Just Checking on New York

Readers in New York… Uh… Are you ok? Leave a comment to let me know that you and the city are still there, ok?

cloverfield posterJust got back from seeing Cloverfield. Quite well done, on balance. They do a great job of mocking up what it would be like to be just an ordinary citizen during your standard city-under-attack scenario. Routine falls apart, people are scared, fighter jets scream by low and fast overhead, there’s only fragments of information about what’s happening, and you find yourself wondering why on earth we build these tall buildings anyway… Yes, the filmmakers did a very good (and not so welcome) job of (knowingly) reminding me of being in that very situation one horrible day back in the Fall of 2001.

Had to go and sit in a cafe with real people bustling about for a while after. Just to get a lock back on the ordinary. Even though I knew what I was letting myself in for, I must ask myself:- Why oh why do I go and see these disturbing things by myself?!*

Ending thought: While watching the film, I found myself wondering the following. If I found myself in a city under attack by some totally bizarre other-worldly creature, while I’m in the crowd running and screaming would a little part of my mind be going “Yes! So alien creatures do exist! Excellent!”**.

-cvj

*This reminds me of the time I went to see The Ring. At the end of the film, in the darkened theatre I reached under my seat to get my umbrella and found a phone. And it was not mine. That was a bit unsettling, to say the least.

**Of course, I’m not saying anything about the Cloverfield Creature’s origins…

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11 Responses to Just Checking on New York

  1. Nikki says:

    I have to be honest I felt really uncomfortable watching Cloverfield. While I applaud the unique approach to filmmaking (even though Blair Witch did it first, just on a smaller scale!) I just didn’t see the point in the film – no character development, and a seemingly invincible camera!

  2. Clifford says:

    Yes… and for Lost fans, he’s be well known too, since he’s the executive producer for that series.

    Cheers,

    -cvj

  3. Christine says:

    Hi Clifford,

    Wasn’t this movie produced by JJ Abrams– the same that is directing the new Star Trek movie?

    Best,
    Christine

  4. Stacey says:

    Clifford,
    I LOVED Cloverfield!!! I thought it was very cleverly done. And how refreshing to see things from the viewpoint of the average Joe? There were plenty of thrills and good humor to keep me glued to my seat even though I was sitting next to a group of talkative young adults that normally would have driven me right out of the theater. As far as monster/disaster movies go, this rates high on my list of must sees.

    Ciao!

  5. Yvette says:

    Well yeah I assumed that, but if my team had just done the biggest upset in Super Bowl history and there was a monster ravaging my city, somehow I wouldn’t be half as disturbed as I should be.

    And might check this movie out if the physics student schedule allows it, but I have a few friends who complained about motion sickness while watching so I might wait this one out.

  6. Clifford says:

    Upset?! No! I was checking to see that the city was still there and not being ravaged by some unnamed monster…

    -cvj

    P.S. Test yourself out on this movie, Yvette.

  7. Yvette says:

    My thoughts were the same as Elliot’s- why would NY be upset about anything after that incredible win? 😉

    Haven’t seen any “disturbing” movies myself in awhile because, well, I always start laughing during the ludicrous suspenseful scenes. My sister refuses to go with me for this very reason.

  8. TBB says:

    …while I’m in the crowd running and screaming would a little part of my mind be going “Yes! So alien creatures do exist! Excellent!”**.

    Great comment.

  9. Carl Brannen says:

    This is the perfect movie review. No giveaway of the plot, but enough enthusiasm that I’m going to open up the wallet and go see it.

  10. Clifford says:

    Oh… did they? Well, how about that. Totally forgot it was superbowl Sunday today.

    -cvj

  11. Elliot says:

    I guess after the Giants won the superbowl, NY is doing just fine.

    e.