bugshaw: (RedRobot)
Bridget ([personal profile] bugshaw) wrote2008-02-09 12:58 am

The Smell of Clover

So, is Cloverfield "a real stinker"?

My opinion: it doesn't exactly have the subtle complexities of truffles or fine wine, but neither does it smell like Pot Noodle :-)

Along with the spectacle - giant lizards! tanks on 5th Avenue! and destruction of Statue of Liberty! - there were some genuinely scary moments and laugh-out-loud lines. The humour comes from the characters, perfectly ordinary people (for slightly shiny New Yorkers) trying to cope with the situation and not spontaneously turning into Hollywood action heroes à la Bruce Willis or Tom Cruise. A somewhat geeky chap 'takes the camera' for much of this mock documentary; you see things through his eyes in a way that is usually invisible with a 'professional' filmmaker (ah, I love frames, and frames within frames). I wonder how much of the complicated relationships he catches on camera is as visible to him as it is obvious to most of the audience? A lot is said without words.

In summary, I did have an enjoyable evening (though I admit I do sometimes like Pot Noodle)

I don't believe the above contains spoilers, though any comments may do.

[identity profile] holyoutlaw.livejournal.com 2008-02-09 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
At the end of the movie, just as the credits started to roll, did someone stand up and loudly declare "This movie sucked!" or the rough equivalent thereof?

I'm referring to the Cloverfield Shout.

[identity profile] bugshaw.livejournal.com 2008-02-09 10:27 am (UTC)(link)
Wow! No, I've heard people bitch loudly at a couple of films, but not this one. I did it myself after Batman and Robin, but that really was tosh.