I'm not much of a mathematician, but here's my working Cloverfield formula:
The Blair Witch Project + Mutual Appreciation + 28 Days Later + The Host + Alien and Aliens + United 93 + When Harry Met Sally + The Warriors + 9/11 footage + The Towering Inferno = Cloverfield.
Or something like that. This thing is intense and not always in an entertaining way—I expect to read a lot of criticism of the way it exploits Sept. 11 imagery. You also have to put up with the usual disaster movie problem of characters making stupid decisions to further the plot. But the parts that work—which I'd estimate is 80% of it—really work. Biggest disappointment? The design of the monster: Godzilla, it ain't.
So it's good, though, basically? I mean, it's a good, exciting, intense monster movie? Even if the monster may look kind of stupid?
Like, giant rubber snake stupid?
Nah, not like the Traal beast and not like a giant rubber snake either. It reminded me most of the creature from The Host but with less personality. It's not even that it looks stupid--it doesn't--it's just uninteresting. It won't become an icon in the same way that Godzilla, Mothra or any of the great '50s-era creatures have.
Yes, overall it's a good monster flick, although I wouldn't call it fun in the same way those older films are. This one takes itself more seriously, sometimes to its detriment. It'll be interesting to see the audience response--I have a feeling a sizeable contingent will walk out hating it.
_Batman Begins_ is on tv right. Not the greatest flick ever, but until the movie i did not realize how stunningly, disgustingly beautiful Cillian Murphy is.
The 50 biggest movies of 2008.
Except for the movies that have already opened in the States, my rankings would be more or less the same, (but Harold and Kumar should be ranked much higher).
44: Wanted
Wish fulfilment for every bored office drone: This comic book adventure tells how James MacAvoy is rescued from cube farm drudgery by Angelina Jolie’s sexy assassin and trained to become a super-cool killing machine.
This is kinda sad, as Jolie's character was pretty clearly drawn as Halle Berry. I wonder if she was offered first shot at it but was scared away by the prospect of wearing cat ears again...
They think a Bond movie and Iron Man are going to be bigger hits than Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull?
I'm not optimistic about the Indiana Jones box office. I fear it's tired.
Iron Man
is a bit of a wild card, but the James Bond revitalisation may have taken.
