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Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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"Zodiac" rumble

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A filmmaker friend has passed along some info about David Fincher and Zodiac, by way of an editor pal who knows a sound mixer who worked on Zodiac a while back.

"This girl is very smart and cool," this guy says. "She's very much the San Franciso arty girl who hates a lot of Hollywood shit and is funny talking about working on all the shit she does. Anyway, she said Zodiac is fucking brilliant and so amazing and smart. I really, really trust this girl. She says the movie is great and that George Lucas was blown away by it.

"She also said that Robert Downey, Jr. gives an incredible Oscar-level performance.

"But here's my favorite detail. The first half of the movie, which takes place in the late '60s, is mixed mono when all of radio was AM and with the advent of FM, in the chronology of the film as the calendar moves into the '70s, the movie turns stereo. Such a great idea. She said that Fincher has the best ears of anyone other than David Lynch.

"The other point to make here is that if Zodiac sucked there's noway Dreamamount would ever greenlight Fincher's Benjamin Button project, which will star Brad Pitt."

Two "Infamous" reviews<< previous | next >>Off to Toronto

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on September 1, 2006 at 12:04 AM

comment #1

Reint says ...

God, I love Fincher! That sound thing is so cool! Who else would think of something like that? Awesome.

Posted by Reint at September 1, 2006 12:43 AM

comment #2

D.Z. says ...

"She says the movie is great and that George Lucas was blown away by it."

Um, nowadays, Lucas liking something is never a good sign.

"which takes place in the late '60s, is mixed mono when all of radio was AM and with the advent of FM, in the chronology of the film as the calendar moves into the '70s, the movie turns stereo. Such a great idea."

Only if I can hear the dialogue. That's part of what annoyed me about Brokeback Mountain.

"The other point to make here is that if Zodiac sucked there's noway Dreamamount would ever greenlight Fincher's Benjamin Button project, which will star Brad Pitt."

They probably greenlit the film, because Pitt was in it, not because of Fincher.

Posted by D.Z. at September 1, 2006 1:17 AM

comment #3

iamanerd says ...

DZ is probably right that Pitt gets the film greenlit, but we can assume that the movie won't be a total sellout stinkfest with Fincher directing.

Posted by iamanerd at September 1, 2006 6:32 AM

comment #4

JD says ...

DZ, I don't even disagree with everything you say, but do you have any idea how smug your writing style is? Quote someone, make a dismissive remark. Quote someone, make a dismissive remark. In roughly 40 or 50 words, you managed to belittle George Lucas and Brokeback Mountain, imply that Zodiac isn't very good (based on no real evidence) and threw out a stock criticism of the studio casting process. Again, I don't necessarily disagree with all these points, but what's with the oppressive cynicism?

Posted by JD at September 1, 2006 6:38 AM

comment #5

MAGGA says ...

The Mono/Stereo thing sounds like a great idea, but it may be a gimmick that takes you out of the movie a little. Like changing from black and white to color in a thirties movie to follow the times. Since this is a serious movie, I mean. Anyway, its Fincher, so Im there, and everything printed on this site makes me more eager to catch it.

Posted by MAGGA at September 1, 2006 6:59 AM

comment #6

romeoisbleeding says ...

The fact that she says Downey jr. gives an Oscar level performance and this movie will probably open in January makes me want to break things. I don't care what anyone says...this guy deserves a break. He has been acting his ass off the last few years and deserves some recognition. I hope to God they play this movie at the end of Dec. for awards consideration.

Posted by romeoisbleeding at September 1, 2006 7:43 AM

comment #7

christian says ...

i appreciate the mono/stereo thing, but i dunno if that portends great things. i'm sure the audience will be blown out of their seats by that shift from mono to stereo. but what about the movie? it sounds like more fincher technocracy -- which may explain lucas love.

Posted by christian at September 1, 2006 8:51 AM

comment #8

kyle21 says ...

So DZ, everone in movies you see has to sound like they were raise in L.A., just so you dont have to try to understane other people in this country??

Zodiac is going to be brilliant!

Posted by kyle21 at September 1, 2006 9:11 AM

comment #9

Jack Lint says ...

That DOES sound fucking brilliant. It's the little things like that which set Fincher apart and make hiim one of the most relevant and in touch filmmakers of the last 15 years. And again, seems foolish for the studio to be pushing this to January. Seems like, in tandem with A Scanner Darkly, they could push a Downey Jr, nom and drum up more box office.

Posted by Jack Lint at September 1, 2006 10:33 AM

comment #10

NYCBusybody says ...

"She's very much the San Franciso arty girl who hates a lot of Hollywood shit and is funny talking about working on all the shit she does."

*Full body shudder*

Posted by NYCBusybody at September 1, 2006 10:42 AM

comment #11

L.B. says ...

Hey, JD. Good post. That was appreciated.

Fincher has only let me down a couple of times. I'm looking forward to this. Lots of good elements coming together. You never know until you see it, but I'm looking forward to getting the chance.

And, frankly, the Oscar means nothing anymore. Really. It's a romantic notion. We want them because we grew up knowing they were something to be desired. But their recent record (and even their non-recent record) show them to be practically meaningless.

Let's hope this is a fantastic movie. Who cares what gilded crap it's eligible for?

Posted by L.B. at September 1, 2006 12:22 PM

comment #12

jeffmcm says ...

Wells must be desperate if he's seeking out third-hand gossip about whether a movie is good or not from random 'arty chicks'. The AM/FM thing sounds clever for ten seconds and then so what.

Posted by jeffmcm at September 1, 2006 4:59 PM

comment #13

RoyBatty says ...

Have to agree, this thread is pretty worthless. It's fine when JW has some contact like another critic or journalist who passes along his/her thoughts on a film, but this does reek of a rotted fish from the bottom of the sardine barrel.

"She's very much the San Franciso arty girl who hates a lot of Hollywood shit and is funny talking about working on all the shit she does."

Does this not sound like everyone you've ever met who thinks their job is beneath them and to compensate for the fact (that what does that say about them to work there) they belittle and snark about it? Arty girl sounds more like Sour Grapes Girl.

And the observation that Fincher would lose projects over it shows the other party's complete lack of insight. If this wasn't simply this unnamed person talking out of their ass, then Fincher should have been toast with ALIEN III. I'd like to hear their stuttered explanation as to how he survived having that be his debut film.

With FIGHT CLUB turning into a cash machine on DVD for Fox, every one of his films has turned a profit for their studios. And Pitt is in it BECAUSE of Fincher, so that greenlight (which ZODIAC couldn't derail anyway, it would be too late) would happen because guys like Pitt strongely want to work with Fincher. Very few filmmakers have both a great eye, ability to get along with A list talent and killer instincts when it comes to good material.

Posted by RoyBatty at September 1, 2006 6:49 PM

comment #14

L.B. says ...

Considering that Fincher has directed films that managed to remain greenlit despite cast changes, I'd say his rep is strong enough on its own. Given that his last film- which was not a favorite of mine- brought in 200M worldwide I don't think anyone's running away from working with him only to be ushered back by Pitt.

Posted by L.B. at September 1, 2006 7:54 PM

comment #15