#12 - Cloverfield

Directed by Matt Reeves
2008 Sci-Fi/Thriller
Rated PG-13

NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS POSSIBLE SPOILERS.

****


Rarely have I so anticipated a movie i've known so little about. But starting with the trailer that played before Transformers, Cloverfield has had me HOOKED. I've obsessed over every website, "clue," etc., and even when the hype died down a bit, I was still eagerly anticipatinig it. So did it pay off? In a word: yes. In case you somehow don't know what the movie is about, it follows a small group of people in New York City during what seems to be a monster attack. Not much more you need to know. This movie works because of two things; it's innovative (at least for this genre) style, and it's characters. For a movie that is taking place during a monster attack, there is a surprising amount of character development. I truly felt for all the characters (especially Hud, the camera guy; definitely the most relatable character (for me anyway) in the movie); when certain "things" happen to certain ones (c'mon, i'm not giving anything away here) it almost felt like you were there with them, losing a friend. And this is due to the second thing that makes the movie work, the camera style. It is completely handheld (the premise being that it is a party for main character Rob, who is leaving for Japan the next day, and his best friend Hud is recording it), and while certainly not for everyone, it heightens the tension to an insane level. When you see the monster (except for the big reveal of it near the end) it is only in glimpses. The acting is surprisingly good all around; for a young cast with, for the most part, not a lot of credits to their name, they definitely make the characters relatable and believable. It's really hard for me to find a flaw in this film; if anything, there are times when it's hard to believe Hud would have the courage to keep filming, when it would've been easier (and SAFER) to just drop it. But other than that, this is a balls to the wall, intense action flick that hooks into you about ten minutes in and never lets go.

#11 - Bender's Big Score

2007 Animated Comedy
Directed by Dwayne Carey-Hill
Not Rated

***

I was never into Futurama. It's not that I had anything against it, just every time I sat down to watch an episode, I lost interest quickly. Now that I have seen all 72 episodes of the original run (over about four days) I understand that, unlike another show that was recently resurrected, Futurama has a lot more continuity and character development. Going through the episodes in order, I realized why so many people love the show. With that being said, I was very excited to learn that the show was being back, albeit in the form of four dvd movies. The first of the four, Bender's Big Score, has enough in it to satisfy old and new fans alike. The first fifteen minutes or so are just a lot of cancellation jokes, but after that, it becomes just a fun, extended episode. The biggest problem I had, however, is that this movie is a lot more plot driven than comedy driven. That worked well in the episodes, because each one was only 22 minutes long. However, stretching out a plot over 90 minutes doesn't work very well for this show. The jokes and characters are enough to keep it afloat, but the story really is mediocre in the scope of the Futurama universe. I recommend checking it out, but only after you've seen all the episodes. You'll certainly enjoy it more.

NOTE: I strongly suggest skipping the songs. Easily the worst part of the entire film. What were they thinking?

#10 - National Treasure: Book Of Secrets

2007 Action/Adventure
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
Rated PG

*** 1/2

Every now and then, I like to go to a movie theater and not have to think. I am there for one reason and one reason only; to be entertained. And that is what I got with National Treasure: Book Of Secrets. No, almost nothing in the film is plausible. The stunts that Gates and his partners pull off would be, at best, impossible to actually accomplish. But so what? As long as it's entertaining, who cares? This movie (and it's predecessor) both get right what the film version of the Da Vinci Code got so wrong; they don't take themselves seriously. And in a movie as implausible as this (and, on that note, the Da Vinci Code) that is a necessity.