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Cloverfield | 
 enlarge | Director: Matt Reeves
Actors: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas (ii), T.j. Miller, Michael Stahl-david, Mike Vogel
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $15.99
You Save: $14.00 (47%)
New (63) Used (62) Collectible (5) from $5.95
Rating:  525 reviews
Sales Rank: 206
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Russian (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 84
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: 352064
UPC: 097363520641
EAN: 0097363520641
ASIN: B0014Z4OQG
Theatrical Release Date: January 16, 2008
Release Date: April 22, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
One of the first things a viewer notices about Cloverfield is that it doesn't play by ordinary storytelling rules, making this intriguing horror film as much a novelty as an event. Told from the vertiginous point-of-view of a camcorder-wielding group of friends, Cloverfield begins like a primetime television soap opera about young Manhattanites coping with changes in their personal lives. Rob (Michael Stahl-David) is leaving New York to take an executive job at a company in Japan. At his goodbye party in a crowded loft, Rob's brother Jason (Mike Vogel) hands a camcorder to best friend Hud (T.J. Miller), who proceeds to tape the proceedings over old footage of Rob's ex-girlfriend, Beth (Odette Yustman)--images shot during happy times in that now-defunct relationship. Naturally, Beth shows up at the party with a new beau, bumming Rob out completely. Just before one's eyes glaze over from all this heartbreaking stuff (captured by Hud, who's something of a doofus, in laughably shaky camerawork), the unexpected happens: New York is suddenly under attack from a Godzilla-like monster stomping through midtown and destroying everything and everybody in sight. Rob and company hit the streets, but rather than run with other evacuees, they head toward the center of the storm so that Rob can rescue an injured Beth. There are casualties along the way, but the journey into fear is fascinating and immediate if emotionally remote--a consequence of seeing these proceedings through the singular, subjective perspective of a camcorder and of a story that intentionally leaves major questions unanswered: Who or what is this monster? Where did it come from? The lack of a backstory, and spare views of the marauding creature, are clever ways by producer J.J. Abrams and director Matt Reeves to keep an audience focused exclusively on what's on the screen. But it also makes Cloverfield curiously uninvolving. Ultimately, Cloverfield, with its spectacular effects brilliantly woven into a home-video look, is a celebration of infinite possibilities in this age of accessible, digital media. --Tom Keogh
Product Description
Five young New Yorkers throw their friend a going-away party the night that a monster the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city. Told from the point of view of their video camera the film is a document of their attempt to survive the most surreal horrifying event of their lives.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLERS UPC: 097363520641 Manufacturer No: 352064
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| Customer Reviews: Read 520 more reviews...
 Forgetful. July 7, 2008
This movie is so bad. When I say bad, I mean bad as in not cool and not good in any way shape or form.
I read the reviews and I thought this could be a really great movie - only to be extremely disappointed. The camera action (jitter) was probably put in afterwards to hid the fact that this movie sucks. Its boring, the dialog is horrible and a waste of time.
Thankfully, I skipped forward to get through it. Unbearable. Its a movie so bad the movie pirates skipped it. That's how good it is.
 Been there, done that July 7, 2008
Ok, I get it: "Blair Witch Project" (with a budget) meets "War of the Worlds." Been there, done that. Yeah, the monster (from outer space, I assume) was cool but I kept thinking of the Zerg from Starcraft, which made me laugh. No plot to speak of (see: "28 Weeks Later") and I was disappointed by the lack of back-story.
Overall: cool special effects but still a predictable and uninspired film.
Not recommended.
 "People Are Gonna Want To Know... How It All Went Down" July 7, 2008
Going into Cloverfield, I was incredibly curious. Would I vomit from the camera? Could this monster be the next Godzilla? Could a movie work with NO stars? Could J. J. Abrams flop in the face of hype again? To answer those in order: No, Doubtfully, Yes, No. In fact, I think this movie is an instant classic that isn't afraid to turn Hollywood rules on its head. What Abrams and company do is take the old premise of monster in NYC and take it from a whole new Point of View. And POV is what this movie is all about.
Main Camera Man Hud is obviously not good with the camera, as seen in the beginning, compared with Jason's camera work. Being from the younger demographic, this shaky-cam doesn't phase me at all, since I am probably used to YouTube effect. And let me say, if you thought Hud's camera work was bad, you should see mine. Nobody would have made it out of the theater without falling down in a dizzy drunken stupor. So anyways, while we're used to the normal omniscient camera style of the all-seeing-eye, seeing everything, this style does have its advantages. It provides the film's best "Oh Crap!" moment in the tunnel, when they turn on night vision.
The bad thing about this style is the fact that it's very hard to keep up with the camera, and everything going around. So, it's kind of hard to tell which person is dying, and who is alive. It didn't help any that both Beth and Lizzy were both brunettes. So, it took me awhile to figure out what happened on the Brooklyn Bridge, who was put into the helicopter first, and who was with Rob at the very end. I also didn't know that Lizzy's helicopter went down. But thankfully, there's Wikipedia to give you a scene-by-scene summery of the movie's events.
I also liked the little touch where everytime the camera was turned off, you had the little moment's of Rob and Beth's Coney Island date. Not much, but it just seems to strangely work in the movie, and gives a nice break to the action going on around.
Speaking of action, it's pretty darn good for a movie made on the budget of most romantic comedies. The suspense and action keeps you on your toes, and there's plenty of cringe moments that keeps the mood all the more intense. Although I really could have done without the exploding stomach and the rescue of the impaled girl. But I thank the movie for being restrained, since they could have easily gone into R-Territory, which would have made the whole film a cheesy horror film. Oh yeah, it would be "The Blair Witch Project."
Let me also say that the famous/infamous Statue of Liberty head in the streets scene, will go down as one of the classic Hollywood scenes. I mean, the scene is just so classic. Head flying down and rolling down in the streets. The Shock. The "OH MY GOD!" being repeated over and over. The Surprise. Total classic.
For being a no-star movie, everybody in the cast does an excellent job. There's no bad acting, no fake acting, all the emotions seem real, and in fact, these actors do a better job than their more famous counterparts would do. And for a lack of character development, I liked most of the characters in the movie, and when I could tell that they just died, I was saddened by their loss. Except for Marlena, who I didn't get the appeal of.
However, when it came to Hud, I was deeply saddened by his loss. Maybe it's because I'm a fan of T.J. Miller since he stole the show on the now cancelled Carpoolers. The guy is just likable, and he brings his personality to Hud. Alas, this brings me to my next complaint.
Why did Hud have to die? I mean, he just seems to be cheapened when he's eaten by the creature, just for the sake of us getting a facial glimpse of the monster. I would have liked it if Hud was like the only survivor, and found a way to escape operation "Hammer Down." Sure, incredibly unlikely, but still. Instead, the film ends up a bit depressing, since basically every character you've met during the course of the film, is dead. And the monster seems to still be alive. Yet, it's nice to see the profession of love at the end, and it again, strangely seems to work.
But for all of that, you also have to add the realism of the entire thing. I mean, if a monster like that were really to attack NYC (highly unlikely), that's probably how it would take place. And most importantly, these seemed like real characters, not cardboard cutouts of twenty-somethings.
So overall, for it's realism, originality, execution, characters, and premise, this movie earns the title of "Instant Classic." It defines a era that is 2008, where terrorism is the first thing you think of when a major disaster happens, the YouTube/Camera Phone culture and just society in general. It's the little things that make the movie more than the big things, and they work in unexpected ways. Sure, I would have probably changed a couple of things, but it all seems to work. As for the rumor of sequels, I'm a bit hesitant, as is the crew, because you really need a new gimmick, as this has already been done. And quite well I might add.
Fun July 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Neat movie. I hated the beginning. It was boring and full of fake, bad acting. My husband said "keep watching" and I was glad I did. This turned into a neat thriller
 Cloverfield Rocks July 6, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
For a movie that was supposed to be seen once, the blu-ray was great, picture sound and every thing, I have to admit being able to go back and catch the things i missed in the theater was great! The extras provide more insight to the story. I would definitely recommend this to others of the big monster genre!
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