Cloverfield
Last weekend, the movie Cloverfield was released in theaters. After hearing about J. J. Abram’s involvement with the film, the Lost/monster movie fan inside me drove me to check it out with some friends. I didn’t see any threads about it on the message board, so I thought I might post a few of my thoughts here since this seems like one of those “you’ll probably end up talking about it with your friends and co-workers” kind of movies.
*Note: Although there isn’t too much to really “spoil”, I will refrain from going into detail about any plot or character details that would be considered such.
As the Good Sir Tony will agree with me, the experience was not a bad one. In case you are unfamiliar with the concept of Cloverfield, I’ve included this handy and highly scientific equation for your benefit. Excuse the large size and my poor skill with image editing…
I’d say this accurately sums up the concept. Godzilla (giant monster currrently destroying city) plus The Blair Witch Project (film presented as “real” amateur footage) minus Godzuki (I wanted to put a pile of crap as the picture here to symbolize the overall awfulness of The Blair Witch Project, but Godzuki seemed so much more poignant) equals Cloverfield.
Your enjoyment of the film will depend on a few factors. First of all, I don’t think this is a movie that will translate so well from the theater to the home-viewing experience. Despite being shot in the style of a home video, the largeness of the screen combined with the crowd aspect of a theater really sells the concept. Second, your mileage will vary based on how much you are willing to buy into the experience as a whole. If you go into this movie ready to critique every line of dialogue and camera angle, your opinion of the movie will not be too high. However, if you go in willing to accept the concept that what you are watching is in fact real footage, or at least willing to project yourself as an audience member into the situation of the on-screen characters, you will find yourself swept up in a very intense experience.
Whereas The Blair Witch Project was fatally flawed with unlikable characters who made unrealistic decisions, Cloverfield doesn’t stretch the boundaries between real person and movie character too much. The dialogue and actions of the characters feel very natural, and it seems like much of the film was ad-libbed or improvised by the actors as they went along - reacting to situations as they themselves most likely would. Any kind of extraneous explanations of what is going on are avoided - the film doesn’t talk down to the audience in that the characters don’t feel the need to explain exactly what they are doing at all times because, due to the chaos of the situation, most of them have no idea what they are doing. Additionally, almost every action and decision made by the characters doesn’t fall under the thematic ‘veil of retardation’ that seems to plague most characters of horror and sci-fi films - these characters want to stay alive as much as anyone would in their situation, and act accordingly. In designing the monster and plot, the writers were careful to eliminate any easy escapes or solutions the audience may think of. I won’t spoil anything, but let’s just say that hiding out in a safe spot isn’t an option for anyone unfortunate enough to be in the city during the attack for numerous reasons.
The “home video”aspect of the filming works well. In the same way that first-person video games can be engrossing, Cloverfield draws you in. However, the lack of control of where the camera is pointing will likely divide viewers. Either you will get frustrated of the constant shaking camera and inability to see all of the action at once, or your frustration will become part of the experience - the fact that you can only see through the eyes of a character helps put you in the scenario and every obscured or blurry shot leaves you hanging, wanting just a little bit more to be visible (which, more often than not, is soon revealed). Concept aside, this is a big budget feature film, so the limitations of a home video camera are buffered with great crowd scenes, settings, and effects. The first time you see an entire building collapse is almost unnerving - there is no big wind up for the destruction that movies like Independence Day have trained us to wait for, rather it is sudden, violent, and has immediate consequences for the characters.
A final observation: anyone expecting a full explanation of the monsters sudden appearance, motivation for destroying the city, and exact mechanics will be disappointed. These are aspects of any film like this, but in this case the director realizes that the core of the film he is making remains unchanged regardless of these details. Besides, has there ever been a fully rewarding explanation for monsters like this in past films? Cite any number of explanations: radiation, nature punishing mankind for abusing it, an experiment gone wrong due to disaster or hubris. The end result is always the same. A giant pissed-off monster smashing a city. The important difference is that unlike the cardboard cut-outs and hollow buildings of Godzilla, the city in Cloverfield is no different than the one you live in. Full of life, friends, and people just trying to get by, real people who are excited about getting new jobs, meeting new people, or just having something to do on a Saturday night.
But not for long.
1 commentReviewed: 2007
With all of the recent Top Games of the Year discussions going on in our message boards and on other websites, I figured I would throw some of my opinions in the mix for the top media of 2007. Though I started this just as a reference for myself to remember what I played and what came out in 2007, I was surprised at the amount of quality material released only in the past one year. Hopefully seeing some of these titles will jog your memory as well and remind you of what a great year its been and all that we have to look forward to in 2008.
1. Games 
I’m not going to spend too much time discussing the big titles of this past year. We’ve already gone over and praised them many times, and they deserve every ounce of that. 2007 saw a lot of big franchise titles including Call of Duty 4, the two Guitar Hero releases, Metroid Prime 3, Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, and Halo 3 just to name a few. However, this year was also marked by a lot of new properties as well: Assassin’s Creed, Bioshock, Rock Band, Zack & Wiki, and Portal immediately come to mind. While I don’t necessarily hope for sequels to all of these newcomers, it definitely kept the gaming world fresh not to just rotate around a few big name releases. I’m glad to see how much coverage these new games got - obviously games like Rock Band don’t need a huge campaign, but it was great to see IGN advertising and supporting Zack & Wiki so much to keep people from overlooking it.
At no point during the year did I not have a portable game to work on. The DS has so much momentum at this point that I’m finding it very difficult to keep up with all the games currently released, and there are a few games such as Etrian Odyssey and both Sonic Rush games that I’m still missing the boat on. I had a grand old time with Lunar Knights, Contra4, and of course, Phantom Hourglass. Of special note for being almost permanently jammed into my DS since July is Picross. This unassuming little $20 grid game ate up so many spare ten minute chunks of my life, and I still find myself going back for more.
Finally, the PS2 proved it still had some lingering sputters left in it at (at least for the first half of 2007) with the release of Odin Sphere and The Red Star in the summer. I was hoping no one else would mention The Red Star so I could be the first, but I keep seeing it pop up on the message boards. It’s the perfect mix of the challenge you would expect from a traditional SHMUP like Ikaruga but without the frustration (mostly) and also without being a typical top-down shooting game where you play as a ship. I can’t say if they did justice to the comic book source, but the gameplay is rock solid. I wish I had more to say about Odin Sphere, but regrettably did not have the perseverance to make it through the game. It does get major props for the gorgeous 2-D sprites, great animations, and entertaining voice acting.
2. Movies
I don’t think I can remember another year that I spent so much time and money at the movie theater. I don’t have quite as much to say about the rest of the categories other than games, but here’s a quick rundown of the most entertaining (not necessarily “best”) movies I saw this year.
300 - the manliest film of the year, full of more yelling and kicking than you could ever hope for. Special points for featuring a guitar playing goatman, a brief cameo appearance by Voldo himself, and a trip to Caketown. By no means an enduring American classic, but I’ll be damned if seeing this with a large group of friends wasn’t the most fun I’ve had in a movie theatre. Ratatouille - refer to Justin’s post from the summer about how magical this movie is. If he liked it that much, you know it has to be something special. Transformers and Harry P. were the obligatory popcorn blockbuster movies of the summer, and certainly did not fail to disappoint in terms of sheer entertainment. TMNT - “not a complete turd” according to a succinct over-the-phone review from Justin, and he turned out to be right. Good for him. Hot Fuzz - part of the whole reason I wrote this entire post. There are still people who haven’t seen this, and shame on them. What I originally thought would be a mildly entertaining movie good for a few laughs before the inevitable after-movie Denny’s run turned out to be the best movie of 2007, and I couldn’t have been happier to be so surprised.
Shoot ‘em Up - I originally didn’t see this, but was later told that it was basically tailor- made for me personally to enjoy. As a dollar theater aficionado of retarded movies, I did my duty and saw it on the big screen. Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti hamming it up to the tune of a thousand gunshots and explosions, and oh the one-liners… it was like some sort of glorious spiritual successor to Commando. Which is a good thing. I promise.
In the non-explosion littered side of films… I know Nick and I mentioned it earlier in the year, but The King of Kong is also definitely worth seeing. Combining an unorthodox movie subject (the world of top score competition in classic arcade games) with a surprisingly interesting story and a few truly bizarre characters, it’s a movie that draws you in more and more once you realize that these people are serious - it’s not a fictional story. No Country for Old Men (aka Metal Gear Solid 4) also impressed me quite a bit. Even if it sounds like the plot synopsis isn’t up your alley, see it anyway. There’s more to it than you think.
3. Television
Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. You’ve heard the news. Heroes was pretty awful this year. I’m sorry. Obviously I’m drawn in enough at this point to keep watching next season, but…
HERE IS THE PROBLEM AREA. Right in this general area here. However, using a complex algorithm, I have come up with two replacements for these characters that I feel will drastically improve the show. Close your eyes, make a wish, and… presto-change-o!
Who doesn’t love Cousin Skeeter?!
Ahhhhh. That’s much better. Bobby’s ability is that he can appear in any number of short lived Nickelodeon sitcoms and/or the movie House of Wax. The aforementioned Cousin Skeeter’s ability is to be a puppet made of soft felt. This is much more intellectual than anything offered by the Micah storyline in Heroes.
In the realm of good television, Nick and I finally got on The Office bandwagon and couldn’t be happier. This is the best show since Arrested Development, and I think I may even like it more.
4. Music
I am woefully out of the current music scene, but a big recommendation for anyone who likes electronic or dance music - the album “Cross” by the group Justice released in June tops my chart for album of the year. This is what you wish the last two Daft Punk albums were, and may even be as good as the first Daft Punk album Discovery.
And, just for laughs, check out the fan album 8-bit Bullshit available for free download at http://www.scrubclubrecords.com/music/8bit.html - not all of the songs are quality, but I’ve never heard a better rap about the NES game Wild Gunman. The Zelda, Punch-Out!!, and Metal Gear songs are worth a quick listen as well.
“I got bullets ‘n buckshot loaded in the barrel
I’m lookin’ damn fine in my baby blue apparel
Ten gallon hat - you got a problem with that?
My dual revolvers make your head go splat“
5. Books/Comics
Oops, didn’t read anything except Harry Potter this year because I am an uncultured prick. However, as far as new comic series go, the first collection of The Dark Tower is certainly promising.
No commentsReturn to Brahms: A Year Away from Animal Crossing
The type of snow falling now is the kind you see rarely in life but often in movies - large round flakes falling slowly in uniform patterns and sticking perfectly to the grass and pavement alike, perfect for leaving footprints in or making snowmen with. At this time of the night the shops are all closed, darkened storefronts displaying careful arrangements of aesthetically pleasing items. It’s a few days before Christmas, and the night is given a dream-like glow by the reflections of multicolored lights hanging from the roofs of houses in the snow. The only sound comes from the snow crunching under my feet and the occasional acoustic guitar strum in the background…there isn’t much to do at this hour, but there’s a certain romance I feel wandering this sleeping town on a winter night.
Back in the real world, it’s hopelessly green outside for December 24th. Some stubborn, dirty snow piles cling to the corners of parking lots, and it’s entirely too windy and cold to lure me outside for any reason. It certainly doesn’t feel much like the type of atmosphere promised by all of the seasonal films they’re showing on TV this week.
Perhaps this is what prompted my return to the digital town of Brahms, a place I used to come to at least once a day for a good amount of time roughly a year ago. Returning to it now after so long yields a strange feeling of familiarity and foreignness - I’ve been here before, but it’s not quite the same as it used to be. Everything is where it used to be, but the occupants of the houses are all different. My own home is filled with cockroaches and weeds and clover patches punctuate the snow-covered ground over every square inch of the town… doesn’t anyone know how to pull weeds in this place? (Clearly this is not the same pastiche of cleanly modern living seen in Nintendogs: your home and surroundings grow dirty and unkempt with neglect in this universe.) Yet there’s something about the music that takes me back…
In Animal Crossing, each hour of the day has a different song associated with it. It’s not something that is immediately obvious, but there is a subtle difference between the jaunty music that plays in the afternoon and the more slow-paced music of the early evening, blending finally into minimalist and sparse warm tones for the late night. These subtle changes in tempo and instrumentation give each time of the day a unique feeling that helps to lay the foundation of the basic game experience. It’s odd to hear a musical cue and think to yourself “This really feels like 3:00am.” but it’s something that happens when you play Animal Crossing enough.
It’s not difficult for a video game to evoke a feeling of nostalgia in me, or many of my peers I imagine. As part of the generation that grew up with the Nintendo and Super Nintendo, it generally only takes a few 8-bit bleeps or a particular sound effect to whisk me back to a childhood of kneeling in front of a television at my grandmother’s house (yes, she had an NES and is possibly the most awesome grandma ever) holding a rectangle in my hands attached to a gray box. But there are very few games that take me back to a specific time in my life. [In example - The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker always makes me think of the summer before I left for a semester abroad in Australia. There was something about the feeling of the unknown and adventure the game captured so perfectly in those long meandering sailing sequences, the feeling all humans must feel at some point when they stare at the blue horizon of a large body of water and feel, if only for a moment, a sense of wanderlust and romantic longing for exploration and discovery larger than themselves.] Animal Crossing is one of those games, but for the life of me I don’t understand why. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that when you play the game, the time in your virtual town corresponds to the actual time. As soon as I hear the opening chords of the game, I immediately recall spending some time every night in my bed after everyone had gone to sleep, exploring a similarly sleeping town. Looking for something to keep myself busy in the real world led me to the game, and in the game I found myself wandering around looking for people to talk to or items to find to keep myself busy… a sort of recursive loop that further assisted the blending of my darkened bedroom in the winter to the snow-covered virtual town of Brahms.
Yes, you can talk to that penguin. It’s exciting.
For those unfamiliar with the game, it is essentially a small-scale world that you move into and inhabit. You can tweak the accessories your little villager dons, but compared to other ‘virtual world simulators’ the players choices of avatar customization are sparse. The real meat of the game is collecting things. Fossils, furniture, shirts, letters, decorations, fish, bugs… almost everything you see displayed in Animal Crossing exists for the sole purpose of being collected, catalogued, and perhaps displayed in your virtual house: a sort of consumerist wet dream.
You can, of course, interact with the other villagers of your town, but most interactions inevitably lead to you getting more stuff. It sounds so trivial, but there is something about this game that really grabbed me and I’m still trying to put my finger on it. As someone who derives a strange pleasure from seeing lists of optional items in games checked off (recipes in Paper Mario, figurines in Minish Cap, Gau’s rages in FFVI, etc.etc.etc.) there is an immediate draw. But there’s something about this game that adds up to more than the sum of it’s parts. It doesn’t even take long to see through the veil of this virtual town and identify the games limitations - it doesn’t take long before NPCs start repeating strings of text interactions, the store in the town stocks the same items over and over, the same holidays and events come up every couple of weeks, and you keep bumping into the same visitors again and again. But there’s an unmistakable thrill about finding a new fossil or seeing a new type of bug that kept me coming back for much longer than it should have. Barring this, the general layout of the game is just attractive. Bored in the real world? Pop in Animal Crossing and see what’s going on there. It’s meditative just to pick some apples or make a snowman for a few minutes before going to sleep. The formula wears thin after awhile… for myself, I suspect it took longer before diminishing marginal utility finally made the pleasure derived from playing the game not worth the time it took to do so.
So why bother to even boot it up tonight? I pretty much knew what to expect - all the same buildings and objects exactly where you left them (there’s that dapper shirt I inexplicably buried next to the palm tree by the shoreline), villagers with new faces but who have one of the same five pre-selected dispositions and personalities as those who used to live there, a few letters in your mailbox from the town hall asking where you went, and a whole mess of weeds. I haven’t really thought about it since I stopped playing, but now that I do I find myself thinking that it feels like even when the cartridge isn’t in your system, there is still a tiny world going on inside of it waiting for you to come back and visit in a moment of nostalgia.
And so tonight, I did.
1 commentAct 1: Enter Star Wolf
This is the blog of Tom, Master of Unlocking.
Edit: Still the Master of Unlocking after six months of not posting. My apologies. Look forward to this space becoming a bustling spaceport of rambling bullshit and/or a dumpster full of empty away messages. Thank you.
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