Wowee, last night David took me to a screening of Cloverfield on the Paramount Studios Lot, and I had a great time! We got to watch a movie in the big Paramount Theater, in the Most Comfortable Seats I've ever enjoyed. The theater was huge and fancy, and we were surrounded by too-cool industry types. The movie is good! I enjoyed it a lot, I bit off all my nails. I didnt' know too much about this movie, and don't care about monster flicks in general, so I wasn't especially amped up about seeing it, but I was impressed. I think this movie succeeds in the way it's told. Yes, a giant monster is smashing up New York City, but by telling the story from the persepective of a member of the frightened crowd, on a camcorder, you are put in the position of the clueless, terrifed masses. All the terror that comes from the confusion of people on the bottom level of the city, as it crumbles around them. I think 911 helps to make it slightly more beliveable, now that people have seen the city in ash and debris, this kind of disaster seems probable in the back of your mind. Also, they do a really good job of not showing you the monster in it's entirity, you get little glimpses, and the mystery is what makes the movie good. In the end you get one good long shot of it's face, and I felt this was NOT needed at all, but I understand why they have to do it. I was also satisfied with the ending, and it's nice and short at 84 minutes. Something about all the recent 3 hour epics feel heavy and allow you some time to get bored. This is fast and smart and in my opinion, much better than any other shoot-em-up-destroy-monster-movie. Outside the theater they had a Statue of Liberty with no head, it was great! And we got a DVD press kit with production notes I'm looking forward to reading.
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