10 Thoughts on Cloverfield

Caught this at Promenade w/ Des (and her kidney curing elixer, w/c smelled like used gym socks), who's here from Cotabato on vacation:

• Apparently there are no ugly people in Cloverfield. Even when they die from falling with a collapsing bridge or from a chopper, blown up by army missiles or explode due to an infected monster bite, they retain their good looks. (And not one Pinoy in that Manhattan party? Imposible!)
• As a MassCom student I've learned to appreciate proper stance and arm position when using a video camera. Granted that Hud, as the main video camera operator, was probably using one the size of a pocketbook (as opposed to the Harry Potter hardcover-sized models I used to have) and wasn't really an expert, but if I were him I woulda kept the steady-shot button on. And in real life vidcam jump cuts are not that noisy.
  
• Personal video cameras are lousy w/ night shots. Though it would've killed most of the suspense, I wish the monster attacked during lunchtime. Also wish the movie was as well-lit as their publicity photos.
• The eye-level view was part of this movie's charm. Comic-wise this was the equivalent of Marvels. You feel you're with them as they try to escape the shower of debris from the sky, racing down the subway tunnels to avoid the monster (or getting hit by bullets) or wondering how the hell that one chick ran around in a panic while in high heels.
  
• Only recognized one person in the whole cast: Lizzy Caplan, who played the tomboyish Kat Warbler in the canceled sitcom The Class. It's that obscure. Guess that's party how they kept the film budget at 25 mil. No big names. Just big CGI monsters.
• Monster movie equations: Lots of people moving slowly + suspension bridge = Death. Also, 4 people + 1 darkened tunnel = Death. Finally, couple waiting under a bridge - inability to get the hell outta there + army carpetbombing the city = Death.
• Possibly the freakiest (i.e. best) scene was in the subway tunnel the moment Hud switched the camera to "night mode" and we saw the Cloverfield Monster's spawn crawling on the ceiling. The more talkative audience member gasped then shut up after that. Second freakiest goes to the full-on encounter w/ the monster in the climax, w/c gave me some Jurassic Park flashbacks.
  
• Suspension of disbelief was tested not w/ the monster seemingly going around Manhattan in circle, but w/ the army guy letting the main cast (those still alive, at least) go back into the city to rescue a girlfriend. This was so the plot would move forward, I know, but the dude should have at least given them a weapon.
• Yeah, Mr. Helicopter Pilot, instead of flying us to safety, hover over the disaster area while I try to get a good shot of those planes blowing up the monster. What could possibly go wrong?
• This movie is best seen in the theater for the full visually visceral experience. (Probably better on IMAX, but would worsen the inevitable motion sickness.) Kudos to director Matt Reeves and writer Drew Goddard, and sorry that producer JJ Abram's name seemingly overshadowed your hard work in the marketing of this film.