edited by Jonathan Doyle

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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Slight "Superbad" downtick

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Superbad dropped 10% to 12% yesterday and is now on track to make $31.6 million by tonight rather than yesterday's projected figure of $33,607,000. Still a phenomenal figure for a film that everyone said would tally in the region of $25 million or so.

The Friday-to-Saturday drop was typical for an under-25 niche flick (i.e., guy-appealing, strong sexual humor) -- young people own Friday, the somewhat older audience comes out in greater numbers on Saturday. Two apparently stoned guys sitting next to Jett were almost weeping with laughter. Two young women sitting next to me were laughing here and there but not that much; three or four times they just went "oh, God!"

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 19, 2007 at 8:59 AM

comment #1

Teh Awesome says ...

This is a passable movie at best. I don't understand why this movie is being championed by so many critics. It doesn't break new ground and it's not really that funny. Theater was 90% full on a Friday night and there was only two or three (at most) instances of unanimous laughter.

Posted by Teh Awesome at August 19, 2007 9:37 AM

comment #2

PanTheFaun says ...

My audience ate it up fully and completely.

But I'm saying it here and now: "Superbad" is this summer's "Wedding Crashers"--- a wildly bloated buddy comedy that has its moments and a rapid-fire starmaking performance at its center, but runs about 40 minutes too long, contains far too much extraneous material that isn't funny at all, and completely pales in comparison to a film written and directed by Judd Apatow released in the same summer.

Posted by PanTheFaun at August 19, 2007 10:00 AM

comment #3

James Leer says ...

But what race were they?!?!?!

Posted by James Leer at August 19, 2007 11:04 AM

comment #4

renorambler says ...

It was good but not great. I probably wouldn't have gone to see this in the theater but I think Michael Cera was great in Arrested Development. Too bad he wasn't given more to do in the film.

Posted by renorambler at August 19, 2007 11:14 AM

comment #5

Mr. Blood Vessel says ...

it's not about race, it's about taste.

Posted by Mr. Blood Vessel at August 19, 2007 11:15 AM

comment #6

Gabriel says ...

"But I'm saying it here and now: "Superbad" is this summer's "Wedding Crashers"--- a wildly bloated buddy comedy that has its moments and a rapid-fire starmaking performance at its center, but runs about 40 minutes too long, contains far too much extraneous material that isn't funny at all, and completely pales in comparison to a film written and directed by Judd Apatow released in the same summer."

I think the 40 minutes figure is a bit high, and I get the impression that I laughed more at "Superbad" than you did, but I strongly agree with your general sentiment.

Posted by Gabriel at August 19, 2007 11:16 AM

comment #7