Topic: Cloverfield

[Najemikon]

One reason I rated it so highly was for its timing and delivery. It was film that didn't follow the rules, right from conception and it was fun before anyone knew what it was. I also thought it was absolutely the best "found footage" idea and took it further, far better than Blair Witch. While I was frustrated by the opening scenes, they'd grown on me. By comparison, Diary of the Dead was just as innovative (possibly better), but just wasn't any fun. This is a blockbuster with a very large brain and there are layers beyond the chase formula. As to the "sneaking up", well it didn't. They had just fallen out of a crashed 'copter and would be easily disorientated to not notice the bloody thing, which to be far had clearly been heading in that direction anyway...

And about the ending, well, proper horror films are supposed to be like that. It's a requirement of the genre, almost, and horror films that don't kick you in the nuts at the end are not doing what they're supposed to do. Which brings me to The Mist. Jimmy already discussed it here http://www.dvdcollectorsonline.com/index.php/topic,691.msg71855.html#msg71855

Certainly not for me, since I hate The Myst for the exact opposite reason of why you hate Cloverfield

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Not every movies need to be Happy, happy, happy, joy, joy...

Jimmy, I can't believe you still subscribe to that line of thinking. Ok, you don't like that the ending is ambiguous and different to the book, but

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Whatever you think of it, you cannot possibly consider it a "happy" one.

When myself and Achim continued to discuss it here
http://www.dvdcollectorsonline.com/index.php/topic,5206.msg85408.html#msg85408 it seemed obvious that the book followed a wider perspective and left the world doomed, but the film focused the audience on one character and left him destroyed.

How on earth can you possibly consider a man killing his own family in an act of desperation, only to find out it wasn't necessary, "happy"? Your only focus is on the army rolling in and even that was ambiguous. No new viewer of that story came out with a smile. Where's the "happy, happy, joy, joy" in that?  

When the horse charging scene came up, I thought my whole apartment was going to crumble to pieces. I look over at her and she's awestruck, she looks over at me and I say to her, That's why I spent $1000. 

Brilliant! Sadly, part of the reason my friend has sold me his for a fraction of its worth, is because his missus is not compatible with speakers. For me, it would be in a bloody pre-nup. "She will not complain about speaker placement and/or related wiring. If she does not like it, she can sod off to another room."

[Dragonfire]

I've seen this movie 2-3 times now.  And I've hated every viewing.  I can't stand this movie.

For me the biggest problem is:

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I hate movies with bleak endings.  I find no joy in following along with 90-120 minutes only to have every character die at the end.  I guess the fact that the "movie" was found by someone implies that humanity didn't get completely wiped out, but it's still annoying.

Certainly not for me, since I hate The Myst for the exact opposite reason of why you hate Cloverfield

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Not every movies need to be Happy, happy, happy, joy, joy...

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Every movie doesn't have to have a happy ending.  I just personally prefer to watch movies that have happier endings.  I don't enjoy getting depressed during movies.  I avoid some movies that people flock too because I know they will be too depressing for me.  Though I can appreciate movies that are bleaker as good movies.  Some I have even seen several times.  I can deal with bleak more than tear jerker. 

[Critter]

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Cloverfield did have a happy ending for me though. I was so sick of the human characters that when they were finally all killed it felt like a relief. I'm pretty sure I only liked one character in the film but she blew up earlier on.

And Jon, i don't really see how Cloverfield didn't follow the rules. A film like Kick-Ass, now that didn't follow any rules, but Cloverfield seemed sort of standard to me. It was like Blair Witch with better effects. I didn't completely hate the film, just most of it, but the parts I did like I liked a lot which makes it something I don't mind rewatching. I am also an Alias fan so I appreciated seeing all the little Alias Easter Eggs that Abrhams put into Cloverfield.

[Najemikon]

By "not following the rules", I mean how it delivered the story absolutely without compromise. You mention Kick-Ass and in a way, I can see a similarity, in that neither film looks like it suffered test screenings. And don't forget Kick-Ass is a parody, so it is following a well worn path in terms of narrative, regardless of how it gets there.

Blair Witch can't claim much, but it can definitely claim setting the stage for Cloverfield, but ask yourself this, what else followed it? Nothing successfully. And Cloverfield is infinitely more clever and trusting of it's audience than Blair Witch could ever be.

You're simply not seeing what I'm seeing and that's fair enough. But Cloverfield was clearly going to be a monster movie, but when it dumped me in that flat with all those people talking about crap, I decided to trust it. I get the feeling you said, "where's the damn monster, all ready?" and that's made you picky! 

Remember the threads about Firefly and Serenity? I kept forgetting, but Cloverfield's "less is more" approach was part of what I was talking about. That willingness to actually ignore the monster for the most part. That's a big deal and a huge step in making CGI organic. Before Cloverfield, that was unheard of in Fantasy.

[MEJHarrison]

I have to disagree with people saying that the ending is too bleak. I think all too often movies go with the happy ever after ending and its just predictable. I

I don't think movies need to have a happy ending.  I just don't care much for movies when they're totally at one extremely.  I need just the smallest hint of hope.  The Mist was brought up.  That movie had a bleak ending, but I didn't find it a hopeless ending.

I also don't care for the hand-held camcorder type of movie either.  No real reason, just not my style.

[Critter]

Remember the threads about Firefly and Serenity? I kept forgetting, but Cloverfield's "less is more" approach was part of what I was talking about. That willingness to actually ignore the monster for the most part. That's a big deal and a huge step in making CGI organic. Before Cloverfield, that was unheard of in Fantasy.

I loved the CGI, almost too much. Becuase I loved the monster in the end more than I liked any of the people. I felt bad for the monster whenever it was attacked but I didn't care when it killed the people. I think in that manner I got the wrong message from the film. The monster itself though, I just loved it's design.

Another thing I loved about the film was the viral marketing for the advertising. All those websites for corporations in the film, even myspace pages for all the characters was awesome. I had a fun time following all that online before I saw the film.

At the end though, where that girl was stabbed through the middle with an iron bar, then managed to be okay and walking around, then was an a helicopter crash, then mnagaed to run after that as well. If they were going for a more realistic thing then she should have been dead. I know people can do amazing things on adreneline but that just took it too far for me, she was like Rasputin or something, someone that just wouldn't die.

[Jimmy]

Jimmy, I can't believe you still subscribe to that line of thinking.

Yes, I haven't change my mind

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The army coming to the rescue is the same trick used in others movie like the cute little dog who survive, it was all a dream, ...
It's a feel good ending for the viewers : the world is safe because of the good guy, don't worry this isn't the end of the world yet...

I can accept some liberty when a book is adapted, but there is a difference between making an Irishman black and changing the end. The book story doesn't had an end... David and his son (some survivors also I think) are hidden in an Howard Johnson motel, the rampage continue and ... it's over. We have no idea of what happen to the survivors.

This is a good ending. It's an open ending we will never know no need to invent that the cavalry come to the rescue.

[Antares]

Brilliant! Sadly, part of the reason my friend has sold me his for a fraction of its worth, is because his missus is not compatible with speakers. For me, it would be in a bloody pre-nup. "She will not complain about speaker placement and/or related wiring. If she does not like it, she can sod off to another room."

My wife and I have an understanding, she doesn't mess with my film appreciation hobby and I don't mess with her sewing hobby. I even went so far as to get her the sewing machine she always wanted, cost me $2800. 

But it made her happy and she doesn't give me any grief over my DVD purchases.

[Jimmy]

2800$ for a sewing machine Even a very good computer cost less than that

[Dragonfire]

My wife and I have an understanding, she doesn't mess with my film appreciation hobby and I don't mess with her sewing hobby. I even went so far as to get her the sewing machine she always wanted, cost me $2800. 

But it made her happy and she doesn't give me any grief over my DVD purchases.

Wow..that's an expensive sewing machine.  What kind is it?

[Antares]

2800$ for a sewing machine Even a very good computer cost less than that

This thing has every bell and whistle imaginable. And seeing as how my wife makes most of her clothing, the curtains and drapes on our windows and the many quilts that adorn our bed, I thought it was a worthwhile investment.

[Antares]

Wow..that's an expensive sewing machine.  What kind is it?

Bernina

[Dragonfire]

I haven't heard of that brand.  Though I don't know a lot about sewing machines. 
My mom use to sew a lot.  It is harder for her to do now because of arthritis in her hands.  I want to try to make some stuff, but I haven't taken the time yet.

[snowcat]

You know, I love Monster movies... and I love Cloverfield.

I think the sequel could be a good thing... id like to see maybe a... news report? a different take on the events but as Rich said it has been said that a sequel will coincide with the first movie.

What I love about Cloverfield the most is that it was the first Monster movie (not counting remakes) recently to actually attract an audience. and it also bought on a flurry of terrible copy cat B movies ;p

[Najemikon]

Jimmy, I can't believe you still subscribe to that line of thinking.

Yes, I haven't change my mind

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The army coming to the rescue is the same trick used in others movie like the cute little dog who survive, it was all a dream, ...
It's a feel good ending for the viewers : the world is safe because of the good guy, don't worry this isn't the end of the world yet...

Your mistake is concentrating on the plot-line of the book. Any one watching the film as I did, seeing the story for the first time, will see that

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it doesn't concern itself with the fate of the world. It's only interested in David. Therefore the viewer is only interested in David. And what happens to David is horrendous.

It's the same with WWII films. We know how it ended, but they never bother telling us. They only concentrate on what the central character is doing.

Throughout all the discussions we've had on this film, you have never acknowledged that! Let me ask you a straightforward question, seeing as this is how newbies watch the film: do you consider David shooting his son, and three other people, then attempting to kill himself while sobbing in desperation, and then finding out he should have held out just a bit longer, a happy, feel-good ending?

You know, I love Monster movies... and I love Cloverfield.

I think the sequel could be a good thing... id like to see maybe a... news report? a different take on the events but as Rich said it has been said that a sequel will coincide with the first movie.

What I love about Cloverfield the most is that it was the first Monster movie (not counting remakes) recently to actually attract an audience. and it also bought on a flurry of terrible copy cat B movies ;p

I've heard they may do a prequel, which could open up some very clever ideas to tie in with this film, or could be a cop-out because they desperately want to do another one, but can't work out how.