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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A dull and poorly focused shot of the new Body of Lies billboard in Times Square, posted by some guy at Reel Suave. It looks like it was taken with a cell-phone camera. If I'd been there with my Canon I'd have gotten something. I am the Times Square billboard-photographing Zen master when I'm there.

Empire Poster Quiz<< previous | next >>Buds

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 19, 2008 at 3:17 PM

comment #1

erniesouchak says ...

That billboard looks about as exciting as the movie does.

Posted by erniesouchak at August 19, 2008 3:51 PM

comment #2

Mgmax says ...

Oh boy, a movie about a rogue CIA agent. I've never seen that one before.

Now if only they'd fulfill my desire to see the story of a cop who doesn't play by the rules, and his new partner.

Posted by Mgmax at August 19, 2008 4:33 PM

comment #3

dipnut says ...

Is that Russell Crowe or Seth Rogen in that poster?

Posted by dipnut at August 19, 2008 4:47 PM

comment #4

BurmaShave says ...

That looks way too much like an EYES WIDE SHUT version of Times Square. Which is only to the good. I miss it dearly. The city, not necessarily that tourist trap and its insanity.

Posted by BurmaShave at August 19, 2008 4:50 PM

comment #5

p.Vice says ...

This picture can't possibly be as dark and murky as the cinematography of the film surely will be.

Posted by p.Vice at August 19, 2008 9:40 PM

comment #6

Abbey Normal says ...

Does this not look exactly like Spy Game, with Crowe doing Redford and DiCaprio doing Pitt?

Zzzzzzzz

Posted by Abbey Normal at August 19, 2008 10:41 PM

comment #7

BurmaShave says ...

Looks nothing like it actually. You literally just thought "Scott Brother + Spies". Pretty lazy, even by our dismissive standards on these boards.

Posted by BurmaShave at August 19, 2008 11:33 PM

comment #8

actionman says ...

Yeah, the film looks great from the trailers. Monahan's script was fantastic and I doubt Ridley fucked it up during production.

P.Vice, you must have blinders on because the cinematography on display in the trailer is anything but "murky." You never cease to amaze me.

Posted by actionman at August 20, 2008 5:16 AM

comment #9

Mgmax says ...

"Yeah, the film looks great from the trailers."

Really?

I'm prepared to believe that it's better than the trailer, but the trailer, really, looks so generic. Standard Patriot Games-style aim space cameras at guys in desert, standard guy in field betrayed by guy at HQ, two guys at cell phones yell at each other until guy in field brings the fight home, man!

Posted by Mgmax at August 20, 2008 6:35 AM

comment #10

Yves says ...

I have no interest in seeing this picture. Add Ridley to the list of directors who have long since peaked.

Posted by Yves at August 20, 2008 8:51 AM

comment #11

MickTravis says ...

Leo looks like he might be moving in for the kiss in that poster.

And Russell seems to have no idea what's about to happen ....

Posted by MickTravis at August 20, 2008 9:31 AM

comment #12

Jake Gittes says ...

First reaction was that Michael Caine returned as Harry Palmer.
Billboard does nothing to promote film. What could the promotion meetings have been like? What ideas were dismissed?
Body of Lies title is better suited to Skinamax.

Posted by Jake Gittes at August 20, 2008 11:24 AM

comment #13

Supernetuser says ...

That's actually a really good photo.

Posted by Supernetuser at August 20, 2008 12:28 PM

comment #14

Richardson says ...

"I'm prepared to believe that it's better than the trailer, but the trailer, really, looks so generic."

I'm with Max on this one; the trailer makes the plot look so generic that I feel like they must be pulling the old bait-and-switch, and the movie must be *really* strange. The stranger the movie actually is, the more generic they try to make the trailer.

Posted by Richardson at August 20, 2008 1:19 PM

comment #15

Richardson says ...

"I am the Times Square billboard-photographing Zen master when I'm there."

The sad thing is, Jeff genuinely means this. He doesn't mean it as the Joke it sounds like.

Posted by Richardson at August 20, 2008 1:20 PM

comment #16

adaml says ...

"This picture can't possibly be as dark and murky as the cinematography of the film surely will be."

pVice,

What a weird thing to say. Name one Ridley Scott film that did not look like a masterpiece? I admit he has done some absolute shit (A Good Year most notably) but even that looked amazing, as all his films do.

Posted by adaml at August 20, 2008 1:48 PM

comment #17