Monday, January 21, 2008

When a Monster Attacks!!!

Last summer I, like most people went to see a little movie over the summer called Transformers. If you were one of those who went to see that movie you saw a trailer for another movie about NYC blowing up and the date was 1-18-08. The Internet went nuts. "What the heck is 1-18-08, what's this secret project called 'Cloverfield'? Piecing the mystery together 1-18-08 / Cloverfield was a monster movie told thru the eyes of someone with a camcorder. No back story needed here, just some guy taping his best friends going away party then BAM!, monster attacks the city.

I know what most of you are thinking, 'didn't I see this movie before'?
Nope. 'Cloverfield' is a monster movie reinvention. Right away I give the movie high marks for living up to what it said it was going to be. 'Cloverfield' does not have Godzilla chasing Mathew Broderick around the city, nor do we see Will Smith and other army men fighting off aliens from outer space. We see a movie told or seen by the people that live in the city that these monsters smash and destroy.
As said earlier the movie focuses on five friends at a going away party. It just so happens that on this very evening a monster decides to attack the city. The rest of the movie is a document on how the group of friends try to survive and get out of the city in one piece. Telling you any more would truly and utterly ruin the experience, so mum's the word.
A+ Enjoy!!! --COX

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cloverfield's just the next "Blair Witch Project"? NO, NO, and triple NO! This is not Blair Witch. The only similarity is the fact that it is shot in the "handycam" style. Cloverfield is so MUCH more than that. It has a screenplay. It has actors. It has special effects. and even though the cinematography is done in this style, the shots are so well done you almost dont even recognize them. Everything is well planned and set up.

This film is like nothing you have ever seen before. It truly is an original. It starts out and you almost dont even know that it has started because of the camera. And being that this is the point of view, it is as though you are going through this adventure with the cast. It is also pretty close to real time.

This movie is obviously a monster movie, but it doesnt focus so much on that that you get bored. It acutally leaves you in suspense wondering more and more about what is attacking the city. The suspense and lack of visuals on the monster leave you wanting more. It also reminds me of one of my favorite suspenseful monster movies, Jaws.

It also has another quality that I think all monster movies need, and that is comedy. Many monster or slasher movies try to accomplish this, but tend to fail. Cloverfields comic relief is the camera man known as "Hud". His little comments behind the camera leave you smiling as they take on the citys monster. The comedy doesnt feel planned or "stuck in", it is natural human reaction to trauma, which is what most funny stand-up comedians reinact to us, the audience.

You like monster movies? You like originality? Then this is the movie for you.
Rating: B+
--SammyB

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

will 'dark knight' now do even better that ledger is dead?? could you blog your thoughts please.