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Movies / On DVD / Cloverfield
Cloverfield

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Cloverfield (2008)

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Reviews Counted:192

Fresh:147

Rotten:45

Average Rating:6.8/10

Consensus: A sort of Blair Witch Project crossed with Godzilla, Cloverfield is economically paced, stylistically clever, and filled with scares.

Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for violence, terror and disturbing images.

Runtime: 85 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Theatrical Release:01-02-2008

Synopsis: Director Matt Reeves (THE PALLBEARER) and producer J. J. Abrams (LOST, ALIAS) turn a mysterious monster loose in Manhattan in the disaster flick CLOVERFIELD. The movie begins at a party for Rob... Director Matt Reeves (THE PALLBEARER) and producer J. J. Abrams (LOST, ALIAS) turn a mysterious monster loose in Manhattan in the disaster flick CLOVERFIELD. The movie begins at a party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David), who has accepted a promotion that will send him to Japan. Hud (T. J. Miller) is entrusted with the responsibility of videotaping the party--and as the trouble grows, he holds on to the camera, recording everything that happens. In fact, the entire movie is seen through the lens of his camera, reminiscent of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. As terrified people in a post-9/11 New York City take to the streets, Rob decides to head uptown to try to save Beth (Odette Yustman), the woman he loves, though he's afraid to tell her so. Rob is joined by his brother Jason (Mike Vogel), Jason's girlfriend Lily (Jessica Lucas), Lily's friend Marlena (Lizzy Caplan), and Hud, who has a thing for Marlena. Rob is determined not to give up, even after almost being crushed by the Statue of Liberty's head and as the military shows up to force evacuation of the city. Reeves and first-time screenwriter Drew Goddard, who previously has written television episodes of such series as BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL, ALIAS, and LOST, focus in on the central aspect of the story: people trying to survive the monster attack. Very little else is explained, since the story is told completely through the video camera. And there is no additional score to heighten the drama; the only music is that which is picked up by Hud and the camera's microphone, including snippets of songs by Kings of Leon, Parliament Funkadelic, Of Montreal, and others. The anticipation of CLOVERFIELD's release was enhanced by a viral marketing campaign that included Web sites built around the main characters and even the fictional drink Slusho. [More]

Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan

Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller

Director: Matt Reeves

Director: Matt Reeves
Screenwriter: Drew Goddard
Producer: J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk
Studio: Paramount Pictures

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Cloverfield

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61 - 80 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The mechanism is the message in Cloverfield, a movie so aluminum-sleek, ultra-portable, and itsy-bitsy sexy, it’s amazing Steve Jobs didn’t pull it out of an envelope at Macworld.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
01/22/08
Nathan Lee
Nathan Lee
Village Voice

I had a lot of fun with this inside-out take on the monster movie.

Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | comment Comment
01/22/08
Richard Roeper
Richard Roeper
Ebert & Roeper

Under the modern flummery, behind the faux amateurism and the handheld shudder, Cloverfield is a vastly old-fashioned piece of work, creaking with hilarious contrivance.

Full Review Source: New Yorker | comment 1 Comment
01/22/08
Anthony Lane
Anthony Lane
New Yorker

The fleeting, incomplete glimpses of the monster early on prove the old dictum of B-movie auteur Val Lewton that a momentary image can have greater impact than a prolonged one.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
01/22/08
J. R. Jones
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader

This is a dark and somber movie that, in some ways, makes the recent apocalyptic blockbuster I Am Legend look like a rib-tickling comedy.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
01/22/08
Ethan Alter
Ethan Alter
Film Journal International

As a product of our globally-aware disaster-ridden times, Cloverfield touches upon interesting themes ... But it doesn't do much more than just glaze over [them].

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
01/22/08
Jeffrey Chen
Jeffrey Chen
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Something has found us. Now that could have been a great tag line, if what found us was even remotely great.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Spectrum | comment Comment
01/21/08
Vince Koehler
Vince Koehler
Entertainment Spectrum

Besides disinterest, the only emotion it incites is the emotion of wanting to throw up.

Full Review Source: Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia) | comment 1 Comment
01/21/08
Mark Palermo
Mark Palermo
Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

As insipid as the characters are, you do tend to get caught up in their plight.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
01/21/08
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

The monster is every animal and no animal all at once, classifiable only as a behemoth your brain might conjure in REM sleep. A bonecrushing story of apocalyptic attack that's hard to shake, this is the stuff of primal nightmares.

Full Review Source: State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL) | comment Comment
01/21/08
Nick Rogers
Nick Rogers
State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)

'No worries, Lilly,' said Jen. 'New York's underclass will lay down end-to-end and form a bridge to safety.'

Full Review Source: MovieJuice! | comment Comment
01/21/08
Mark Ramsey
Mark Ramsey
MovieJuice!

The overall effect becomes terrifying at times for the viewer and for that the movie scores a lot of points.

Full Review Source: Houston Community Newspapers | comment Comment
01/21/08
Gary Brown
Gary Brown
Houston Community Newspapers

Simply put, I haven't had so much fun in the movies in years...

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
01/21/08
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

A realistic depiction of what it would be like if a giant monster really did attack Manhattan. The photography is jarring, but not as jarring as the realism.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/20/08
Mark R. Leeper
Mark R. Leeper
rec.arts.movies.reviews

If you're looking for a crowded popcorn film experience at the movies without any kind of intellectual or emotional investment, it's a wonderful ride.

Full Review Source: MovieCrypt.com | comment Comment
01/20/08
Kevin A. Ranson
Kevin A. Ranson
MovieCrypt.com

Cloverfield brings chaos and terror in one of the most memorable American monster films in some time.

Full Review Source: Movie Views | comment Comment
01/19/08
Ryan Cracknell
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views

Ultimately a feature-length tease, the movie remarkably insubstantial and uninvolving for something that tries so desperately to live in the moment.

Full Review Source: MovieMartyr.com | comment Comment
01/19/08
Jeremy Heilman
Jeremy Heilman
MovieMartyr.com

Reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project, this cleverly-conceived scream fest was shot entirely with a shaky hand-held camera being operated by one of the film's central characters.

Full Review Source: Black Star News | comment Comment
01/19/08
Kam Williams
Kam Williams
Black Star News

In the monster-attack scenes, the movie's style -- the apocalypse barely glimpsed -- is chilling: We're seeing essentially what we would see if we were there.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
01/19/08
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Despite being only 84 minutes, it seemed overlong and padded.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
01/19/08
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
 
 
61 - 80 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >> >|
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Latest News for Cloverfield

April 27, 2009: Five Favourite Films with J. J. Abrams
The blockbuster season is upon us and amongst the line-up is the highly anticipated reboot of Star Trek. RT spoke to the man in the captain's chair, J. J. Abrams, about his... More...

March 02, 2009: Abrams Plots Cloverfield Sequel-Type Thing Opens in new window
Saying "the idea's pretty sweet," J.J. Abrams has confirmed that a sequel to "Cloverfield" -- or at least a new movie "related to" it -- is on the table. More...

September 25, 2008: Matt Reeves Will Let the Right One In Opens in new window
Overture is prepping a remake of Tomas Alfredson's Swedish vampire movie "Lat Den Ratte Komma In," to be helmed by "Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves. More...

April 21, 2008: RT on DVD: Cloverfield, Charlie Wilson and 2008's Worst-Reviewed Film
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a Slusho, whatever that is! Cloverfield stomps its way onto DVD as not only the most exciting new release of the week, but the one most... More...

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