I was bored with it at first, but as soon as they started running for there lives I was totally into it.

 

[Air Pirate]

this is a very polarizing movie

there are hardly any middle ground comments...

 

[MikeFlynn74]

I enjoyed the movie immensely- But then again I dont watch movies so I can make comments about how elitist I am.

 

[Milhouse]

I really enjoyed the movie. It is nice to see a film that is original and does not have to follow the same formula of traditional "been there done that" monster movie. It's no surprise that the guy that did this movie also created LOST.

 

[NitrouStang96]

You can't have Cloverfield without shaky cam, because it wouldn't at all be the movie that was written. The reason for the handheld was the basis for the whole movie. You're not part of the crowd in the action with a beautiful, slow jib. Only first-person handy-cam gets you that.

 

[CodeRage]

It's no surprise that the guy that did this movie also created LOST.

That explains the plot holes.

 

[vfinch]

That explains the plot holes.

I'm sure the monster in Cloverfield is related to the black smoke on the Island!

 

[Air Pirate]

That explains the plot holes.

what plot holes?

 

[Milhouse]

That explains the plot holes.

Plot holes?

 

[CodeRage]

I'm sure the monster in Cloverfield is related to the black smoke on the Island!

Exactly!

Plot hole was the wrong term, but how everything is so half ass explained. Like 'We got a Bite!" WTF does that really mean and what happened?

Yeah I know it enhances the 'general populous perspective' garbage, which btw sounds like an excuse to write a piss poor dialogue. You're right there were no plot holes cause the plot was so pathetically simple, go get the girl and die.

And could we get a little symbolance of realisim? I know thats alot to ask for a movie with a gigantic space monster tearing up new york but... When was he last time you bought a new cell phone battery and the thing was completely charged? And who has a camcorder battery and tape that lasts 2 hours? I wouldnt have minded a battery/tape change break, in fact it could have been a cool device in the movie had it been done right.

 

[zoebisch01]

I am totally hesitating because of the 'Shaky Cam' viewpoint.

 

[Air Pirate]

well if im going to suspend belief for space aliens, ill probably suspend it for the length of a camcorder battery. not saying you are wrong... im just not as particular.

i kind of like that there is a lot to the event that the audience doesnt know. i think it actually is very realistic in that respect. we know what our intrepid urban heroes know as they sally forth to save the girl. and since the story is about them and not about a monster, im not upset that i dont know more about the monster. that doesnt mean im not curious, but its not a deal breaker for me.

in any case, if you dont like it, you dont have to watch it again


i think it would be cool to have sequel to it. maybe the same event from another (radically different) point of view or maybe a more conventional one about before and/or after the events of this movie. there could be many interesting ways to expand the story.

 

[CodeRage]

I am totally hesitating because of the 'Shaky Cam' viewpoint.

SWMBO is sensitive to shakey came too, watch it in a room with no lights on, that helps alot. The Shakey cam for the most part wasnt that bad.

Air Pirate- People seem to be very polar about this move, not much room for in between. I just happen to be on the other pole. I can really appreciate the concept of the perspective but I feel it was poorly executed. I dont hold it against any one who likes the movie, I happen to REALLY not like it

Now I didnt see it in the theatre and I hear that made a huge difference to be immersed in the film. My good friend loves the movie but he said watching it on DVD was pretty meh.

 

[BierMuncher]

...The Shakey cam for the most part wasnt that bad...

What I was impressed by was how they integrated the shaky cam filming with some pretty damn good CGI graphics. It came off pretty seamlessly.

 

[zoebisch01]

SWMBO is sensitive to shakey came too, watch it in a room with no lights on, that helps alot. The Shakey cam for the most part wasnt that bad.

I don't have seizures or anything What I meant was, I really don't like that POV because I find it really hard to get into, it can be very distracting.

Was this a horror/gore film?