Cloverfield
- Thread starter govols182
- Start date
Lexvol
I'm Your Huckleberry
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2005
- Messages
- 22,281
- Likes
- 248
Fine Vol
Go Vols
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 19,849
- Likes
- 3
volwindy
sunshine hiker
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2005
- Messages
- 94,598
- Likes
- 40,024
emainvol
Giver of Sexy
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2006
- Messages
- 22,538
- Likes
- 20
emainvol
Giver of Sexy
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2006
- Messages
- 22,538
- Likes
- 20
Fine Vol
Go Vols
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 19,849
- Likes
- 3
rwemyss
Formerly MODest
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2004
- Messages
- 15,860
- Likes
- 281
OrangeEmpire
The White Debonair
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2005
- Messages
- 74,987
- Likes
- 61
From a buddy............... the empty white parts you need to drag over to read.
I just got back from seeing it and while I admit that I was expecting something impressive, I thought my anticipation was properly tempered. From what I could see, it looked like an interesting take on a monster film - and look what happened: it was!
I actually liked it a lot.
The most obvious reason it works is that it really pulls the audience into the situation with the actors. This isn't only due to the way it was shot (I was never dizzy, but some people with weak stomachs or equilibrium issues might be), but a credit to the acting. I'm usually a tough critic of acting, but almost everything in the film felt unscripted to me and very convincing. The people were definitely one of the best elements of the story. Terrific acting, somewhat believable plot guided by a relatively reasonable series of conversations and events - I was fairly convinced and definitely impressed with that aspect. I think the linchpin is that I could easily see myself doing the same or similar things to the characters involved and the dialog felt genuine.
Another great attribute of the film was the destruction and the sense of death that permeated in almost every shot after the monster hits. Skyscrapers are falling, vehicles are being tossed, smoke and soot are everywhere - it's incredibly believable and they definitely did their work putting together that part of the film. You really get the sense that this thing has come without any concern or care and is intent on creating as much chaos as possible. It's identity was never really an issue for me, and for the average viewer, it shouldn't be. The creature is just an element of the film which forwards the story in a very intense and gratifying way. It thought it looked cool and felt believably organic.
I actually liked the ending. It was rather predictable thanks to foreshadowing throughout the film that it would end a certain way. Portions immediately before the ending I had some problems with and I mention them below, but I liked the ending. Marginally predictable, but it was real and authentic - like almost all of the rest of the film.
The parts I didn't like were specifically two different elements:
1) It's a believable series of events until the helicopter crashes. Then at that point, my ability to suspend any disbelief that I had started to slip away. They had survived the trek through the city, the monster, the monster's parasites and a variety of other horrible encounters, but how on Earth they survived that helicopter crash bothers me. I thought the film would have better been served by ending it when the radio said they were going to commence the 'Hammer Down' process - and then cut to the ferris wheel. From that moment on the film felt like it was going on a little too long and becoming less and less believable.
2) Hud (interestingly similar the 'heads-up display' for people familiar with first-person shooters) is a great character throughout the film, but his death is very implausible to me. Shortly after they survive a helicopter crash, this egregiously loud/massive monster sneaks up on them and takes the time (while being bombarded by the US government's baddest fighter jets) to eat/bite/whatever the cameraman - well, it's just a bit ridiculous. Plus, I thought at that point they were showing WAY too much of the monster. I liked the fact that throughout the film it was hidden here or there, it was unclear but still disturbingly obvious. In that sequence, the monster stares at the camera for what amounts to ten seconds or so and then bites the cameraman. I didn't dig it.
So overall I liked the movie and I could easily be convinced to see it again (not five times like some critics were mouthing). I found it to be a very satisfying monster flick centered on people. Acting was good. Special effects were fantastic and the story worked for me. Apart from the few things I touched on above - it was a great film. Oh yeah, here are some of my favorite parts of the film...
1) The tunnel sequence where they get attacked by the crabs. That sequence plays out extremely well from the moment the rats arrive to the treating of Marlene's wounds. Very believable. Very intense. It felt real and it worked well on film. I think they looked pretty damn real.
2) The sequence in the electronic store was great as well. I liked the plausible 'looting' elements and the decision made by Rob to get a new battery. It makes sense it and felt like something someone would do had they had a situation like that. Little things like that made the film really work well because they're things which should happen in every movie but don't - scenarios which close the gap between what's real and what's not. I also dug how they intercut the news feeds with peering outside the window to see what the cameras on TV were capturing from a different angle. Very clever and it pays off.
3) I liked the 'flashbacks' and I really wish they would have happened more frequently and at a greater extent. They help tell the main character's story and really frame the reason Rob wants to go back for Beth - constantly reminding everyone the extent of his feelings for her. Everything at the beginning leads us to believe that, but it doesn't deliver as well as the small snippets of film which weren't filmed over. Those snippets were great and I felt, if anything, there should have been more of them.http://javascript<b></b>:void(0);
I just got back from seeing it and while I admit that I was expecting something impressive, I thought my anticipation was properly tempered. From what I could see, it looked like an interesting take on a monster film - and look what happened: it was!
I actually liked it a lot.
The most obvious reason it works is that it really pulls the audience into the situation with the actors. This isn't only due to the way it was shot (I was never dizzy, but some people with weak stomachs or equilibrium issues might be), but a credit to the acting. I'm usually a tough critic of acting, but almost everything in the film felt unscripted to me and very convincing. The people were definitely one of the best elements of the story. Terrific acting, somewhat believable plot guided by a relatively reasonable series of conversations and events - I was fairly convinced and definitely impressed with that aspect. I think the linchpin is that I could easily see myself doing the same or similar things to the characters involved and the dialog felt genuine.
Another great attribute of the film was the destruction and the sense of death that permeated in almost every shot after the monster hits. Skyscrapers are falling, vehicles are being tossed, smoke and soot are everywhere - it's incredibly believable and they definitely did their work putting together that part of the film. You really get the sense that this thing has come without any concern or care and is intent on creating as much chaos as possible. It's identity was never really an issue for me, and for the average viewer, it shouldn't be. The creature is just an element of the film which forwards the story in a very intense and gratifying way. It thought it looked cool and felt believably organic.
I actually liked the ending. It was rather predictable thanks to foreshadowing throughout the film that it would end a certain way. Portions immediately before the ending I had some problems with and I mention them below, but I liked the ending. Marginally predictable, but it was real and authentic - like almost all of the rest of the film.
The parts I didn't like were specifically two different elements:
1) It's a believable series of events until the helicopter crashes. Then at that point, my ability to suspend any disbelief that I had started to slip away. They had survived the trek through the city, the monster, the monster's parasites and a variety of other horrible encounters, but how on Earth they survived that helicopter crash bothers me. I thought the film would have better been served by ending it when the radio said they were going to commence the 'Hammer Down' process - and then cut to the ferris wheel. From that moment on the film felt like it was going on a little too long and becoming less and less believable.
2) Hud (interestingly similar the 'heads-up display' for people familiar with first-person shooters) is a great character throughout the film, but his death is very implausible to me. Shortly after they survive a helicopter crash, this egregiously loud/massive monster sneaks up on them and takes the time (while being bombarded by the US government's baddest fighter jets) to eat/bite/whatever the cameraman - well, it's just a bit ridiculous. Plus, I thought at that point they were showing WAY too much of the monster. I liked the fact that throughout the film it was hidden here or there, it was unclear but still disturbingly obvious. In that sequence, the monster stares at the camera for what amounts to ten seconds or so and then bites the cameraman. I didn't dig it.
So overall I liked the movie and I could easily be convinced to see it again (not five times like some critics were mouthing). I found it to be a very satisfying monster flick centered on people. Acting was good. Special effects were fantastic and the story worked for me. Apart from the few things I touched on above - it was a great film. Oh yeah, here are some of my favorite parts of the film...
1) The tunnel sequence where they get attacked by the crabs. That sequence plays out extremely well from the moment the rats arrive to the treating of Marlene's wounds. Very believable. Very intense. It felt real and it worked well on film. I think they looked pretty damn real.
2) The sequence in the electronic store was great as well. I liked the plausible 'looting' elements and the decision made by Rob to get a new battery. It makes sense it and felt like something someone would do had they had a situation like that. Little things like that made the film really work well because they're things which should happen in every movie but don't - scenarios which close the gap between what's real and what's not. I also dug how they intercut the news feeds with peering outside the window to see what the cameras on TV were capturing from a different angle. Very clever and it pays off.
3) I liked the 'flashbacks' and I really wish they would have happened more frequently and at a greater extent. They help tell the main character's story and really frame the reason Rob wants to go back for Beth - constantly reminding everyone the extent of his feelings for her. Everything at the beginning leads us to believe that, but it doesn't deliver as well as the small snippets of film which weren't filmed over. Those snippets were great and I felt, if anything, there should have been more of them.http://javascript<b></b>:void(0);
SWIL
( •_•)O*¯`·.¸.·´¯`°Q(•_•)
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2006
- Messages
- 12,118
- Likes
- 1,420
<possible spoilers>
it's a godzilla type animal. also i hear if you look carefully at one of the scenes before the attack (the ferris wheel scene) that you can see a flash/streak in the stars indicating it might have come from space. I also hear the movie is very short (like just over an hour) and the jerking camera motion really gets on your nerves (i haven't seen it btw)
edit: you guys all beat me to it
it's a godzilla type animal. also i hear if you look carefully at one of the scenes before the attack (the ferris wheel scene) that you can see a flash/streak in the stars indicating it might have come from space. I also hear the movie is very short (like just over an hour) and the jerking camera motion really gets on your nerves (i haven't seen it btw)
edit: you guys all beat me to it
OrangeEmpire
The White Debonair
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2005
- Messages
- 74,987
- Likes
- 61
<possible spoilers>
it's a godzilla type animal. also i hear if you look carefully at one of the scenes before the attack that you can see a flash/streak in the stars indicating it might have come from space. I also hear the movie is very short (like just over an hour) and the jerking camera motion really gets on your nerves (i haven't seen it btw)
edit: you guys all beat me to it
Outer space?????????
volsforever27
I ain't dead yet *****
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2007
- Messages
- 19,911
- Likes
- 3,359
<possible spoilers>
it's a godzilla type animal. also i hear if you look carefully at one of the scenes before the attack (the ferris wheel scene) that you can see a flash/streak in the stars indicating it might have come from space. I also hear the movie is very short (like just over an hour) and the jerking camera motion really gets on your nerves (i haven't seen it btw)
edit: you guys all beat me to it
That's a new one on me... I thought it was something created. I think I'm going to see it tonight.
OrangeEmpire
The White Debonair
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2005
- Messages
- 74,987
- Likes
- 61
milohimself
RIP CITY
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2004
- Messages
- 48,889
- Likes
- 34
emainvol
Giver of Sexy
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2006
- Messages
- 22,538
- Likes
- 20
Advertisement
