MOVIE Cloverfield

Hogalbee here and I’m just back from a matinee showing of “Cloverfield”. If you are looking for a movie with a clear and orderly start or stop, you might be better off at “27 Dresses”… unless you aren’t a woman. Seriously, Dude, that looks like a clear and unadulterated chick flick so stick to “Cloverfield”. Last week, we saw “Juno” and for a full hour the wall separating me from the next theater rumbled and shook so I was mildly intrigued.

This movie from producer J. J. Abrams, is entirely seen from the vantage point of a camcorder video shot by friends gathered for a party and chronicles the destruction of the island of Manhattan by a mysterious monster. The first thing the viewer sees is the video starting with a Department of Defense overlay reading that it was from a camera found in the sector formerly known as “Central Park”. You get a pretty good idea that the folks you meet along the way may not fair very well.

You might be able to be interested in the lives of the pretty young actors and actresses as they prepare for and attend their party if it was not for the fact that you knew devastation was coming. As they try to hook up, you are looking at your watch wondering when things will start to explode.

Never having seen “Lost”, “Alias” or “Felicity”, I am not truly familiar with Abram’s work. (He is making the next “Star Trek” movie.) The videocam technique was reminiscent of “The Blair Witch Project” but was more enjoyably done. No one walked out of the theater today looking angry or confused. Of course, it was a Tuesday matinee so there were only two other couples there.

This is not a monster movie and the action does not center around the monster. With only a couple exceptions, when it appears it is glimpsed moving between two skyscrapers and the person holding the camera is probably running or, occasionally, falling. This is the story of a group of people reacting to the destruction of the world they know. Even though you only get to see them through the video camera, you learn what makes each character tick as a person.

Branilicio accompanied me to the movie and see gave “Cloverfield” 4 out of 5 smiles.

In the interest of full disclosure, Regal Cinemas provided popcorn at no charge. All other food and beverage was smuggled in from the dollar store.

☻☻☻☻☺