So, I'm totally not a competitive person. And I don't really care about going to Las Vegas (although, it would be neat). But icanhascheezburger.com put out a call to make a lolz that could win a prize and I just couldn't help myself. My submission, let me shows you it (above).
So, Valentine's Day.... Great gifts to give:It doesn't have to be expensive, it doesn't have to be shiny; just something that takes thought and love and shows you care.....
So, here's my hopefully stimulating review of Cloverfield. Anything that would be considered a spoiler will be left at the end of the post for those who haven't seen it yet.
My overall opinion of the movie is good. Great actually. I know there's a lot of complaints about certain aspects: acting, milkshake camera, monster, etc. and I'll address these individually. But overall, I went into the theatre excited and ready to have an enjoyable time. And I did. I left the theatre satisfied and on a movie high.
Man... I love those movie highs.
Everything seems bright, shiny and a-ok in the world for a little while after watching a good movie. Honestly, I can't really think of a real complaint I have about the movie. The only thing that comes first to mind that bothered me was the extreme camera shake. And the ending. But more on that later....
Acting: A lot of people found the acting to be a bit hokey(relationships especially), over reacting(throughout most of the movie) and reaching too much. It didn't bother me. I felt that the situation called for it. With relationships, you're going to be a bit hokey. I'm a girl, I catch myself being lovey-eyed often. I saw the hokey-ness as a bit of realistic love going on while there's a city-wide crisis going on. Over reacting..... who wouldn't be completely nuts when a monster is attacking your city? I over reacting when there's a tiny spider in my room.... or anywhere within a mile of me. Do I sit in my room, worrying over the spiders outside and how they are plotting my demise?
You bet your butt I do.
tl;dr version: Acting: the situation called for it.
Story: monster attacks city. Who doesn't love it? I also enjoyed the cuts to the original recording on the camera's tape, it gave insight into the main relationship of the movie and a big hint at the end.
Monsters: I was.... well.... intrigued, yet slightly let down at the big monster. There's some concept art running through the forums of a whale-esque monster with crab-like little monsters. I would have been really pleased if they had pulled this off. Instead, it's... well... kinda gross. However, the little monsters did cause me to duck and grab onto my seat handles a few times. And there's very clever(scary) use of night vision.
tl;dr version: Monsters: would have preferred the whale monster, but it definitely was scary. The little monsters made me cover from phobias.
Milkshake camera: I believe this is the main complaint. It only bothered me when it seemed too ridiculous for it to be that shaky. I've watched(and enjoyed) the Blair Witch Project, and that wasn't as shaky. Yes, you're freaking out, the grounds shaking, fine, great, fantastic. But if there's nothing going on, stop shaking or at least put the steady cam mode on. I heard that more people got sick from this then from Blair Witch. Which is understandable: I wasn't bothered at all by the shaking in that movie, yet in Cloverfield, I was slightly annoyed sometimes.
tl;dr version: Milkshake camera: use steady cam please, I don't want to have to clean other peoples' vomit off me. :D
The hype: I enjoyed the hype. Watching the trailer online. Finding broadcasts about oil rigs being damaged and weird bloops going on under the sea added to the excitement. Granted, the week of opening, they showed TV spots a little too much.
Ending: To avoid spoilers.... let's just say that I wasn't pleased. Also, there's an extra message after the credits.
Alrighty, to space the spoilers away from the regular review... I give you: Laughing shark.
It's well shameful that I find this funny.
Spoilers!!!
Monsters: Big one: gross, slick-like skin. Red air sacs on side of face. Long, icky limbs. Little guys: made funny noises, spider-like.
Ending: Everyone except Lily(who leaves in a helicopter separate from everyone else) and Rob and Beth(could be dead, it's uncertain) dies. Rob and Beth take cover underneath a bride in Central Park which crumbles around them, presumably burying them. Yet, the message at the end sounds like Rob's voice, so he might not be dead. The message at the end? "Help us" maybe, but if played backwards "It's still alive." Oh noes!! Also, the last scene is from the original recording of Rob and Beth's trip to Coney Island and when the camera pans out to the sea, there's a tiny black dot on the far right side and falls into the ocean. This is said to be a satellite that fell and woke up the monster. The end. :( Too many questions left to be acceptable.
