Comments on: Attn: CLOVERFIELD FANS

By: Betty Kennedy

Betty Kennedy — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:01:43 +0000

I was lucky enough to see an advance screening of Cloverfield (don’t worry, I’ll go back and pay for my ticket!) and I was very impressed with the film. I admit that it took a few minutes to adjust to the camera work, but the hand held camera added such a “real” feeling to the film that I’m glad that it was used. Going into the film, I loved the concept and was certainly not disappointed! It was the most realistic “monster” movie I’ve ever seen. Not only because the monster looked real (go Kevin Blank!), but also because the script was so well written. The characters actually behaved like real people, not like action movie characters. you know? I loved the bittersweet ending and the witty dialogue.

Some of the people I was with did have issues with the lack of backstory. They wanted to have some information on the creation of the monster, but I felt it was irrelevant. It would not have enhanced my movie experience to know that the Monster was from outer space, or if the monster had a name! I loved the movie for what it was, an atypical “monster” movie!

Great job everyone at Bad Robot! As a fan it was nice to see so many familiar names up on the big screen. (JJ, Burky, Drew, Kevin Blank, Michael Bonvillian, etc…) After watching Felicity, Alias, WAB and Lost I feel like I know you guys and I am so proud of your successes! Keep up the great work!

By: hijinx

hijinx — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:59:54 +0000

I’m posting the following comment that I got from DJ Kaidy via e-mail (since the interwebz HATES her):

“I saw Cloverfield last night, but was not physically recovered enough to write about the movie until now.

Firstly? The experience itself! I went with 2 friends, and one of them had to leave about 20 minutes into things due to motion-sickness. HA! I admit, I was a bit queasy when I stood after the credits - I felt like I had been on a rollercoaster for a non-stop 90 minute ride! I saw a few other people leave mid-movie, staggering down the stairs, and assume they couldn’t hack it either. I did not personally witness anyone vomiting, which isn’t such a bad thing. Those who stuck it out and held on for the ride? There was APPLAUSE when the credits hit the screen. SO, the 5:20pm viewers in Williamsport, PA were a happy and satisfied bunch.

The movie? Kicked some major arse! I expected GREATNESS from the likes of Drew, JJ, Burky, and a ton of other peeps, and, I wasn’t let down! Drew’s script? Ah, so “normal” - reminded me of some of his TV eppys as far as the ease & flow of it. JJ’s always very particular about CGI, so the monster? SO perfect! It was scary yet realistic, mysterious yet almost simple, and never ONCE did I feel like it was overly “animated”. It was a mixture of Godzilla, Nosferatu, the Alien, and King Kong wrapped into one - a totally unique yet generic monster. The realism of the plot - the government angle especially - was gripping. When you see Jason on the bridge just moments before you hear the *snap* - wow! Total realism in a situation as such!

I don’t know if I could see it on the big screen a second time - I admit, the hand-held did give a great effect but, I think I could watch it on DVD over and over. Then again, I can’t play most video games due to the fact I get severe vertigo! (I play Rogue Squandron in small doses, pausing to “lie down” to overcome nausea between levels. lol) I am proud I got to watch the entire movie because it really was AWESOME!

Lastly, the cast did a great job. Definitely some new faces & talent for me to keep an eye on!

In one word? Fantastic-O!”

~DJ Kaidy (www.lost-radio.com)

By: djlena

djlena — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 05:59:00 +0000

That was the BEST monster movie I have ever seen!! And KUDOS to Abrams and the rest for leaving us in suspense! Now I find myself checking out all the ARG like websites (just like LOST) and absolutely positively HAVE TO SEE THAT MOVIE AGAIN VERY VERY VERY SOON!!!!

IT ROCKED. Just tell them that.

By: Kiersten Ball

Kiersten Ball — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:37:41 +0000

When I went to purchase my tickets there was a warning sign in the window about possible side effects from the movie…..which totally made me laugh. They posted these signs everywhere! But that’s not the point. First I must bow down to Drew Goddard. The script was brilliant! The whole movie came together so well, and I absolutely loved it. I love it when a movie makes me want to yell something at the screen like “Don’t turn on the night vision because I KNOW there are creepy things right behind you!!” Seriously this film was a lot of fun to watch and I’ll definitely have to see it again for more clues! And I also loved that they stopped on floor 47 in the building…just makes me want to rewatch Alias, lol. Anyway, great job done by all!

By: Jon L

Jon L — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:56:28 +0000

This was a great roller coaster ride of a movie. I went in with fairly high expectations and loved every minute of it. As usual, the Bad Robot crew spin a story where you really have no idea which character will get knocked off next. They’re all expendable! Even the scares I expected made me jump out of my seat (the tunnel, the helicopter). Just goes to show that even the so-called cliche moments of a monster film can still be effective when executed well. This movie was executed very well. Even when the characters make questionable decisions, they are flawed enough personalities that you can understand that they wouldn’t necessarily make the right decision in this moment of panic.

And what would a Bad Robot production be without hidden easter eggs! Well done, Bad Robot! Well done!

By: Ian Chapman

Ian Chapman — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:46:34 +0000

Best monster movie for a very long time, I never want to see it again! Took me two days to recover from the handycam effect, felt sick from 30 seconds into the movie amazed I survived the whole thing. Premise was great. I think the same effect could have been created using a steady cam.Please please please remake the movie from the point of view of a proffesional camera team (News or Doco.)

By: Melanie P.

Melanie P. — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 04:11:20 +0000

I went to see the matinee this morning. Drew Goddard is God. I knew that before, but really, the dialogue, story, everything about this movie just confirms it. The shaky cam was only disorienting a couple of times. Mostly I felt myself leaning to the right or the left trying to see. The monster was incredible! The action was great. I need to see it again. I’m still left with a few questions, and now I’ve read that there may more more clues, so yeah, I need to see that again. Oh yeah, and I want a Slusho t-shirt.

By: Noah H.

Noah H. — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:02:28 +0000

My Cloverfield experience was insane! I live in NYC, so I decided to catch the movie in Times Square on 42nd street. It was opening night, there was a line as far as the eye could see, and I was about 10 people from the beginning of the line! I wasn’t quite prepared for all of the camera movement. I and many others were complaining of motion sickness. But the movie was amazing! And now for the crazy part! At the end of the movie, a guy with curly hair stands up about 2 rows in front of me and asks everyone in the theater how we liked “their” movie. And sure enough, it was Hudd, the guy behind the camera for most of the movie, along with most of the cast! I guess they were they to see the crowds reaction. So all in all, it was a fun experience!

By: jonahadkins

jonahadkins — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 01:38:32 +0000

This movie was an “experience”. Plain and simple.

I was expecting the typical, “black ops, we’ve known about this” that’s popular in most movies (transformers, etc) but, no we get Hammerdown, B52’s, biting.

Awesome!

I spent $5 to see the 10:30am this morning, and i feel like i ripped the movie makers off - i’ll see it 2 or 3 more times and call it even..

By: Matt Hoskins

Matt Hoskins — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:38:28 +0000

I took the day off work today and saw Cloverfield (it wasn’t the only reason to take the day off, but it sure made the decision easy!)

First, I must saw that Drew Goddard wrote an incredible script. The movie didn’t feel scripted at all - it really felt like it was real people having real conversations in a real (and totally frightening) situation.

Matt Reeves direction complements the script so well - this movie felt completely real to me. Which makes it all the more frightening.

Production design, special effects, pacing, backstory, characterizations…all of it was great.

The movie is the total package - drama, emotion, action, scares, thrills, tension, romance, and a little bit of humor (You know Superman?!)

I liked the ending. It seemed like it ended in the right way in the right place. I fear the Hammerdown Protocol. The ending left me wanting more, but not in an unsatisfied way - so satisfied that I want to be satisfied again.

Let’s hope the writer’s strike ends quickly so Drew can pen a fast-tracked sequel.

I would like an origin story - maybe documented from a scientist’s camera in the Slusho labs…

By: Shamus Scannell

Shamus Scannell — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:35:19 +0000

I had seen Cloverfield opening show today. I thought it was fantastic, I know people are going to either love it or think its another blair witch and crap all over this. Honestly they can stick it. That movie was like a roller coaster ride on fire while flaming monkeys are being shot at you. It was extremely well done and thought out, I love the fact that nothing was explained in detail. It was utter chaos, and it was like being in a first person shooter. My heart was pounding from when the first rumble hit the city all the way to the end. And the monster and his lil buddies were cool looking. I loved it. Great Job keep that type of screen fair going. That was AWSOME. By the way could you add some background story to the monster for the dvd, that would be cool. Thanks.

By: Spence

Spence — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:35:13 +0000

Amazing! Totally the best experience I’ve had at the movies in a long time! It was breath taking! Made me jump, which is a big deal, I’m so Jaded to those things now days. I wasn’t expecting much and was truly blown away by what I saw. I hope they don’t make a sequel because there’s no way you to compete with something as legendary as this. And no lame “lost” footage, either!
The Creature was well hidden in a very teasing “Jaws” style. Loved IT!!

By: Ross Caldwell

Ross Caldwell — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:59:35 +0000

I quite enjoyed Cloverfield. I think I may have been the only person in the cinema to not say “That’s it?” at the end. The strong point of this film was it’s deviation from the standard film formula. Rather than take the standard film formula and film it through hand-cam, it took the filming method and developed it’s own formula. Overall I quite enjoyed the film, I don’t believe there should be a sequel but if there was to be a sequel I wouldn’t complain.

By: Sam P

Sam P — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:00:25 +0000

I reallly enjoyed this movie. It was beautifully shot and there were many moments when I was on the edge of my seat. For example when the group run into the army. The characters were well developed and I think this added to it’s believeability (if that’s a word). The scene where Rob was talking to his mum just broke my heart. I was however a bit disapointed with the ending but I guess that’s because I’m the kind of person who likes happy endings or at least partly happy ending

By: Roy Smith

Roy Smith — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:47:46 +0000

Sorry,I meant they instead of she

By: Roy Smith

Roy Smith — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:46:38 +0000

If they do a sequel,she should do it from the point of view of a 24 hour News network like Fox News.When both Iraqi Freedom & the 2006 war between Hezbollah & Hamas against Israel was happening,I was glued to my TV. In fact,during the 2006 war,at the exact time that they were showing Israel firing their howitzers into Lebanon,two trains collided just up the street from me & I totally missed it(the local witnesses & neighbors said it sounded like thunder when it happened) because the sound was drowned out by my TV & the howitzers.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:26:36 +0000

Awesome. Honestly a lot better than i was hoping for. It was beautifully shot, the hand held didn’t detract from the movie at all, if anything it added to the very personal feeling of the movie.
It was a beautiful story, (My heart bleed for Hud, Lucy and Rob) and had the perfect mixture of jumping out of my seat moments (leaning building, anyone?), Funny moments in the face of tragedy (Superman/ garfield) and heartbreaking moments which made me cry (Rob speaking to his mum).
Everyone involved with this movie, from Matt Reeves, Drew Goodard (one of my favourite writers btw), JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk and all others should be very proud.