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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Best Obama Endorsement

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I can't say I've watched very many celebrity endorsements on behalf of of Barack Obama, but Tom Hanks' video, which he apparently wrote and shot on his own, is the most eloquent and straight-talking-est testimonial on video that I've seen from...I was going to say from a Hollywood type but I can't think of anyone who's said it better. Really. It's on his MySpace page.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on May 3, 2008 at 7:41 PM

comment #1

D.Z. says ...

I didn't know Hanks even had a MySpace page. Those Enquirer jerks just plastered an article about Obi having an affair, I guess to compete with that other rag spreading a rumour about Hil being a lesbian.

Posted by D.Z. at May 3, 2008 9:17 PM

comment #2

Walter Sobchak says ...

Transpose the name "Obama" with McCain, (keeping everything else the same) and Hanks is a crazy, right-wing nut job. Of COURSE you love it.

Posted by Walter Sobchak at May 3, 2008 9:27 PM

comment #3

cinemascopian says ...

you can get the embed code here:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=33546997

Posted by cinemascopian at May 3, 2008 9:54 PM

comment #4

CinemaPhreek says ...

So goes Hanks, so goes the Nation

(and I can't believe I'm the first to say it)

Posted by CinemaPhreek at May 3, 2008 10:13 PM

comment #5

dangovich says ...

Who's Forrest Gump endorsing?

Posted by dangovich at May 3, 2008 10:21 PM

comment #6

Matthew Lucas says ...

Here's the embed code Jeff:

Beware: Celebrity Endorsement

Posted by Matthew Lucas at May 3, 2008 10:38 PM

comment #7

BurmaShave says ...

If this Obama thing doesn't work out, I would say Hanks for President.

Posted by BurmaShave at May 4, 2008 12:10 AM

comment #8

YND says ...

Wow. Just last week I saw Tom Hanks present the best screening I've ever seen (2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY in a pristine 70mm print with Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, Douglas Trumbull, Buzz Aldrin and more present... Hanks spoke enthusiastically for half-an-hour beforehand and was just as personable and entertaining and engaging as you might hope), and now this.

I guess I've got me a new favorite celebrity!

Posted by YND at May 4, 2008 2:26 AM

comment #9

berkguru says ...

I thought it kind of sucked. And Hanks looks odd - refreshed in a plastic surgery sort of way. And it is weird for a 51-year old to have a fully developed Myspace page.

Posted by berkguru at May 4, 2008 9:13 AM

comment #10

MickTravis says ...

I agree he looks strange. Should've gotten Zemeckis or somebody to come over and help with the lighting. But, berk, how old is too old?

Posted by MickTravis at May 4, 2008 11:30 AM

comment #11

Chicago48 says ...

I love Tom's myspace page. Nothing wrong with that. All entertainers, singers & actors have a myspace page.

It's very ingenuous. He even has a youtube endorsing electric cars...that's very cool indeed.

Posted by Chicago48 at May 4, 2008 12:38 PM

comment #12

lazespud says ...

Did others notice the big collection of WWII correspondent's typewriters (those half-size jobbers that they'd lug around)... makes you want to take a tour of Hanks' den to just see what other cool historical stuff he's collected...

Posted by lazespud at May 4, 2008 12:41 PM

comment #13

MickTravis says ...

He collects antique portable typewriters. I remember reading that in the new yorker.

http://www.kurtandersen.com/journalism/nyker/nyker121798tomhanks.html

Posted by MickTravis at May 4, 2008 1:07 PM

comment #14

Bonifer says ...

For what it's worth, I've interviewed Hanks several times in his career, beginning with Splash and the last time on Toy Story. I have interviewed and worked with hundreds of celebs and he one of the most if not THE most thoughtful and articulate. He listened to the interview questions and he responded to them with answers that were not pat or flack-generated. He knows he's damn good at what he does, a consummate pro, but he doesn't take himself all that seriously, just like you see here. He came and went without any kind of entourage, all by himself, and he was completely comfortable with that, and I cannot say I've seen that happen with any other celebrity of his stature, ever.

Here's a piece I did for the HuffPost this week, hoping that the Hoosiers can bring it home for O on Tuesday!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-bonifer/4-reasons-why-hoosiers-sh_b_99855.html

Posted by Bonifer at May 4, 2008 2:00 PM

comment #15