Cloverfield - Review

Cloverfield
*****

There's something I really hate when a new movie comes out. People tend to watch the movie, and, if it's good, run to their nearest friend and recommend it. This alone isn't too bad. In fact, this alone is very very good for a movie. But sometimes those people (usually film majors specifically) end up claiming the movie for their own, either by giving tidbits away, saying things such as "oh, watch the part where..." or "I LOVE this part..." or, "I knew this movie would be good the second I heard about it." This is the film major's way of essentially marking a film with their urine. It's incredibly annoying to me, and generally ruins the experience for everyone. So with the next couple paragraphs I'm going to attempt to avoid all of that and simply state my opinion.

At first, I was afraid of Cloverfield. I thought it's original trailer was one of the best things ever made. I loved the movie's website, 11-18-08.com. I even bought into the online game, EthanHaasWasRight.com (which in retrospect might not even have anything to do with Cloverfield), and spent an entire day at work figuring it out. I was consumed by it. What I mean to say is this, I had my expectations set for Cloverfield higher than any other film I've expected to be released. With that in mind I want to make my next statement very clear.

Cloverfield is the best movie I have ever seen.

I've tried to revise that statement, tried to include the words "of the year," or "in recent memory," but I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. It really is a perfect film, a tremendous allegory, and an overall breathtaking experience.

What makes it shine are it's intricate details, which I will spare for the sake of the experience of viewing it. What I can say is that this is a perfect example of a film making full use of it's format. There's no way it could be made any other way. Anyone who has ever held or looked through a viewfinder, rewound the tape, and looked over what they have have witnessed will understand. It's format allows for logical and brilliant narrative structure. The film contains flashbacks, however they are integrated with the most ingenious method I can think of. Even with it's shaky images, each shot appears to be meticulously crafted. The film captures a beast unlike one you can imagine, not just a monster, but time itself, which has itself rooted in the corner of every scene. You get a sense that this really is a piece of history, and in a way, I think it is. Rarely have I been this immersed with a movie. In a word, it's intense. Really intense, and afterward you'll still be shaking, but it's the kind of trembling you want to keep around.

So, yeah, Cloverfield is amazing. I'm going to be that film prick right now and say you have to see it. Go ahead and hate me, I'd rather that than you downloading it and watching it on your computer. Really, it's worth every cent to see it. Seriously. I will see it again and again, in the theater too. It really is that good.