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)

Upcoming

December 31

Defiance

Good

January 2

Cargo 200

January 7

Silent Light

January 9

After Dark Horrorfest 2009

Bride Wars

How About You

Not Easily Broken

The Unborn

Yonkers Joe

January 16

Chandni Chwok to China

Cherry Blossoms

Hotel for Dogs

My Bloody Valentine 3-D

Notorious

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

January 21

Of Time and the City

I Heart Slumdog

email this story
read comments (7)
post a comment

"There's sadness and tragedy within Slumdog Millionaire -- starvation, genocide, child prostitution and overwhelming oppression -- but there's humor, humanity and dignity as well. [Director] Danny Boyle, stepping outside the UK to focus his lens on India, seems to have freed himself here to bring his brilliance as a director to its fullest fruition.

"Slumdog Millionaire is Boyle's best film to date, which is saying quite a lot; He's made a joyous, fun, and wonderfully accessible film that should play well in Toronto before moving on to wider release." -- from Kim Voynar's Cinematical review, posted this evening at 8:03 pm.

When is Variety's Todd McCarthy going to get around to posting his review of the Boyle film (which screened last night, after all) and Paul Schrader's Adam Resurrected, which screened yesterday afternoon? And where, for that matter, are the reviews of same from L.A. Weekly critic Scott Foundas? Hubba-hubba, guys.

Drop It << previous | next >>Weird No More

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 31, 2008 at 10:55 PM

comment #1

BurmaShave says ...

I'm sorry, but it's not better than SHALLOW GRAVE or TRAINSPOTTING. There's no way. I remember hearing this after MILLIONS, which was very good, but no. The internet has led to so much hyperbole.

Posted by BurmaShave at August 31, 2008 11:24 PM

comment #2

buckzollo says ...

Slumdog received a rousing round of applause from a very appreciative late night audience. Boyle was visibly pumped by the reaction. One over zealous questioner wanted to know if he has written his oscar speech, ahem, he said NO. It is colorful and complex and a very solid effort. If this crowd is any indication, it seems destined to reach and be embraced by audiences.
PS Burma see it and then type

Posted by buckzollo at September 1, 2008 12:18 AM

comment #3

BurmaShave says ...

I would think you supporters would want to tamp down the hyperbole as much as anyone. If you're going to get smug about it I definitely have no interest.

Posted by BurmaShave at September 1, 2008 1:10 AM

comment #4

btwnproductions says ...

Doyle's a nice bloke, and SLUMDOG may be great, but Fox Searchlight is unlikely to have a JUNO or LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE in this. It's kind of...foreign. And festival audiences are no predictor of success in the real world; if they were, the belly-flopping HAMLET 2 would be doing DARK KNIGHT levels of business.

Posted by btwnproductions at September 1, 2008 5:58 AM

comment #5

Gordie Lachance says ...

The one thing NOBODY has to worry about on the internet is hyperbole. 95% of all posts an any film and any filmmaker are angry, negative, jealous, sour, bitter. spiteful, ....etc etc.

It's refreshing to see someone say something nice and put themselves out there a little bit and risk looking a little over-zealous.

ps- Shallow Grave and Trainspotting were middling at best.

Posted by Gordie Lachance at September 1, 2008 7:10 AM

comment #6

buckzollo says ...

BS you are swinging at shadows.
A. You have not seen the movie.
B. Your post is rightfully and very simply your own opinion.
C. I am neither a "supporter" nor "smug"
D. (since I was there to see it...) Boyle intro'ed the film by saying jokingly he was here to lower the expetations (due to an earlier screening getting raves)
fyi here is a definition of hyperbole:
an extravag ant statement or figure of speech
not intended to be taken literally
hmmm... your sentence above "There is no way." fits that quite nicely

Posted by buckzollo at September 1, 2008 8:05 AM

comment #7

plastiqueelephant says ...

hmmmm, "It's kind of...foreign." like crouching tiger, hidden dragon, like the full monty? cause, american audiences hate foreign cultures being packaged up in universal and accessible values.

plus surely, india about to enter the zeitgeist in a pretty serious way right now given it's arrival on world stage (reliance/utv)... as china and japan did before it...

Posted by plastiqueelephant at September 1, 2008 9:46 AM