It WAS the most anticipated movie of 2008... (for me, at least), and now it's THE BEST movie of 2008! I'm of course talking about Cloverfield!
If you've not heard anything about it so far, then where have you been? Ok lah, in Malaysia itself, hype over Cloverfield has been minimal, so perhaps you haven't come across it.
Speed up your reading and CLICK HERE for my past entry on Cloverfield.
Anyway, I am officially one of the first few dozens to watch Cloverfield in Malaysia! I watched it beginning 1030 hours on 16 January 2008. A day before it opens in Malaysia, and also before the official international release on 18 January.
How was it? Oh my God!!!!
I don't want to give away too many details (if you believe that - I also am gorgeously hunky at my ideal body weight). For those of you who want it in a nutshell, it's a monster movie. I know what you're thinking. Either men running around in rubber suits stomping on model buildings, or massive use of CGI.
Almost true there... there is quite a bit of CGI, BUT it doesn't scream in this movie as everything is subtle and beautifully woven in. It looks and feels real!
Like you could have been there itself!
The premise of the story starts when Rob is given a farewell party. Dude's been promoted and is going to Japan as the new vice president.. At the party, Beth, a crush he's slept with shows up with a new guy, just to piss him off for being a dimwit who won't commit.
Jason is given the job of documenting his brother's sayonara party, and taping goodbyes and testimonials from everyone by girlfriend Lily. He however passes it to the blur Hudson whose work of taping everything is the documentation eventually found and tagged as 'Cloverfield' - the military code name for the site.
Woven in between the action, are several relationship stories. It doesn't go too deep but beyond just scratching the surface.
There's Rob, and how he deals with his feelings for Beth. There's Jason and Lily who are almost the perfect couple. And there's Hudson who has a massive crush on a rather socially awkward character like him in Marlena.
And as the first attacks on Manhattan begin, we're slowly shown Rob, Jason, Hudson, Lily and Marlena trying to make their way off the island. Ooh, the rolling head of the Statue Of Liberty is just a moment to savour! It's like the official flag off of Manhattan monster madness!!!
So anyway Jason is the first to on the bridge, when the creature smashes it, with him being the first to say bye bye from the group.
The make a U turn when Rob gets a call from Beth which is cut off saying that she's trapped in her apartment. Along the way, we get glimpses of the monster, but not much. Through TV coverage, snatches here and there...
Along the way, the subplots kick in, though they don't distract the action fans, by being too much, or they're not like just in there for the hey of it - and does basically explore the blossoming/full blown status of relationships of the characters.
Marlena is the next to go when they get caught in a crossfire between the military and the monster, which is shown to be able to 'dispense' smaller creatures. Marlena becomes a casualty when the group try to bypass the nastiness by stepping into a subway line underground, and get attacked by the little critters. Marlena is bitten, and immediately, a viral attack begins, and she has to be put down by the military which they come across.
Emotional moments... especially for Hud, who throughout the experience has been warming up to her after so long having a crush on her.
Rob refuses to join the military evacuation and insists on saving Beth. When they reach Beth's apartment, it's kind of knocked aside, resting on another building.
The trio courageously go up the next door building and hop over. They manage to save Beth, and are bundled away in helicopters.
Well, at least Lily gets away. Because the monster starts raging and while Hud, Beth and Rob go in one chopper, it gets bitch slapped by the creature and goes crashing down.
The three of them survive, though not the pilot.
As they pick themselves up, they hear massive roars, and Hud shoots the camera upwards only to see the creature in full glory, before he gets chomped.
Rob and Beth make their way to Central Park,
In a very familiar scene in the tunnel in the park (they mention Stranger's Gate in Jodie Foster's The Brave One from last year for the same location where her character was mugged), the climax takes place.
Not being able to get out of the city in time, as the military had already warned the government has already agreed on blowing up the island, they record their last moments before being blown up.
And that sums up Lost and Alias mastermind J.J. Abrams' Cloverfield.Hope you guys skipped the blacked out parts and did not highlight to read if you didn't want to know the full details.
But I doubt I could spoil it for you even then because it is a spectacle.
I give it a five star rating!!!! Very rare!!!
The monster? What does it look like? N some parts, it looks almost humanoid, with a weird face that looks alien like, with crustacean similarities. Reminded also of an eel, a whale, Aliens, Predator and a lot more things.
Yes, the Americans now have their own Godzilla!
They were having a screening of Kala Malam Bulan Mengembang next door, so bumped into Avaa masa nak kuar Golden Screen Cinemas in MidValley. Abang Mamat Khalid the director was there too.
So after the movie, Farihad, Faridhul, Nurul and I went to lunch. We were so stoked about the movie, we gabbed about it forever.Popped by this place I always walked past but never went in for a bite called D'lish. Awesome lunch. Nice touch to a great beginning of today.
And they had cupcakes! The most gorgeous, and glorious tasting cupcakes I've had so far! Worth it! Yummy!!!!
And here's what I had for lunch. Not much of a food critic. but I think mine was the quarter chicken with live rice, roasted vegetables and some sauce with a lemon. Also had a cupcake for dessert. Yummy! Cupcake freak alert!
While we were wolfing down our food, tetiba dari sebatu perasan ada sorang diva catwalk nih. Semakin dekat, it was obvious it was... kak Ogy! Lor... dia nak shopping sikit rupanya sebab esok dia ke Sarawak nak bersedia untuk ujibakat Akademi Fantasia there.
Sebab kita dok luar, so dia pun perasan. Stopped over for a quick chat. When everyone decided to go back office (seronoknya aku cuti!!!) I headed to izie, for a drink and to do some work on my laptop.
It was quiet so managed to pound out a couple of articles.
Left later in the evening to catch up with friends, and then headed to to have dinner with Boo. Turning in early. Been sleeping abut midnight the past few nights, which is considered quite early for me.
Age must be catching up. Remember to book your Cloverfield tickets for tomorrow guys! Time to sleep...
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