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[Deku]

You guys. The entire cast wasn't wiped out.

Spoiler

That one chick got on the helicopter separated from the rest of them. That helicopter made it out, iirc.

open to debate. either way, Lily (Jessica Lucas) can't carry a sequel by herself. It will require an entirely new cast. I just don't see how a sequel would work.

I can see 'parallel' stories of attacks in Tokyo, Shanghai, London etc. for a move international flavour, but New York getting demolished with 9/11 overtones is hard to top.

 

[LowParry]

There's a scene where there's a guy who is talking in some sort of language to Hud. Anyone catch what he was saying?

 

[whytemyke]

open to debate. either way, Lily (Jessica Lucas) can't carry a sequel by herself. It will require an entirely new cast. I just don't see how a sequel would work.

I can see 'parallel' stories of attacks in Tokyo, Shanghai, London etc. for a move international flavour, but New York getting demolished with 9/11 overtones is hard to top.

They'd probably do it like people did Final Destination 2 after all but one cast member died. "WHAT? THIS HAPPENED BEFORE?!.... let's find TEH EXPURT PLS"

 

[Vark]

(dons flame suit)

I didn't like it.

I appreciated what it was doing but there were key flaws keeping it from being 'awesome' for me:

A) I've seen Diary of the Dead.

It's shot in a very, very similar manner, similar end of the world vibe but manages to NOT lose the characters.

B) I didn't give two shits about any of the characters, nor did I really remember their names. Therefore I didn't care about their deaths.

C) The characters actions were dumb. They were going for the 'what would you do in this situation' and I feel like they failed. The main love interest just held no real value.

D) The monster was stupid. I loved not showing it, I'm sad when they did show it.

E) Mini Monsters = Godzilla 2000 stupidness.

F) Meh.


Diary of the Dead >>>>>> Cloverfield.

I just feel like this film totally missed the point of monster films, or at least failed to highlight it.

King Kong and Godzilla both bring into question humanity as a larger problem. "Who is the real monster".

Do I feel like Cloverfield really *needed* to go down that path? Not really. But I don't feel like it said anything either. It just ended up being 'hey look, bad shit happens to these people that you don't really care about, ohhhhhhh tarantula monster. End'.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

'Roar!' was the credits theme and is the only orchestrated 'original' music that I can remember from the movie. If it's silence then they probably cut out the sound and you got gyped.

WTF? are you serious?

I thought it was just part of the movie...like they were trying to be creative by having no sound for the credits...hence "end of the tape"

Bebpo got silence as well....we can't be the only ones...did we goto the same theatre? :lol

 

[Ecrofirt]

(dons flame suit)

I didn't like it.

I appreciated what it was doing but there were key flaws keeping it from being 'awesome' for me:

A) I've seen Diary of the Dead.

It's shot in a very, very similar manner, similar end of the world vibe but manages to NOT lose the characters.

B) I didn't give two shits about any of the characters, nor did I really remember their names. Therefore I didn't care about their deaths.

C) The characters actions were dumb. They were going for the 'what would you do in this situation' and I feel like they failed. The main love interest just held no real value.

D) The monster was stupid. I loved not showing it, I'm sad when they did show it.

E) Mini Monsters = Godzilla 2000 stupidness.

F) Meh.


Diary of the Dead >>>>>> Cloverfield.

I just feel like this film totally missed the point of monster films, or at least failed to highlight it.

King Kong and Godzilla both bring into question humanity as a larger problem. "Who is the real monster".

Do I feel like Cloverfield really *needed* to go down that path? Not really. But I don't feel like it said anything either. It just ended up being 'hey look, bad shit happens to these people that you don't really care about, ohhhhhhh tarantula monster. End'.

Is Diary of The Dead out or something? I had no idea!

 

[Deku]

WTF? are you serious?

I thought it was just part of the movie...like they were trying to be creative by having no sound for the credits...hence "end of the tape"

Bebpo got silence as well....we can't be the only ones...did we goto the same theatre? :lol

Ok let me clarify, up till the point where the screen was showing the 'tape' it didn't have sound. But the credits roll was accompanied by the score. It can't be more than a minute wait.

You guys shouldn't bolt out of theaters!

 

[Vark]

Is Diary of The Dead out or something? I had no idea!

I got to see the first US screening back in September at Fantastic Fest. Dunno when Weinstein is getting around to distributing it. Not soon enough.

 

[Crushed]

I just feel like this film totally missed the point of monster films, or at least failed to highlight it.

No, it was just trying to show a monster movie from the most terrifying perspective: the one on the ground. Not from a safe distance hundreds of feet in the air where it looks goofy.

 

[Deku]

I'm sure Diary of The Dead will get its own thread when the movie is being viraled by the studios. Until then, there's no reason to promote this movie no one has seen or will be able to see to make the comparison for themselves.

 

[Vark]

No, it was just trying to show a monster movie from the most terrifying perspective: the one on the ground. Not from a safe distance hundreds of feet in the air where it looks goofy.

Whats the fuck the perspective got to do with anything?

I realize what they were trying to do but I completely miss what they were trying to SAY.

"It sucks when a monster stomps your town?"

If the point was to try and make me feel vulnerable then how about characters that I gave two shits if they died. How about an enemy I can't identify, how about not having bad alien knockoff tarantula monsters?

Nothing was really lost, stuff just happened. The loss was supposed to be their friends, there family, why then make a party member "that one chick you want to sleep with but won't give you the time of day"

yea, that really hit home when we lost her...

 

[Vark]

I'm sure Diary of The Dead will get its own thread when the movie is being viraled by the studios. Until then, there's no reason to promote this movie no one has seen or will be able to see to make the comparison for themselves.

It's one contention out of many that I think that film is done better but I admit that not a lot of other people can make that comparison.

The rest of my opinion still stands.

 

[Jive Turkey]

(dons flame suit)

I didn't like it.

I appreciated what it was doing but there were key flaws keeping it from being 'awesome' for me:

A) I've seen Diary of the Dead.

It's shot in a very, very similar manner, similar end of the world vibe but manages to NOT lose the characters.

B) I didn't give two shits about any of the characters, nor did I really remember their names. Therefore I didn't care about their deaths.

C) The characters actions were dumb. They were going for the 'what would you do in this situation' and I feel like they failed. The main love interest just held no real value.

D) The monster was stupid. I loved not showing it, I'm sad when they did show it.

E) Mini Monsters = Godzilla 2000 stupidness.

F) Meh.


Diary of the Dead >>>>>> Cloverfield.

I just feel like this film totally missed the point of monster films, or at least failed to highlight it.

King Kong and Godzilla both bring into question humanity as a larger problem. "Who is the real monster".

Do I feel like Cloverfield really *needed* to go down that path? Not really. But I don't feel like it said anything either. It just ended up being 'hey look, bad shit happens to these people that you don't really care about, ohhhhhhh tarantula monster. End'.

That's basically it. I can appreciate why they attempted to do with this film but none of that actually gelled. It really was a mess from start to finish.

 

[Crushed]

Whats the fuck the perspective got to do with anything?

I realize what they were trying to do but I completely miss what they were trying to SAY.

"It sucks when a monster stomps your town?"

If the point was to try and make me feel vulnerable then how about characters that I gave two shits if they died. How about an enemy I can't identify, how about not having bad alien knockoff tarantula monsters?

Nothing was really lost, stuff just happened. The loss was supposed to be their friends, there family, why then make a party member "that one chick you want to sleep with but won't give you the time of day"

yea, that really hit home when we lost her...

IT'S FUCKING TERRIFYING

THERE IS NO MESSAGE BECAUSE IT'S JUST A TERRIFYING DAY FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE


Jesus Christ, not every movie should a fucking metaphor for world philosophy or loss or insecurity, set in a world inhabited by appealing and dramatic people spouting lines at appropriate moments.

 

[papelnabangka]

I just wanna chime about the crowd reaction and all.

The theater wasn't full or sold out or anything(granted it was around 3-4 pm, but most traditional blockbuster films will always have all day sold out, usually), but the moment the movie ends, I could see ALOT of smiling faces, like, they just can't believe what they just saw(in a good way). I think word of mouth will really help fuel this one. Especially around this time when virtually nothing good is screening.

The atmosphere was really something different as I was walking out of the movie theater. It was weird.

 

[LowParry]

I just wanna chime about the crowd reaction and all.

The theater wasn't full or sold out or anything(granted it was around 3-4 pm, but most traditional blockbuster films will always have all day sold out, usually), but the moment the movie ends, I could see ALOT of smiling faces, like, they just can't believe what they just saw(in a good way). I think word of mouth will really help fuel this one. Especially around this time when virtually nothing good is screening.

The atmosphere was really something different as I was walking out of the movie theater. It was weird.

Haha. When I saw it, the ending sported a lot of "That's the fucking end!?" with "Shut the fuck up!" moment. Awwww movie theaters.

 

[TheDrizzlerJ11]

It's one contention out of many that I think that film is done better but I admit that not a lot of other people can make that comparison.

The rest of my opinion still stands.

nah, it doesn't. Rob and Beth have been friends since childhood, it's not like he just hooked up with some random girl at all. I cared about the characters by the end of it at least.

 

[fallengorn]

(dons flame suit)

I didn't like it.

I appreciated what it was doing but there were key flaws keeping it from being 'awesome' for me:

A) I've seen Diary of the Dead.

It's shot in a very, very similar manner, similar end of the world vibe but manages to NOT lose the characters.

B) I didn't give two shits about any of the characters, nor did I really remember their names. Therefore I didn't care about their deaths.

C) The characters actions were dumb. They were going for the 'what would you do in this situation' and I feel like they failed. The main love interest just held no real value.

D) The monster was stupid. I loved not showing it, I'm sad when they did show it.

E) Mini Monsters = Godzilla 2000 stupidness.

F) Meh.


Diary of the Dead >>>>>> Cloverfield.

I just feel like this film totally missed the point of monster films, or at least failed to highlight it.

King Kong and Godzilla both bring into question humanity as a larger problem. "Who is the real monster".

Do I feel like Cloverfield really *needed* to go down that path? Not really. But I don't feel like it said anything either. It just ended up being 'hey look, bad shit happens to these people that you don't really care about, ohhhhhhh tarantula monster. End'.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. For me, there were these lapses in logic that just really ruined it for me. Like when my suspicions were realized that Lily was walking/running in heals for the entire movie. Or that no one ran with the rats. The fact that they chose use the subway tunnels. (Well, being in the character's shoes that kinda sounds like a good idea but the audience knows there's smaller creatures so that's really just bad storytelling.)

It annoys me that they just coyly show the monster (although I knew they'd be doing that going in.) One of the reasons why I love The Host is because they show the monster up front and early.

I'm actually kinda surprised that a lot of you guys love it. Within the first ten minutes I could picture cynical GAF's response to the movie.

Spoiler

Bitch ain't worth it

 

[Vark]

IT'S FUCKING TERRIFYING

THERE IS NO MESSAGE BECAUSE IT'S JUST A TERRIFYING DAY FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE


Jesus Christ, not every movie should a fucking metaphor for world philosophy or loss or insecurity, set in a world inhabited by appealing and dramatic people spouting lines at appropriate moments.

That's exactly the problem I had with it, I guess I just didn't feel it was at all terrifying and I don't feel like the film did anything to push me in that direction.

 

[Spotless Mind]

Nothing was really lost, stuff just happened. The loss was supposed to be their friends, there family, why then make a party member "that one chick you want to sleep with but won't give you the time of day"

yea, that really hit home when we lost her...

It did for me , but mostly because of the fact that i had to put up with a bunch of characters i didn't like for the rest of the movie. My slight attachment and like for her made it harder to take because of this. Every complaint you have about the characters is spot on. The intensity of the situation and perspective of the film is what saved it for me and ultimately made it great viewing. If it was made using a more generic filming style the movie, in all likelihood, would have blown.

 

[Crushed]

That's exactly the problem I had with it, I guess I just didn't feel it was at all terrifying and I don't feel like the film did anything to push me in that direction.

Maybe if you would stop trying to analyze the film, and actually watch it, you would have.

 

[Phoenix]

WTF? are you serious?

I thought it was just part of the movie...like they were trying to be creative by having no sound for the credits...hence "end of the tape"

Bebpo got silence as well....we can't be the only ones...did we goto the same theatre? :lol

I got music (Atlanta, GA), which was odd because up to that point there was no music or anything so it was so out of place.

 

[Deku]

Yeah I think it's length may have surprised some.

The movie certaintly could have been longer without hurting its quality. Not that I'm complaining, but the moments immediately after the attack could be milked for more minutes. The protagonists moved around quite a bit and a lot was not shown.

 

[JzeroT1437]

A lot of you are approaching the film as if it set out to be a traditional monster movie with scripted characters and a sense of closure--which it never purported to be. It was marketed differently, shot differently, and meant to be taken differently. It's supposed to be a true life account of a monster attacking a city, not a typical, big budget hollywood film. Adding any of the junk people are complaining about would ruin the illusion.

At some point it occurred to me that this movie's pitch must have been something like "What if somebody shot Godzilla from their own eye-level as a citizen of the city that was being attacked"? Which is exactly what it was. And it was pretty awesome for that.

 

[Phoenix]

Did everyone get Iron Man and Star Trek trailers in front of their movie?

 

[Vark]

Maybe if you would stop trying to analyze the film, and actually watch it, you would have.

You're totally right, I'm sorry BAD VIEWER. My differing perspective and lacking ability to make me a sheep to the directors visions completely invalidates my opinion.

I acquiesce.

Seriously though I've been in television and film programs since I was 11 and design games for a living. I don't exactly feel like I'm the target audience, nor do I feel like that invalidates my opinion.

 

[Deku]

Did everyone get Iron Man and Star Trek trailers in front of their movie?

Yes. Those are attached by studio 'request', I'm pretty sure that's how it works.

 

[Crushed]

You're totally right, I'm sorry BAD VIEWER. My differing perspective and lacking ability to make me a sheep to the directors visions completely invalidates my opinion.

Well if the movie is clearly trying to do one thing and you purposefully do the opposite...

 

[DaMan121]

The length was perfect. Obviously Hud wasn't filming the entire time, so by default he was our 'editor'. And he did a fine job

A lot of you are approaching the film as if it set out to be a traditional monster movie with scripted characters and a sense of closure

I honestly expected that sense of closure would be

Spoiler

when they were in the chopper and the sequence of bombs hit the monster directly *tough motherfucker* would be its death and we would hear cheering and applause via radio etc... then its jumped up at the chopper! That was the only part that really surprised me

Edit: Australia didn't get the Star Trek teaser dammit.
Edit2: As far as the credits are concerned, there were two sections, the ones that follow immediately are in the same font / style as the opening section introducing the recordings ( no sound), and then the normal style credits you get with all movies ( which had the music playing ).

Spoiler

So can anyone confirm seeing something drop into the ocean in the very last scene at Cony Island?

 

[GDJustin]

Silence during the credits when I saw it tonight too (Redwood City, CA FYI).

 

[fallengorn]

At some point it occurred to me that this movie's pitch must have been something like "What if somebody shot Godzilla from their own eye-level as a citizen of the city that was being attacked"? Which is exactly what it was. And it was pretty awesome for that.

Kinda. For me, it just seemed like watching candidates for the Darwin Awards. It's really hard to sympathize with characters who are asking to get killed.

 

[Reilly]

Yeah, well I'm not sure how a sequel is going to work. The shaky cam is a gimmick that will probably wear pretty thin in a 2nd full length feature, unless they can figure out a way to do this.

Also with the entire cast wiped out, a sequel might also outright suck, not that it has stopped studios before even with much smaller hits (ie: 28 days later)

I heard/read that a sequal would be shot the same why, but from a different group of people from a different area in New York taking place at the same time.

I thought the movie was awesome. Maybe living in Manhattan had something to do with it.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

Seriously though I've been in television and film programs since I was 11 and design games for a living. I don't exactly feel like I'm the target audience, nor do I feel like that invalidates my opinion.

that's great! you still suck. ;P

 

[Bebpo]

Nothing was really lost, stuff just happened. The loss was supposed to be their friends, there family, why then make a party member "that one chick you want to sleep with but won't give you the time of day"

yea, that really hit home when we lost her...

I thought it was pretty sad

But then again she was sort of the type of girls I am into, so I was really rooting for the camera guy and it was ;_; when that happened and he's left alone.

Also about the scare factor. When they were in the tunnels and he's like "oh the camera has a night vision button, turn it on" I was like "noooo, DON'T PRESS THE BUTTON DON'T HIT IT I DO NOT WANT TO SEE" and then when it went on it was pretty freaky for that first shot. Reminded me of Resistance

 

[topsyturvy]

Maybe if you would stop trying to analyze the film, and actually watch it, you would have.

just wow....

 

[Crushed]

Kinda. For me, it just seemed like watching candidates for the Darwin Awards. It's really hard to sympathize with characters who are asking to get killed.

Like I said before, it's easy to criticize when you're in a theater watching them. If you were in their shoes, you'd be doing the exact same stupid crap.

just wow....

Yes, "just wow" is the appropriate response. Trying to analyze a movie showing a horrifying day for a bunch of ordinary people as some kind of "message" is totally correct.

 

[Dead Man]

The fact that they chose use the subway tunnels. (Well, being in the character's shoes that kinda sounds like a good idea but the audience knows there's smaller creatures so that's really just bad storytelling.)

Huh? Writing the action to make sense for the character is bad, because we know more than the character? That just makes no sense to me man.

 

[Phoenix]

Maybe if you would stop trying to analyze the film, and actually watch it, you would have.

Its not that simple. Suspension of disbelief can be broken by doing things so nutty or strange that it breaks a persons ability to remain 'in character' for the movie. It didn't happen to me with this movie, but has in many others. They were pushing it for me because some of what the characters wanted to do was so unbelievably stupid that I had to just take in that people do stupid things during duress and trying to choke it down. If it were someone going back for their child I could understand, but "I feel bad because the last thing I said to her was harsh, I have no evidence that she is alive and lots of reason to believe she isn't - but lets go into situations which are obviously stupid"

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

so i guess this would have been a great movie if,

Spoiler

after rob heard the message in the electronics store, they all left and got on a helicopter....the end

no....

 

[Crushed]

Its not that simple. Suspension of disbelief can be broken by doing things so nutty or strange that it breaks a persons ability to remain 'in character' for the movie. It didn't happen to me with this movie, but has in many others. They were pushing it for me because some of what the characters wanted to do was so unbelievably stupid that I had to just take in that people do stupid things during duress and trying to choke it down. If it were someone going back for their child I could understand, but "I feel bad because the last thing I said to her was harsh, I have no evidence that she is alive and lots of reason to believe she isn't - but lets go into situations which are obviously stupid"

That really is not that unbelievable. Some people really do act like that.

 

[Vark]

A lot of you are approaching the film as if it set out to be a traditional monster movie with scripted characters and a sense of closure--which it never purported to be. It was marketed differently, shot differently, and meant to be taken differently. It's supposed to be a true life account of a monster attacking a city, not a typical, big budget hollywood film. Adding any of the junk people are complaining about would ruin the illusion.

At some point it occurred to me that this movie's pitch must have been something like "What if somebody shot Godzilla from their own eye-level as a citizen of the city that was being attacked"? Which is exactly what it was. And it was pretty awesome for that.

You can be non traditional like that and still maintain a gripping narrative though. I didn't particularly love Blair Witch either but that at least had some character development.

If anything the years, and years, and years, of Reality television since then should of shown people that. There's no scripts, its all people being forced into extremely stressful situations and reacting, yet they manage to develop as characters over a season and develop as the viewer gets to know them.

I know Rob's name is probably Robert, and he really dug this chick lily... and he was going to Japan. Thats about it.

It's a fucking 10 yard field goal. Here's some characters, their world falls apart, go.

But somehow I never got to know who they were as people, and thats a damn shame.

 

[rocK`]

I liked this movie a lot. I walked in there not expecting some life changing epic film that makes me wonder whats out there. I walked in expecting a badass monster tearing the city apart, and more importantly, the pitiful reactions of powerless humans in today's society. I got exactly that.

The best part of the movie was behind the dialog, not the words, but what words were being used during the scenes. One of the first sentences being spurted out after a tremor hits was 'Is this another terrorist attack?' while seemingly obvious, that kind of realism adds a little flare to the movie, it's like you are watching a REAL home movie. When the statue of liberty's head rolls on the ground and people are taking out their cellphones to take pictures, I'm sure thats exactly what would happen. Also, the whole idea of it being filmed over the tape so we knew about Rob and Beth's relationship before most of the characters was a great idea, as well as added for some awkward pacing (like monster attack, cut into rob and beth in coney island) back to monster attack.

My only gripe would be the interaction between Hud and Marlene and how

Spoiler

she kind of 180s and was like lol i luvz u

and the fact that the main camera man is named HUD. I mean, come on now.

 

[GDJustin]

I heard/read that a sequal would be shot the same why, but from a different group of people from a different area in New York taking place at the same time.

My memory is a bit fuzzy, but there's one moment, early-ish (after they leave the convenience store), when the 4 of them are running in one direction, and they run by another group of ~4 running in the other direction. I wasn't positive, but it looked like one of the people in that other group had a video camera in their hand.

It reminded me of the scene in Shaun of the Dead when they run into the group that is a mirror image of their own.

I even thought to myself at the time "I bet if there's ever a sequel, it'll take place on the same night and we'll see glimpses of the original cast."

 

[fallengorn]

Huh? Writing the action to make sense for the character is bad, because we know more than the character? That just makes no sense to me man.

In some instances it works, but sometimes having the audience ahead of characters just creates a sense of "just get it over already" or make characters seem like idiots, like in Heroes...

 

[Crushed]

I know Rob's name is probably Robert, and he really dug this chick lily... and he was going to Japan. Thats about it.

Beth.

He's going to work at a company named Tagruato, which is involved with the monster.

 

[AdmiralViscen]

Whats the fuck the perspective got to do with anything?

I realize what they were trying to do but I completely miss what they were trying to SAY.

"It sucks when a monster stomps your town?"

If the point was to try and make me feel vulnerable then how about characters that I gave two shits if they died. How about an enemy I can't identify, how about not having bad alien knockoff tarantula monsters?

Nothing was really lost, stuff just happened. The loss was supposed to be their friends, there family, why then make a party member "that one chick you want to sleep with but won't give you the time of day"

yea, that really hit home when we lost her...

Who says it needs a message? I won't buy it on DVD but I really enjoyed it.

And what do you mean won't give him the time of day? They both loved each other for a long time, they just weren't together. Only his dumbass friends said she was too good for him.

 

[Phoenix]

so i guess this would have been a great movie if,

Spoiler

after rob heard the message in the electronics store, they all left and got on a helicopter....the end

no....

You assume that they could have made it to one and that of course that was the only way that the story could have ended. Maybe you might want to stay out of the creative professions if you couldn't have added anything to the story except "they got on the helicopter - the end".

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

You assume that they could have made it to one and that of course that was the only way that the story could have ended. Maybe you might want to stay out of the creative professions if you couldn't have added anything to the story except "they got on the helicopter - the end".

thanks for your advice, as when I came into this thread, one of my life goals was to get into the "creative profession" which is evident by pretty much making a sarcastic response out of your post that you took literally. grats. you sir, are smart.

 

[Meier]

And what do you mean won't give him the time of day? They both loved each other for a long time, they just weren't together. Only his dumbass friends said she was too good for him.

Pretty sure he's referencing Hud and Marlena.

 

[Lonestar]

Yeah, I can pretty much ignore people that seem to attach these preconceived notions of what a film has to be.

This is pretty much like "a guy in the WTC on 9/11, filming his visit, catches the plane crashing, videotape the God Awful hell the people went through up there above the point of no return. Then see the other building hit, then fall down, inevitably having the movie end when the first tower went down, and the footage found afterwards."

You don't know that guy, his life, or anything. You just have him in that period of time.

Adding in the "we have to go get her", sure, was more or less a plot device to keep them in the city, and yeah, logic dictates "LEAVE THE BITCH"...but...I cannot find myself doing that if it was my parents, brothers or sisters, husbands or wives, children...if you knew for a fact, they were stuck inside the "Disaster Zone." Now, acquaintances or friends, yeah, everyone for themselves.